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Action: Update and improve emergency preparedness.

Although flood infrastructure is in place to protect life and property, flooding can still pose a threat to communities within the floodplain during an extreme storm event. These communities, which are protected from routine floods, must still be prepared. The LA River is flashy, meaning water levels in the river can rise rapidly in a matter of hours. Having emergency action plans in place, exercising those plans, and installing effective communication protocols can expedite response times and save lives.

Click above for other actions that involve the implementation lead or potential partners or that apply to the same geographic boundaries.

Methods

specific, tangible ways to reach the goal

  • Evaluate, update, or develop appropriate Emergency Action Plans that cover specific areas of the river where needed, including the dams and levees along the mainstem and the tributaries.
  • Conduct emergency preparedness exercises that test Emergency Action Plans.
  • Improve flood forecasting capabilities and monitoring for the river corridor.
  • Update and improve flood inundation maps.
  • Develop appropriate warning systems such as sirens, lights, or geo-targeted text message alerts to inform users of impending rain or rising water.
  • Evaluate critical infrastructure and facilities located in the floodplain, and encourage the use of best practices to reduce vulnerability to flood hazards.
  • Review and revise policies regarding closing the river trail during storms.
  • Assist emergency managers, local law enforcement, social service providers for vulnerable populations, and emergency responders in developing emergency response and evacuation plans for river adjacent communities, river users, special needs populations, and persons experiencing homelessness.
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