The Malibu City Council unanimously approved a contract with Constant Associates, Inc. to comprehensively update the city's evacuation plan for $159,729, emphasizing community engagement that officials say was lacking in previous versions.
The contract, pulled from the consent calendar for discussion, comes as the city seeks to improve emergency response procedures following recent devastating wildfires, including the Franklin and Palisades fires that highlighted gaps in evacuation planning.
"It's become absolutely critical that when you have an evacuation plan, you need to fully socialize it with the community to both get input and so also for them to understand what the plan is," said Susan Dueñas, Public Safety Director, during the council meeting. "In prior iterations, there wasn't the level of community engagement that's really needed."
The city's current evacuation plan was last updated in 2019 through a collaborative approach with the Los Angeles County Fire and Sheriff's departments. City officials said much has changed since then, requiring a comprehensive overhaul.
Constant Associates was selected from four proposals submitted after a request for proposals was issued on June 26. Three vendors were interviewed, with Constant Associates chosen based on their extensive evacuation planning experience with Southern California cities, including Long Beach, Ventura, and Pasadena.
The consulting firm brings significant real-world experience to the project. Two consultants assigned to the Malibu project were involved in the evacuation of more than 180,000 people during the 2017 Oroville Dam emergency in Northern California.
The updated plan will include several key components designed to address lessons learned from recent fire events. A vulnerable populations assessment will develop corresponding evacuation strategies for elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, those with large animals, and residents without personal transportation.
"We have various vulnerable populations, you know, people with mobility issues, people with large animals or people who don't have their own transportation," Dueñas explained. "So looking at that and then having almost like a list of different strategies we can employ based on the situation and what we have available."
Community engagement will be central to the planning process. The consultant will conduct informational interviews with key stakeholders, facilitate a community workshop, and develop an online survey to broaden public input. The workshop will accommodate up to 100 participants and include printed materials, with the city providing venue and refreshments.
Council members emphasized the importance of integrating medical facilities into the planning process. Mayor Marianne Riggins specifically requested that Urgent Care and UCLA Medical be "fully integrated" into the plan, noting the significant medical needs observed during and after past fires.
The project will also include the creation of an ArcGIS StoryMap, a visual tool that will be posted on the city's website to help residents understand evacuation procedures. The interactive map will illustrate evacuation routes, shelter locations, and other critical information in an easily digestible format.
A tabletop exercise with agency partners is planned for spring to test the draft evacuation plan before finalization. This exercise will allow the city and its partners to identify potential issues and make adjustments before the plan is completed.
The timeline for the project extends through next spring, with community engagement beginning before the holidays and ramping up afterward. The exercise is scheduled for spring, with plan finalization expected by the end of next spring.
The contract falls under the city's adopted budget for fiscal year 2025-26, with funds allocated in the Public Safety Professional Services account. The agreement spans one year and includes provisions for quality assurance and project management throughout the planning process.
Malibu, located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, has experienced numerous destructive wildfires over recent decades, including the 1993 Topanga-Malibu Fire, 2007 Corral Fire, and 2018 Woolsey Fire, making updated evacuation planning crucial for resident safety.