> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Unlike South, we’re prepared for disaster - URL: https://www.smdp.com/unlike-south-were-prepared-for-disaster/ - Published: 2005-09-12T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T07:46:36.000Z - Author: Bill Bauer - Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import You’ve probably been watching Hurricane Katrina events in horror as they unfold in the deep South. The state of readiness and disaster preparedness in New Orleans is a far cry from what we have in Santa Monica. I can say with a great deal of confidence that we’re ready when disaster strikes. Mistakes were made before, during and after Hurricane Katrina from the top down. But, it is the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana that shoulder the major responsibility for not being prepared, and not reacting to a bad situation in an effective and timely manner. Here, in Santa Monica, years of disaster planning already are in place. It’s the responsibility of the city’s emergency service’s coordinator, Paul Weinberg, to coordinate emergency activities within the city. There are a number of elements to the city’s disaster plan. Earthquake, tsunami, terrorist events and fire all have their own unique set of conditions that need to be addressed. The locations of shelters and service centers is dictated by the type of disaster. For example, in the case of a tsunami warning, emergency services would not be set up in the low lying coastal area of Ocean Park. Weinberg said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires municipalities and governmental jurisdictions, including school districts, to file a detailed report on emergency preparedness and management called a “Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.” “They want a solid, workable plan that would identify hazards, hazard mitigation and the steps that would be taken to address and correct problems and ensure public well being,” said Weinberg. “Failure to submit a report that meets their approval could result in being excluded from FEMA aid and assistance.” In the case of New Orleans, not using the mass transit available to evacuate some 100,000 people who didn’t or couldn’t drive or were too old, sick or otherwise unable to evacuate themselves was a major contributor to the misery and death toll. “Here, we have a fleet of city busses and flat bed trucks from public works that would be pressed into service immediately if that need should arise,” Weinberg said. The city has an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that can be convened in a few minutes time. The EOC meets in the new public safety facility and includes city department heads such as transportation, communications, public works, police, fire, finance and administration. Outside representatives include the Santa Monica chapter of the Red Cross, Los Angeles County responders, representatives from utility companies, the medical community and others. “Each one knows their functions and what has to be done,” Weinberg said. “There is a chain of command, and everyone is contacted either by phone, cell phone or satellite phone. Amateur (ham) radio operated by the private citizen members of Disaster Communications Services (DCS) is our back-up.” The EOC is only activated when emergency activity is expected to continue for extended periods of time or have multiple events, such as earthquakes with aftershocks. Response levels are determined by whether the emergency is a low-, mid-or high-level event. County, state or federal responders would be brought in as needed. “Police and fire personnel, medical help, serious medical emergencies and VIPs could be ferried in and out of Santa Monica Airport by private pilots in the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps (EVAC), a volunteer organization under the wing of the fire department consisting of local pilots with small planes,” added Weinberg. “Their mission is to bring and take people wherever we need them.” The Santa Monica Red Cross chapter has cots, food, water, blankets and other emergency supplies warehoused at its chapter on 11th street, as well as additional supplies stored in metal containers around town. Its “Disaster Action Team” consisting of trained local volunteers— who also are available to go anywhere in the country to work disasters — is on call 24/7 and knows to report for assignments in emergencies. The chapter has existing arrangements with schools, the city and Santa Monica College to use gyms, activity rooms or other spaces for shelter operations and emergency outreach. In addition, the local Red Cross can receive immediate back-up from surrounding chapters, the entire Pacific service region and even from the national organization depending on the need. The local hospitals also are involved, and have plans for providing immediate and effective medical care in an emergency. “Because of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and working with local wildfires, we have a great deal of experience dealing with disasters,” Weinberg said. “We have a solid working relationship with LA County and other jurisdictions for mutual aid and service. We — including police and fire — train and work with each other all the time.” The best preparation for disaster is to be “self prepared.” Many Santa Monicans already have emergency preparedness training. The fire department has offered citizens free Disaster Area Response Training (DART) for years. The next class is scheduled for early December. Call (310) 458-8686 for information. Many Santa Monicans have also taken Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training offered by Los Angeles city and county fire departments. Have a family disaster plan, which includes enough food in cans that doesn’t need cooking, drinkable water, first aid kit, flashlights and extra batteries and other supplies for at least four days. The city and the local Red Cross chapter have brochures and information on disaster preparedness as well as information on the Web. (Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer.) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 12, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091205.pdf?ref=smdp.com)