Disaster fatigue is a luxury we can’t afford
It’s high anxiety time for me and my neighbors; the warm winds are blowing from the east, a smoke/smog line rests on the horizon, the temperatures are high. While tourists enjoy the autumn breezes and sunshine, locals sniff the air, scanning the ridges for smoke. Its fall in Malibu. Fire season.
On Wednesday afternoon last week, I received a call from our city manager, Katie Lichtig. She had been notified by the Los Angeles County Fire Department that the city was on alert. A brush fire had broken out in the northern Valley and there was concern that Santa Ana winds would push it northwest to Calabasas, and, as has happened before, across the hills to Malibu. “FYI she told me, tell your neighbors.”
Well, my neighbors and I are no strangers to fire-having lost our homes in the ’93 fires. FYI, indeed. I immediately took to my phone with Katie’s warning-be on alert, be prepared to leave if necessary and get more information as it develops.
Of course, I believed that given the city’s vast experience with disaster, useful information would be easy to obtain. But, it came as a big surprise to me that while Los Angeles radio and TV newscasts provided what they could to north Valley residents, very little Malibu-specific news was available.
Having referred my neighbors to the city’s Web site I logged on to see what I could find out. Clicking to the emergency / news page, I found little of use. Things were no better when I called the emergency information phone line or when I attempted to tune into Malibu Emergency Radio. And, on Thursday, the Malibu television station, Channel 34, like the Web site, did not change its content between 7:25 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. I was frustrated, especially, when I later learned that the Pepperdine and Calabasas City Web sites had been updated throughout the day.
On Friday, I checked back with Katie to ask her why so little current Malibu-specific news was available to residents desperate for information. It goes without saying that she takes her responsibility to provide accurate and timely information (to avoid panic) very seriously. She told me that a city representative had been posted at the fire command center throughout the event, providing her staff with regular reports so the city was prepared to act quickly should the need arise. She also informed me that the information posted at 7:25 a.m. was the best available until 3:30 p.m. (later updated at 7:45 p.m.) and that the other sites I mentioned contained significant errors or unconfirmed data. She also reminded me that residents could provide the city with their e-mail address in order to receive notification whenever the city’s Web site is updated. However, she explained, that even with excellent information, our city radio station’s evening transmission is compromised by a powerful Sacramento station (the FCC has been made aware and is working on it). And, she admitted that our TV and web content is not nearly as developed as it could be (and this in a town filled with media professionals!).
Katie said she feels our first, and best, early warning system is a neighborhood phone tree and encourages every neighborhood to have one. Her call to me was one of many that city officials made on Wednesday to start spreading the word. However, putting citizens on alert and providing timely information for appropriate action are two different things. In order to know how to respond we need to know exactly what is happening, at the time it is happening and we need instructions on how to respond. And, if the content posted is the best available at the time, we need to know that someone has been tracking its relevance regularly (a simple note: confirmed as of 10 a.m., 11 a.m., etc. would have reduced anxiety considerably).
It is also wrong to assume that everyone has access to the Internet, or that our phones, radios, TVs or computers will be operational if power is lost (as it was in ’93). Printed information must also be available (and posted!) in every Malibu home.
But emergency preparedness is not-indeed, cannot be-the exclusive responsibility of our city government. As Katie and her staff maximize the city’s communications capabilities, we must be preparing ourselves and our families for the worst. The fire season has just begun.
Here are the answers to some of the frantic questions that come to mind when those warm autumn winds are blowing:
How do I get Malibu emergency information?
Malibu City Emergency Phone Hotline: 310.456.9972
Malibu Radio: WPTD, 1620 AM
City of Malibu Web site: www.ci.malibu.ca.us
City of Malibu TV: Channel 34 in Malibu
To register for e-mail updates: www.ci.malibu.ca.us/lists/index.cfm?mode=web
Road Information: 800.675.4357
How should I prepare for evacuation?
€ Make sure that family members know how to escape the house if fire immediately threatens
€ Have a portable radio and batteries handy
€ Organize important documents/photos so they are easily retrieved for quick evacuation
€ Fill automobile gas tank
€ Seek info regarding evacuation routes
€ Arrange a family meeting place away from the house
€ Arrange a family telephone contact number
€ Prepare a home inventory list for insurance purposes (take photos or video of everything in your house and yard)
€ Provide a trusted neighbor with a key to your home and instructions regarding your children, pets and important documents in the event that you are out of the area at the time of the evacuation
€ Caretakers and childcare providers should be instructed in evacuation procedures
What should I take if I need to evacuate?
Pets
Insurance Papers
Stocks/bond certificates
Car pink slip
Mortgage papers
Credit cards / check books / cash
Cellphone and charger
Birth certificates/passports/immigration documents
Change of clothing (prepared to be out of house at least one to two nights)
Computer CPU or backup disks
Prescriptions medications
Photos
Items to take, if you have time
Art/collectables/jewelry/valuable rugs
(Do not take TVs or stereo equipment)
Where do I go?
You should go to the meeting place you have previously arranged with your family or friends. Or, if necessary, officials will direct you to the nearest shelter.
What happens to my children if I can’t get to them?
Malibu schools have evacuation plans for students. Children will be transported to a safe shelter should need arise. Their location will be posted on the Malibu city Web site or available at the emergency phone line. During high risk periods school buses are kept in Malibu for this purpose. Check with your child’s school for details.
What do I do if I don’t drive, am ill or handicapped?
Make a plan with your neighbors to assist you. If this is not an option or they are not available, contact the Malibu City Hotline at 310.456.892 or the Sheriff’s Station at 310.456.6652
What do I do with my animals?
Take your house pets with you. Arrange with your neighbors to take them if you are not available. Arrange an evacuation plan for larger animals. Special evacuation shelters will be available for large animals. Check the city Web site or call the city emergency hot line number (310.456.9972) for details.
How do I prove I live in Malibu for emergency access purposes?
The Dolphin Decal is designed to identify Malibu residents and business employees and facilitate access during emergency road closures. Decals are available for purchase at City Hall during regular business hours for a fee of $5 each. It is necessary to bring proof of residence or business location (such as a driver’s license or utility bill) and the vehicle registration in order to receive the decal.