It’s Never Too Late for Emergency Preparedness!

September was National Preparedness Month, but we wanted to take this opportunity to reiterate a few items for community members.

Does the City have an emergency siren that can be used during emergencies?

Yes, but it’s a vehicle-mounted Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) purchased by the City’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) a couple of years ago, which functions similarly to a loudspeaker, producing sound at high power for communicating at a distance.  In the October STAR, you may recall an article and photos showing it being tested, which is done on a quarterly basis by the OES Director, Randy Breault.  During these tests, the LRAD first emits a siren to alert residents, followed by a message that can either be pre-recorded or spoken live.  Note: It may be where you need to go outside in order to hear the message clearly.

If I’m told to evacuate, where do I go?

In the event of a mandatory evacuation, there will be instructions provided by first responders as to where to go.  Of course, these instructions will depend on where the incident is taking place.  For example, if there were a wildfire behind the residences on Tulare, North County Fire Authority (NCFA) would be establishing an Incident Command Post (ICP) nearby, directing Police where the fire is headed and which areas need to be evacuated.  The LRAD would be deployed directing residents to evacuate.  For wildfires only, North County Fire Authority has designated the Community Park as a Temporary Evacuation Point for those who would possibly be forced to evacuate on foot.  Note: a walkway at approximately 78 Tulare, leading down to Santa Clara St., is in the design phase, with construction expected to start in 2025.  (Construction of the Alvarado to San Benito walkway will be starting next summer).

Where is the City’s Official Residential Assembly Point?

The City of Brisbane has determined that the parking lot next to the Sierra Point Yacht Club is the community’s Residential Assembly Point.  This is the spot in which, in the event of an ordered evacuation, residents should gather as it is where emergency personnel will be on-site to assist you and your loved ones.  Note: It’s likely that from here, residents would be directed to evacuation centers that would be established, such as Skyline College or other location(s) as determined and supported by the City.

What are all the ways in which I’ll be notified about a mandatory evacuation?

Aside from the LRAD, emergency personnel such as Police officers will be knocking on doors, making it very evident should residents need to evacuate.  An SMC Alert will also go out to everyone signed up to receive those text/email/phone alerts, so if you haven’t yet done so, please head to smcalert.info to make sure you’re set up to receive those for Brisbane.  Teen Technology Support takes place each Wednesday at the Sunrise Room (2 Visitacion Ave.) from 4-5pm each Wednesday if you need assistance getting signed up.  City staff will also make a concerted effort to update the City’s website with a sitewide banner alert, as well as the electronic signboards and City’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and Twitter).

In summary, please visit NCFA’s website, northcountyfire.org for a Wildfire Ready-Set-Go Guide and Know Your Zone where you can learn your property’s zone and information should there be a need to evacuate; you can also visit the City’s website at brisbaneca.org/knowyourzone.