As we all watch in horror and disbelief the multiple tragedies unfold as a result of the catastrophic earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant failure in Japan, we must all remember, very similar events can happen here. ARE YOU PREPARED? What is your family’s plan? Do you have enough food and water to support you and your family for seven days? Are you in a tsunami zone? Do you know the evacuation routes? Answers to these questions and help with making these plans are what the Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch Program was founded on. www.SaferHermosaBeach.com can assist you in getting prepared for these disasters. If you are not already in a Neighborhood Watch group/block, consider being a block captain and organize your block to help survive the disaster. If you are already a member, take advantage of these events and schedule another block meeting or move ahead on the Map Your Neighborhood Plan. Events like these have renewed concern by all of us watching these disasters unfold.

Hermosa Beach is one of few Cities that have an established Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee (EPAC). Seven residents of our community meet bi-monthly to discuss and improve upon our disaster response. They have been in existing over two years now and have amassed much knowledge and experience. Please consider attending these meetings or watching the meetings on the local TV channel (cable 8 and fios 31). Prior meetings can be viewed at the City Web site www.hermosabch.org .

The City has an emergency notification system, via telephone, text and email. It is known as CODE RED. A link to this service is also found on our City web site and you may sign up as many phone numbers as you like. This system was used the morning after the quake in Japan as Hermosa Beach was in the Tsunami Advisory Zone. This system made over 12,000 calls within 5 minutes to alert members of our community of the potential threat. It also sent thousands of text messages and emails. For a “distant tsunami” as the Japan quake caused, we had plenty of time to make this notification. However, in a “local tsunami”, one which would be created by a large earthquake of our own, off the coast or in the Santa Monica Bay, the only warning you may receive is the earthquake itself. If we experience a significant earthquake; one lasting a minute or longer or such violent shaking you lose your balance, move to higher ground. And we mean move to higher ground, a vertical evacuation, meaning going up to higher floors in your home or building, may be insufficient. As we saw in Japan, many did so, only to have their whole home washed off its foundation by the force of the tsunami. Large buildings in places like Hawaii have been built for vertical evacuation and designed to let water flow through the lower floors, your home likely was not built in this manner, so seek higher ground. You should move quickly and safely east towards Pacific Coast Highway.

These are just a few of the plans we recommend everyone be aware of, links on the “SaferHermosaBeach” web site provide much more information.

Please keep the people of Japan, as well as those in Chile and Haiti, in your hearts and minds during the coming weeks and months as they struggle to recover from these disasters.

Respectfully,

Greg Savelli
Chief of Police

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