In the wake of the most devastating wildfires in the history of Los Angeles, the city of Beverly Hills is equipping its residents with knowledge and tools to prepare for any future natural disaster. Beverly Hills hosted a wildfire evacuation drill on Nov. 9 in Will Rogers Park for 68 homes in the Trousdale neighborhood, labeled as a High Fire Severity Zone. The purpose of the drill was for residents to practice packing essential items, following evacuation routes and for both residents and city staff to identify any hiccups in the process.
In the case of an emergency, residents can access information on what routes to follow on the city’s website. Community members can follow official updates from the city through Nixle or BHPD Alert. The “6 P’s” is a helpful way to remember what to pack—people and pets, prescriptions, papers, pictures, personal computers and money in the form of plastic or cash, according to fire department officials.
On Nov. 9, sirens sounded in the Trousdale neighborhood at 1:30 p.m. Upon arrival at Will Rogers Park, residents were met by representatives from the city of Beverly Hills, the Beverly Hills Fire and Police departments, Just in Case BH, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s office and the American Red Cross, which provided resources and information on evacuation best practices. Mayor Sharona Nazarian and Councilmembers Lester Friedman and Mary Wells also attended.
“This all started with the fires in Pacific Palisades. The Fire Chief and I went over there just to look and to learn and to be proactive, so that we could protect our community the best way possible,” Nazarian told the Courier. “Our job is to communicate the best way possible with our residents, and it’s also important for all of our departments to be able to have proper lines of communication, whether it’s police, fire or public works … so that we’re able to move through as smoothly as possible and protect as many lives as possible.”
Beverly Hills Fire Chief Gregory Barton said the drill was successful in training residents for an evacuation and for revealing any gaps within the city’s coordinated response.
“It’s been a great turnout, and we accomplished what we were trying to do. We were trying to exercise the police, fire, public works and city response to an evacuation in order to get the firefighters up and to get the community out safely,” he said. “We also were testing our notifications to the community, such as the sirens and Nixle and other ways that we reach out to let the community know that you might need to evacuate or be prepared.”
The drill allowed residents to practice their specific evacuation route, which were specifically selected to avoid congestion and chaos in the case of an evacuation. He added that the most important thing for residents to know is that they need to follow an evacuation order if they are given one.
“The sooner, the better because the roads are going to get crowded and the sooner you’re able to get out safely—your family out—you’re protecting them,” he said. “It also helps your neighbors get out, and it also allows us to get in as a fire department, to get in there and do what we need to do to protect your home and the other houses in the area.”
Vera Markowitz, head of Just in Case BH, the city’s emergency preparedness program, was also on site to provide residents with resources. One way to best prepare yourself is to post a packing list to your closet door so it’s immediately available in the case of an evacuation.
“Every home is different,” she said. “Some people need medication, some people need things for their kids, some people for their pets. They’re all different. So, what we’re trying to do is have individual people do different kinds of lists for their own home.”
Markowitz said the event was successful after speaking with so many people who learned valuable information because of the drill.
“We learned a lot of lessons from Pacific Palisades, and we’re trying to incorporate all those things. And we’re learning a lot today,” she said.
Jacqueline Hom, a neighborhood resident who participated in the drill, said that the drill was especially comforting because she was in a voluntary evacuation zone during the January wildfires.
“You give [the preparations] a little thought, but something like this is the first time [the city] ever had it, and so I think it’s a good thing,” she said. “You don’t feel left alone. You feel like the city is behind you on that. I thought that it gives residents a bit of confidence.”
Abrienne Hom, Jacqueline’s daughter, said that it was helpful for her family to go through the protocol of an evacuation and that she feels more prepared in knowing what route to take and what she would pack as a result of the drill.
“We thought of packing the essentials as well as family photos and stuffed animals,” Abrienne said.
Beyond preparing for and following evacuation orders, residents can also take different steps to better protect their homes in the case of a wildfire, such as shutting off gas valves, moving combustible yard furniture away from the house, closing all windows and doors to prevent spread of the fire within the house and attaching garden hoses to faucets so they are ready to dispense water.
The city is planning the next evacuation drill to take place in six months in either the Coldwater Canyon or Benedict Canyon area, Barton said.
