A Guide for Families
All residents were mailed a “Culver City Family Disaster Guide,” a self-contained pamphlet that outlines how to create a Family Disaster Plan, How to Prepare Your Family, How to Keep Your Family Healthy, Evacuation Tips and information on the city’s Emergency Alert System. Persons who did not receive one or would like additional copies, may visit any lobby in City Hall and pick one up. This week, City Hall will be closed on Friday.During the past few weeks, the city has provided residents with information on the drill and how to prepare for it. Now it is the city’s turn to announce what it has done in preparation and the lineup for tonight.
How Tonight Will Unfold
For the past 6 months, members of the City Manager’s office, the Police Dept., the Fire Dept., CERT, the Community Emergency Response Team, the School District and Sony Pictures Entertainment have met on a monthly basis to discuss the drill. Throughout today, the city will be on assisting the School District and Sony Pictures in practicing their Disaster and Evacuation Plans. Tonight, the city will be setting up two mobile Command Posts at the Vets Park. The first will be the Fire Command Post, which will be manned by the Fire Chief Jeff Eastman. The second will be the CERT and the Culver City Amateur Radio Emergency Services Command Post. At 7 sharp, members of Police, Fire and CERT will patrol assigned neighborhoods, They will count “okay” signs, and people who have evacuated from their homes and call in their figures to the appropriate Command Post. Police and Fire will be using the city’s radio system to communicate with the Fire Command Post and CERT will be using their ham (short-wave) radios to communicate with the Amateur Radio Command Post. Once figures have been received at the Command Post for all assigned neighborhoods, the drill will be concluded and all will report back to the Command Post to discuss successes and ways to improve for the future. Officials say this drill is important for the city of Culver City. It not only gives residents an opportunity, if not a reminder, to prepare and practice their Family Disaster Plans, it also gives first responders an opportunity to implement and practice Culver City’s plan. Knowing what to do in a high stress situation will not only help persons make informed decisions, it could save a life. More information is at the city’s website at www.culvercity.org.
Christine Parra is a fire prevention specialist.
