Disaster Preparedness

A series of recent events, from the Loma Prieta and Northridge earthquakes to the natural gas break locally, lead to a study on the readiness of the city of Alameda to manage disasters.
The Alameda League of Women Voters formed a committee to educate themselves on standard disaster preparedness procedures, reviewed experiences of other communities, and interviewed public officials, agencies, and community groups about their roles and preparedness procedures. This two year investigation resulted in the development of a statement defining the elements that are required for preparedness in our community. The LWV looks forward to working with the respective groups on compliance with this position.

Disaster Preparedness Position

The LWV Alameda supports measures that designate the City as the lead agency during an emergency or disaster. The City is charged with the responsibility to formulate a plan that addresses the four phases of disaster preparedness: mitigation, training, response, and recovery.
I. Alameda's Emergency Management Operations Plan (MOP) should be current and comply with all Federal and State regulations. The plan should:
A. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of public officials and employees
B. Integrate public and private agencies, organizations, utilities, and other entities related to public health and safety and social services into the overall plan
C. Establish Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with neighboring communities and agencies to coordinate and share services during emergencies and disasters

II. The City should train its public officials and employees in disaster preparedness and develop a community-wide disaster training program. The City should:
A. Hold periodic emergency and disaster drills.
B. Encourage citizens to maintain and restock emergency supplies and know emergency procedures.

III. The City should establish and maintain a command center equipped with reliable communication systems. The City should identify all available groups or individuals with the capability to assist in dissemination of information during an emergency or disaster.
IV. There should be sufficient funding to support appropriate levels of response and recovery.
V. Zoning laws and building codes should take into consideration the different underlying seismic and geologic soil conditions throughout Alameda. Buildings regularly open to the public should be retrofitted to meet or exceed current building codes.
May 1997

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: June 30, 2008 14:16 PDT.