From Earthquakes to Wildfires, City Updates Its Emergency Playbook

The Pasadena Fire Department will present a comprehensive update to the city’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan at a Nov. 19 special meeting of the Accessibility & Disability Commission, addressing strategies across four emergency management phases.

The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan is a document that outlines Pasadena’s long-term strategy to eliminate risk to human life, property, and infrastructure from future natural and man-made disasters.

The special meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson Community Center.

The initiative establishes a systematic approach: identifying hazards, analyzing risks, developing mitigation strategies, and implementing protective actions for the community’s safety.

Officials have outlined five core goals: protecting life and property, improving public understanding, promoting disaster resilience, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing emergency response capabilities.

The plan addresses an extensive range of threats, including climate change, dam failure, drought, earthquakes, extreme weather, flooding, landslides, public health hazards, and wildfires.

Human-caused hazards receiving attention include civil disturbance, cyber attacks, hazardous material releases, power outages, and air quality concerns, according to the planning document.

The City’s comprehensive emergency management framework encompasses four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, establishing a complete disaster readiness cycle.

The Fire Department is implementing a multilingual public engagement strategy, with materials available in English, Spanish, and Chinese, reflecting an increased emphasis on reaching underserved populations.

According to the plan, the city will distribute information through multiple channels, including social media platforms, utility bills, and public libraries, to ensure widespread community participation.

Specific attention is being directed toward the accessibility and disability community, with officials seeking input on emergency services and communication improvements during disasters.

The plan requires an update every five years to maintain eligibility for Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding, according to the Fire Department.

Public participation opportunities include engagement surveys, workshops, and review periods for draft plans before final adoption by the City Council.