The Beverly Hills Health and Safety Commission meeting on Jan. 27 covered several key updates and reports. The commission discussed updates from the Public Works Department, the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD), the Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD) and the Human Services Division, particularly regarding the impact of the recent wildfires in Los Angeles.
Director of Public Works Shana Epstein and Utilities General Manager Robert Welch provided a report on their response to recent red flag warnings and windstorms. In the week following the first outbreak of fires in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, the Public Works Department received 170 service calls with 19 tree-related responses, 11 electrical power traffic signal outages and 130 debris-related responses. Addressing the concerns of many residents about the water supply and operations, Epstein reassured the commission that the city’s water system is “meeting or exceeding all water quality standards.”
Epstein also discussed planning and preparedness for handling the city’s water system in future fire emergencies. “As we evaluate our new automated meter infrastructure system, we are investigating the best use of two-way meters so we can turn off water remotely in instances when homes are evacuated or unfortunately burned down. We really take seriously our role as first responders, and we continuously prepare [for situations like this],” Epstein said.
Vice Chairperson Erica Felsenthal thanked the department for its support during this tumultuous time. “I’m so grateful … I didn’t know that people were working 24 hours behind the scenes to keep us safe. The public works department are really the unsung heroes of this,” she said.
Lieutenant Renato Moreno from the BHPD updated the commission on crime statistics and response times for December. Response times were down compared to the month prior, with the average response time now two minutes and 43 seconds. Robberies decreased by 60% with no commercial robberies. “This is great, especially during a busy shopping season like December,” Moreno said. The BHPD noted an increase in aggravated assaults, particularly domestic violence-related incidents, over December.
Deputy Fire Chief Alfred Poirier provided a report on the BHFD’s response to the recent wildfires. Poirier spoke about the BHFD’s involvement in mutual aid efforts for the recent wildfires and the city’s preparedness for future emergencies. Fire Chief Gregory Barton told the commission that the BHFD has brought in a consultant to validate evacuation route plans and help plan an evacuation drill.
Enisha Clark from the Human Services Division shared an update on the division’s recent work with centralizing social services referrals and supporting the city’s senior population through various measures. These include a new senior wellness group at Roxbury Park, at which human services will be running a monthly drop-in hour on the first Tuesday of every month, beginning Feb. 4.
The commission also heard from guest speaker Jeffrey Egler, M.D., who spoke about the importance of taking a preventive and proactive approach to health, rather than just treating disease.
