California Mudslides Highlight the Need for New Emergency Protocols
A nasty storm in January 2018 caused massive mudslides in Montecito, CA, a community of about 9,000 residents within Santa Barbara County. At least 20 residents were killed. The totality of the disaster has led local officials to revise several emergency processes and procedures.
New Emergency Procedures Stemming from the 2018 Mudslides
The threat of mudslides continues to plague the community, because the surrounding mountains are still caked with rock and debris that is likely easier to dislodge now that mudslides have already occurred to loosen up the top layer of sediment. Because of the inherent risk, several enhanced emergency processes have been implemented for the community, including:
- Interactive digital map that highlights at-risk areas.
- Clearer evacuation categories depending on the severity of the risk: (1) pre-evacuation advisory, (2) recommended evacuation, and (3) mandatory evacuation. Rainfall of half an inch per hour triggers the evacuation order.
- Enhanced customized emergency alerts.
Read this article for more detail on the specific evacuation thresholds and timing parameters.
I, for one, applaud this effort. Too many times, I have seen organizations fail to act on lessons learned. The result is that the same mistakes are repeated over and over, wasting time & money and jeopardizing safety.
The local government officials in Santa Barbara County that are spearheading the effort to make emergency process improvements on the heels of the Montecito mudslides demonstrate that they care more about the safety of local residents than they do about their own egos and agenda. Well done!
