In response to the deadly 2018 Woolsey Fire, where there was little to no communication, Calabasas has developed a city-wide system to alert residents in case of emergency. To sign up for the alert systems and download a copy of the Calabasas Emergency Guide, go to cityofcalabasas.com. On Wednesday, June 28, the City of Calabasas conducted a large-scale drill to test its emergency response systems. Experts staged a significant disaster—in this case, a simulated Level 1 wildfire from the north threatening Calabasas and neighboring communities. The exercise included the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, amateur radio operators and Calabasas radio community volunteers from Emergency Preparedness In Calabasas (EPIC). “Fortunately, it was only a drill, but these exercises make our city government better prepared to protect residents when a real disaster strikes,� said Calabasas Mayor David J. Shapiro in a letter to the city. “Our website has a lot of great tips on safety and emergency preparedness at cityofcalabasas.com/publicsafety.� Safeguarding Residents In order to test the communications plan and safeguard residents, participants and city employees gathered at the Calabasas City Council Chambers where they set up a simulated Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the large-scale drill. To create an actionable plan, the City also enlisted the expertise of Michael Dyer, the former Chief Deputy for Los Angeles County Fire Department and former Fire Chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Chief Dyer now works for Calabasas as the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Director and works with longtime Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Debbie Larson, to help Calabasas prepare and respond to wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters. “County Fire, County Sheriff, and County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) participated and were in attendance,� Chief Dyer wrote in an email. “Also, EPIC volunteers were integrated into the communications section of our Emergency Operations Center to enhance communications to our residents.� According to Dyer, they communicated through radio and internet broadcasts through EPIC, Blackboard Connect with Zonehaven messages and social media, which was simulated. All drill participants were instructed to broadcast all messages with the warning that “This is a drill, only a drill,� so as not to alarm residents. “The resilience of our City lies not just in the strength of our infrastructure, but also in the preparedness of our people,� explained Chief Dyer. “Disaster preparedness drills serve as invaluable opportunities to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to face unforeseen challenges. These drills are not mere simulations; they are vital rehearsals that empower us to respond swiftly and effectively when disaster strikes. By participating in these exercises, we demonstrate our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community. Let us come together, practice resilience, and build a City that stands strong in the face of adversity.� EPIC-FSC Emergency Preparedness In Calabasas (EPIC) was recently added as an EOC component. During the drill, EPIC debuted its emergency communications platform dubbed “Emergency Communications to Home Occupants� or ECHO for short. Using radios, ECHO successfully transmitted vetted information from inside the EOC (where two ECHO operators were stationed) to a radio center staffed with six operators outside City Hall, and from there to 14 radio operators spread throughout the City. Norm Goodkin, who led the ECHO unit of EPIC stated, “ECHO was created to be a reliable means of communication even when electricity is out and cell phones are down. With several hundred licensed amateur radio operators in and around Calabasas, ECHO gives the EOC leadership another means to reach residents with critical, verified information such as up-to-the-minute status reports, evacuation and repopulation orders, and shelter/emergency service locations.� Brian Cameron, President of EPIC, added that “This exercise allowed us to prove the concept works. The next step entails the distribution of Family Service Radios (FRS) to City and EPIC residents so they will be able to monitor ECHO alerts when the next disaster occurs.� “ECHO provides two-way communications between the City and residents when normal methods are not available,� Goodkin wrote. “In the Woolsey fire, for example, there were periods when residents were without telephone or internet service for hours. ECHO works with amateur radio operators and authorities to be “eyes and ears� in order to gather and disseminate information. ECHO also works with several Emergency Communications (EmComm) groups in Calabasas and neighboring cities, including the Calabasas Emergency Response Program (CERP) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department volunteer Disaster Communications Service (DCS).� Contact EPIC-FSC via its website epic-fsc.com to learn more. Get Involved There are three services that Calabasas residents should register with that provide emergency notices in the City of Calabasas. To sign up for any one or all of the services, visit cityofcalabasas.com. Alert LA for LA County —This system is used by the County Sheriff to notify residents and businesses of emergencies or critical situations and provide information regarding necessary actions, such as evacuations. This system has the ability to reach landlines, but you must register your mobile numbers, VOIP landlines and email addresses to receive notifications on those devices. Nixle —Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire use this system to provide emergency notices and alerts. To sign up, visit cityofcalabasas.com or text to zip codes you want alerts from to 888-777. (Note: Calabasas zip code is 91302). Calabasas City Notification System—The Blackboard Connect system is used by the City of Calabasas to provide Calabasas-specific information in emergencies and for notifications on issues like road/freeway closures and pertinent community information. In major emergencies Calabasas will provide supplemental information to the Sheriff and Fire Departments. This system has the ability to reach landlines, but you must register your mobile numbers, VOIP landlines and email addresses to receive notifications on those devices. To sign up: cityofcalabasas.com.