Photograph of Mayor Don Pellegrino, Fire Chief Jerry Gardner, Arcadia Police Department Capt. Gordon Schneiders going over plans of new emergency dispatch and 9-1-1 communications center during groundbreaking ceremonies held last week.
Arcadia wants you to be prepared for any disaster or emergency. September is National Preparedness Month. Every household should have a disaster kit (food, water, medications, flashlight, and a multi-tool).
Arcadia has a new emergency notification system called Alert Arcadia. Anyone can sign up to receive messages via phone voice mail, e-mail, and/or text.
Arcadia stresses emergency preparedness ACTION. ACTION stands for Arcadians Caring Together Improves Our Neighborhoods. The purpose of the Emergency Preparedness Program is to prepare and respond effectively to major emergencies by establishing and maintaining an emergency management system which coordinates preparedness, response and recovery phases for natural and technological disasters and national security emergencies.
Don Alcorn, a 20-year veteran of the Arcadia Police Department, has been named to the new post of Emergency Services Coordinator by the Arcadia City Council. Alcorn's job is to prepare an emergency plan that will cover any aspect of any possible disaster, from earthquake to fire to nuclear disaster.
As the United States goes to war with Iraq and the threat of retaliatory terrorist attacks raised the national threat level to High Risk Orange, the cities of Monrovia and Arcadia are prepared for the worst. City officials are talking about emergency response. The city has developed the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), where representatives from all city departments can gather to organize and respond to any emergency.
Arcadia declares fiscal emergency. Budget cuts may hurt city services. After an analysis of expenditures and revenues, Arcadia City Council adopted Resolution 7242 and declared a fiscal emergency.
Arcadia Fire Department received Fire Engine No. 343 from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES). The number is significant and it has been specially dedicated by the state to the memory of the 343 New York City firefighters who died on September 11, 2001.
Emergency response officials from around Los Angeles County gathered at the Arboretum for a workshop on disaster preparedness, especially to prepare for the outbreak of a pandemic flu.
Power still out in parts of Pasadena. The California Emergency Management Agency's acting secretary Mike Dayton is touring the cities most impacted by the windstorm. His visit is considered a precursor to a state declaration of emergency, which would pave the way for state and federal assistance. Arcadia City Manager Don Penman said damage to public buildings and recovery efforts are expected to top $2 million, and that damage to private property could run several million more.
The Arcadia City Council has approved a 12-month pilot program to expand its Dial-a-Ride service to include a new non-emergency medical appointment transportation program for seniors and disabled persons. The program includes service to five hospitals outside the city limits--Huntington Hospital, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park, City of Hope Medical Center and Santa Teresita Hospital, both in Duarte, and Mountainview Dialysis Center in Monrovia.
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) has proposed legislation to improve emergency and disaster preparedness by California's public utilities. Recent windstorm disaster highlighted the need to be better prepared.