Fire Department Initiatives Boost City’s Emergency Readiness

Pasadena has ramped up its emergency preparedness efforts with a series of new programs and technologies aimed at empowering residents and improving the city’s response to disasters.

The initiatives, led by the Pasadena Fire Department, seek to create a more resilient community in the face of potential hazards such as wildfires, earthquakes, and extreme weather events.

“Preparedness continues to be the best way to stay safe,” said Chad Augustin, Pasadena Fire Chief. “The last few years, Southern California has seen the impact of disasters from tropical storms, flooding, earthquakes, and wildfires. All these incidents exemplify the importance of community emergency preparedness.”

At the heart of the city’s efforts is the Prepared Pasadena program, ongoing throughout 2024. This four-hour training course teaches residents personal preparedness and disaster skills. The Fire Department plans to expand the program to all city Districts by 2025.

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, Pasadena has begun updating its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and restarted its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, which had been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 21-hour FEMA-adopted course equips residents with basic disaster response skills, including building emergency kits, using fire extinguishers, and performing light search and rescue operations. The next CERT class is scheduled for spring 2025.

The city is taking proactive measures to mitigate specific hazards as well. Pasadena Fire conducted approximately 4,000 residential inspections in high-fire hazard zones, promoting the concept of “hardening homes” against fire risks. The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services department has complemented these efforts by clearing brush in non-residential areas.

To address extreme weather events, Pasadena has established protocols for activating cold weather shelters and cooling centers. The city has partnered with Trinity Lutheran Church to open a cold weather shelter and will activate a cooling center at Jackie Robinson Community Center when temperatures are forecast to reach 95 degrees or higher for two consecutive days.

Technological advancements play a crucial role in the city’s preparedness strategy. Pasadena Fire has acquired new mapping technology to assist with brush fire response, considering factors such as weather, fuels, and topography. Additionally, the department is implementing GenasysEvac, a data-driven system that will help create evacuation zones and improve coordination with surrounding jurisdictions during disasters.

The Fire Department has also updated agreements with neighboring agencies to ensure access to aircraft resources during brush fires, enhancing the city’s firefighting capabilities.

Pasadena officials are encouraging residents to get involved in these preparedness efforts. The community training calendar for 2025 will be released soon, offering opportunities to participate in Prepared Pasadena programming and CERT trainings.

To stay informed during emergencies, residents are urged to sign up for the city’s alert systems, PLEAS:

(https://www.cityofpasadena.net/fire/pleas/)

and NIXLE:(https://www.cityofpasadena.net/city-services/register-for-nixle-police-alerts)

and follow Pasadena’s social media accounts for updates.

Residents are also encouraged to remember “Ready, Set, Go” for wildfires (https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/) and prepare an Emergency Go-Kit (Ready.gov/kit).

For non-emergency concerns, residents can call (626) 744-4241.

As always, for emergencies and fires, dial 911.