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Against a backdrop of escalating fire danger – marked by an active Red Flag Warning and a major Ventura County blaze that had exploded to 10,000 acres the previous day – the Brookside at the Rose Bowl presentation gained added urgency.
Officials detailed how a wind-driven fire in the Linda Vista area could threaten 1,103 structures within two hours.
“Now we can be laser specific,” said Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin. “We can model a fire and know with the wind direction, fuels, and topography, where that fire is going in the next 30 minutes, one hour, or three hours, and it allows us to determine who we’re going to have shelter in place and who we need to evacuate.”
The Genasys Protect, set to launch in early 2025, marks a technological leap forward for a city that had no formal evacuation plan until 2023. Using precise meteorological data – temperature, humidity, wind speed – the system demonstrated its capabilities through a simulation starting at 1250 Charles Street. Within one hour, the ‘virtual fire’ threatened 599 residents and 474 structures across 5.42 acres, triggering simulated immediate evacuation protocols for four major streets.
The simulation highlighted the system’s ability to coordinate an aggressive initial response: five fire engines, one rescue ambulance, and one battalion chief, with immediate access to mutual aid resources.
Through agreements with Los Angeles County alone, Pasadena can quickly summon seven additional fire engines, two helicopters, four camp crews, and specialized equipment including dozers and water tenders.
Pasadena Emergency Manager Nallely Procopio, who joined the City in October 2023, cut through bureaucratic language about evacuation terminology.
“The evacuation order means, ‘Go. Now.’ It doesn’t mean look for that photo you want to keep,” she said.
Procopio said the City has streamlined its Community Emergency Response Team program and hopes to secure FEMA funding through updated hazard mitigation planning.
The initiative brings together diverse City departments – Public Health, Public Works, Housing, Planning – in a coordinated approach to emergency management.
City officials Manuel Carmona from Pasadena Public Health, Bill Huang from Housing, and Kris Markarian from Public Works participated.
Police Commander Sean Dawkins emphasized how mutual aid agreements with 11 neighboring cities effectively double available emergency resources, while Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian outlined a modernized communication strategy utilizing multiple alert systems.
The implementation timing is extremely important for public safety as California faces increasingly severe fire seasons.
The previous day’s Ventura County fire, spreading rapidly amid 80 mph winds, underscored the urgency of local preparation. In Pasadena’s high-risk zones, where officials conduct over 4,000 annual property inspections, the new system promises precise, neighborhood-level evacuation guidance.
The City’s Map Your Neighborhood program’s statistics reveal a sobering reality: 70% of disaster survivors are rescued by fellow community members, not first responders. This data drives the City’s emphasis on household and neighborhood-level preparation, targeting clusters of 18-20 homes for coordinated emergency response.
Residents can sign up for emergency alerts through the city’s website or by attending the next community preparedness session. For non-emergency concerns, residents can call (626) 744-4241. As always, for emergencies and fires, officials remind residents to dial 911.
For specific information, visit:
https://www.cityofpasadena.
https://www.cityofpasadena.
https://www.cityofpasadena.
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