A ‘dangerously unacceptable breakdown’ led to errant or delayed evacuation warnings in the LA County fires. The rest of the US isn’t immune
2 months, 1 week ago

A ‘dangerously unacceptable breakdown’ led to errant or delayed evacuation warnings in the LA County fires. The rest of the US isn’t immune

CNN  

CNN — If you work in one part of town and live in another, you might not get an evacuation warning if your home is in the path of disaster. “The first technical glitch is that it went out county-wide, instead of to the affected area,” said Bryan La Sota, emergency management coordinator for Los Angeles County’s Office of Emergency Management. “Los Angeles County shares our residents’ anger and frustration about erroneous emergency alerts,” the county said Friday. “It just adds to frustration.” What residents and agencies across the US can learn The mishaps in Los Angeles County illustrate the need for clear, consistent guidance on best practices for emergency alerts, Galperin said. Los Angeles County acknowledged the messaging mishaps marked a “serious breach of public trust” and said it’s conducting an in-depth investigation into “this dangerously unacceptable breakdown in the system.” The lack of clear details in recent warnings, along with several erroneous alerts, have led some residents to take the messages less seriously.

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History of this topic

Technology wasn’t responsible for west Altadena alert failures, company says
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Technology wasn’t responsible for west Altadena alert failures, company says

LA Times  

Glendale firefighters assess their strategy as the wind-whipped Eaton fire destroys homes on Vinedo Avenue on Jan. 7 in Altadena. The failure to send evacuation alerts to west Altadena in the early hours of the Eaton fire was not the result of a technological error, according to the company that provides L.A. County with emergency alert software. L.A. County switched …

Evacuations failed and 85 people died during California’s deadliest wildfire. What are lessons for L.A.?
1 month ago

Evacuations failed and 85 people died during California’s deadliest wildfire. What are lessons for L.A.?

LA Times  

Sheriff’s officials yell to drivers to evacuate the area off Pentz Road during the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 8, 2018. “The ideal would be to alert them well before embers actually start falling,” he said, “because once that happens, you know you’re already behind the eight ball.” Honea isn’t the only local California official who has been …

Los Angeles issues evacuation warnings amid flood risks after wildfires
1 month, 1 week ago

Los Angeles issues evacuation warnings amid flood risks after wildfires

India Today  

A Los Angeles Fire Department vehicle was swept into the ocean from Malibu on Thursday amidst heavy rainfall. Los Angeles Fire Department Public Information Officer Erik Scott posted an update on X regarding the incident. Palisades Fire Area: Getty Villa area, Highlands near the burned areas, Bienveneda area near Temescal Canyon Park, Reseda Blvd area/Marinette Road near Will Rogers State …

After millions got false fire warnings, L.A. County’s emergency alert system faces scrutiny
1 month, 2 weeks ago

After millions got false fire warnings, L.A. County’s emergency alert system faces scrutiny

LA Times  

Vehicles abandoned along Sunset Boulevard as residents tried to evacuate in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 11, 2025. Erroneous L.A. County fire alerts spark House investigation If you live in Los Angeles County, there’s a good chance your phone blared and buzzed just before 4 p.m. on Jan. 9, informing you that an “EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area” …

Investigation launched into L.A. County’s faulty emergency alert system
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Investigation launched into L.A. County’s faulty emergency alert system

LA Times  

An emergency alert sent out in error on Jan. 9 urged millions of people in Los Angeles County to evacuate. Local members of Congress launched an investigation Monday into Los Angeles County’s emergency alert system after delayed electronic warnings were blamed for the loss of life during the Eaton fire and faulty wireless alerts sent to millions of residents who …

Flawed emergency alert systems lagged when residents needed them most during Los Angeles wildfires
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Flawed emergency alert systems lagged when residents needed them most during Los Angeles wildfires

Hindustan Times  

LOS ANGELES — When disaster strikes, government emergency alert systems offer a simple promise: Residents will get information about nearby dangers and instructions to help them stay safe. Flawed emergency alert systems lagged when residents needed them most during Los Angeles wildfires As the deadly LA wildfires and other major emergencies have shown, alerts rely on a complicated chain of …

Too little, too late: Residents say they were in the dark as fire spread with no evacuation order
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Too little, too late: Residents say they were in the dark as fire spread with no evacuation order

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — When disaster strikes, government emergency alert systems offer a simple promise: Residents will get information about nearby dangers and instructions to help them stay safe. On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials approved an outside review of how alerts functioned in the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in response to residents’ demands. The hours between midnight and 3:30 …

L.A. County’s evacuation alert system broke down during fires. It’s part of a larger problem
2 months ago

L.A. County’s evacuation alert system broke down during fires. It’s part of a larger problem

LA Times  

This emergency evacuation alert was sent Jan. 9 to a wide area of Los Angeles, including people not close to wildfire zones. “There’s no question that for some people having gotten that notification earlier would have saved a lot of grief, would have saved lives,” said Ron Galperin, a former Los Angeles city controller who produced reports on the city’s …

LA fires: Delayed evacuation notices prompt call for independent investigation into emergency alert system
2 months ago

LA fires: Delayed evacuation notices prompt call for independent investigation into emergency alert system

CNN  

CNN — By the time the flames from the deadly Eaton fire approached their western Altadena neighborhood, Mark Douglas and some of his neighbors had already given up on the Los Angeles County emergency evacuation system. “This independent assessment will also ensure we are better prepared for future disasters and can act swiftly to protect lives and property.” Wireless alerts …

Weather service issues its most severe fire warning for parts of L.A. area as winds pick up
2 months, 1 week ago

Weather service issues its most severe fire warning for parts of L.A. area as winds pick up

LA Times  

Wind gusts send burning embers into the air during the Eaton fire in Altadena on Wednesday. Firefighters spent Monday carving containment lines around the Eaton and Palisades fires and finalizing preparations ahead of a windstorm that’s expected to hit a swath of the region including Ventura County, the San Fernando Valley and part of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel …

January 11, 2025 - California wildfires news
55 years, 2 months ago

January 11, 2025 - California wildfires news

CNN  

After millions of Los Angeles County residents received evacuation alerts by mistake, countless Angelenos received more erroneous warnings while the county tries to improve its alert system. “There is a technical glitch, and we apologize for the confusion and anxiety that any of this has for anybody in the public,” said Bryan LaSota, emergency management coordinator for Los Angeles County’s …

After faulty cell alerts during fire emergency, L.A. County overhauls its system
2 months, 2 weeks ago

After faulty cell alerts during fire emergency, L.A. County overhauls its system

LA Times  

Helicopter aerial view of the Santa Monica Pier and the smoke from the Palisades fire on Saturday. Los Angeles County’s top emergency manager said Saturday the county’s overhaul of its emergency notification system is nearly complete after it sent out a succession of faulty emergency alerts urging millions of residents across Los Angeles to prepare to evacuate amid the ongoing …

Warning error: 10 million L.A. residents receive wrong evacuation alert, sparking anger and anxiety
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Warning error: 10 million L.A. residents receive wrong evacuation alert, sparking anger and anxiety

Hindustan Times  

Devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have claimed at least 10 lives and forced over 180000 people to evacuate. The situation worsened when a mistaken evacuation alert was sent to nearly 10 million residents, causing confusion and heightened anxiety. Massive wildfires that engulfed whole neighborhoods and displaced thousands in Los Angeles remained totally uncontained January 9, 2025, The alert, issued on …

Los Angeles fires: Millions of residents receive evacuation messages sent in 'error', triggers panic
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Los Angeles fires: Millions of residents receive evacuation messages sent in 'error', triggers panic

Firstpost  

Rebecca Alvarez-Petit, a resident, was on a work call when her phone started flashing a message that read “An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area.” Soon all the phones in the room began blasting with the alert message An apartment building burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, California on January 08, …

Millions of LA residents 'mistakenly' told to evacuate amid raging wildfires: report
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Millions of LA residents 'mistakenly' told to evacuate amid raging wildfires: report

Raw Story  

Officials in Los Angeles County said a technical error was to blame for the entire county – nearly 10 million residents – accidentally receiving an emergency evacuation alert Thursday night amid raging wind-swept wildfires. "I have been informed the evacuation warning that many of us just received on our phones was mistakenly issued countywide due to a technical error," County …

LA County citizens panic after evacuation order amid wildfire, then a correction
Trending News
2 months, 2 weeks ago

LA County citizens panic after evacuation order amid wildfire, then a correction

India Today  

Residents across Los Angeles County were thrown into chaos Thursday night when an evacuation warning was mistakenly issued countywide as wildfires continued to devastate Southern California. Continue to monitor local weather, news and the webpage alertla.org for more information.” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn confirmed the error on X, calling it a "technical glitch." “I have been informed that …

Faulty evacuation alerts woke Angelenos in a panic. What’s wrong with L.A.’s emergency system?
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Faulty evacuation alerts woke Angelenos in a panic. What’s wrong with L.A.’s emergency system?

LA Times  

An alert sent out in error Thursday and Friday told millions of Angelenos of an evacuation warning. “Our preliminary investigation indicates that an accurate, correctly-targeted alert went out from LA County’s Emergency Operations Center at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 9,” the county said in a statement. A preliminary assessment, the county said, found the glitch was due to …

Emergency declared as "apocalyptic" fire engulfs wealthy Los Angeles neighborhood
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Emergency declared as "apocalyptic" fire engulfs wealthy Los Angeles neighborhood

Salon  

A brush fire, goaded by a wind storm, has swallowed up much of Palisades Park, an affluent community in northwest Los Angeles, and forced the evacuation of around 30,000 residents from the area. Both the state of California and the City of Los Angeles declared states of emergency Tuesday, with municipal, state and federal agencies coordinating to deal with the …

Emergency declaration and urgent warnings as Southern California storm gains ferocity
1 year, 1 month ago

Emergency declaration and urgent warnings as Southern California storm gains ferocity

LA Times  

A wave hits a boat that washed ashore as a powerful storm, the second in less than a week, hits Santa Barbara. The National Weather Service in Oxnard warned that “all systems are go for one of the most dramatic weather days in recent memory.” By Sunday evening, reports of storm damage and rescues were multiplying: Whipped by powerful winds, …

Don't panic over disaster warning, today
1 year, 5 months ago

Don't panic over disaster warning, today

Deccan Chronicle  

If a serious disaster warning message lands on your mobile phone on Friday, do not panic and react to it - but only this Friday. As part of a trial run for implementing a high-tech ‘mobile broadcast warning’ system in the State to alert and evacuate the public during times of natural and other disasters, the State Disaster Management Authority …

Emergency alert: Three responds after phone users complain they did not receive test
1 year, 11 months ago

Emergency alert: Three responds after phone users complain they did not receive test

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Moment emergency alert test goes off at London Marathon The …

How to sign up for emergency alerts in Southern California
2 years, 6 months ago

How to sign up for emergency alerts in Southern California

LA Times  

California officials have imposed a series of Flex Alerts during the brutal September heat wave to ease demand on the power grid. Flex Alerts and other power issues If you’re a customer of Southern California Edison, visit the company’s Preference Center to sign up for alerts by email, text or phone call. Severe weather and other regional emergencies If you’ve …

California fires killing people before they can escape their homes, making seconds count
2 years, 6 months ago

California fires killing people before they can escape their homes, making seconds count

LA Times  

The sound of exploding propane tanks filled Avery Canyon on Monday afternoon as flames from the Fairview fire gnawed at a grassy ridge near Jeremy Fields’ ranch home. “They burn with such increased speed and velocity and intensity that it gives residents very little time sometimes to escape fires, just because the fuels are so receptive and burn so much …

Glendale apologizes for sending alert to all of Los Angeles County
2 years, 10 months ago

Glendale apologizes for sending alert to all of Los Angeles County

LA Times  

It was the rude awakening that united Los Angeles County. About 30 minutes later, a second emergency alert arrived instructing users to disregard the first because it was only an “evacuation exercise.” The time between the two messages left many Angelenos scrambling for answers. “Planning and preparing for an emergency ahead of time is key to the safety of our …

As fires raged, county officials struggled with ‘confusing’ emergency alert systems
4 years, 7 months ago

As fires raged, county officials struggled with ‘confusing’ emergency alert systems

LA Times  

In Napa County, a wildfire alert meant for cellphones would not connect because of a coding error. “During the construction of the message content, it was discovered that the vendor’s software contained an error, so we instead issued our message utilizing the NIXLE alert tool,” said Janet Upton, a county spokeswoman. “Using this system is like doing your taxes every …

California’s emergency alert system has been a disaster. A statewide fix is planned
5 years, 11 months ago

California’s emergency alert system has been a disaster. A statewide fix is planned

LA Times  

Embers fly around Brandon Baker, center, and Prescott McKenzie, right, during a 2017 wildfire in Ventura. … It isn’t,” said Art Botterell, who was an emergency services coordinator with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services before retiring last year. “Recent disasters in California have highlighted troubling shortfalls, differences and inconsistencies among various alert and warning programs,” Cal OES Director …

California must fix fatal flaws in wildfire warning and evacuation plans, experts tell lawmakers
6 years, 3 months ago

California must fix fatal flaws in wildfire warning and evacuation plans, experts tell lawmakers

LA Times  

The deadly Camp fire that destroyed the Northern California town of Paradise this month overwhelmed emergency alert and evacuation plans, leaving many residents in harm’s way without sufficient warning, state officials acknowledged Tuesday at a legislative hearing. “We know there are road system issues.” The Camp fire, he said, “outstripped our planning efforts in sheer time.” Assemblyman James Gallagher, who …

Florida city accidentally sends ‘zombie alert’ to residents during power outage
6 years, 10 months ago

Florida city accidentally sends ‘zombie alert’ to residents during power outage

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Florida city falsely …

More than 60 deaths in fires, floods expose weaknesses in California’s emergency planning
7 years ago

More than 60 deaths in fires, floods expose weaknesses in California’s emergency planning

LA Times  

A reckoning on public preparedness long in the making is underway in California after a year that saw unprecedented death, destruction and loss from disasters set off by extreme weather. California emergency managers have released a critical review faulting Sonoma County emergency managers for failing to use all means possible to warn residents in October’s deadly fire siege. “We don’t …

Urgent alerts about deadly mudslides came too late for Montecito victims
7 years, 2 months ago

Urgent alerts about deadly mudslides came too late for Montecito victims

LA Times  

Josie Gower woke up to the sound of rain hammering the roof of her Montecito home around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Just after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service sent a cellphone push alert for people near the fresh Thomas fire burn scar: flash flood warning. It wasn’t until 3:50 a.m. Tuesday that Santa Barbara County officials sent an alert …

Alarming failures left many in path of California wildfires vulnerable and without warning
7 years, 2 months ago

Alarming failures left many in path of California wildfires vulnerable and without warning

LA Times  

The Sonoma ridgeline was a sunrise of flame as Sgt. — Rob Lewin, director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management The fires highlighted the inadequacies of the emergency warnings officials employed and have prompted a push for new safety protocols. “I can use my cellphone to order a pizza and it gets here,” said Rob Lewin, director …

California Fires Raise Dire Questions About The Limits Of Emergency Alerts
7 years, 5 months ago

California Fires Raise Dire Questions About The Limits Of Emergency Alerts

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING SAN FRANCISCO ― As thousands of Northern California residents who evacuated last week amid wildfires begin to return home, the state’s U.S. senators want answers to why wireless emergency alerts failed during the deadly blazes. When the fires began Oct. 8, officials in Sonoma County — where 23 of the 42 fatalities confirmed so far occurred — …

Emergency alerts draw complaints in fast-moving wildfires
7 years, 5 months ago

Emergency alerts draw complaints in fast-moving wildfires

Associated Press  

SANTA ROSA, Calif. — The story is repeated again and again: The dead of night, no warning, then panic after realizing the smoke and flames were approaching. Because of its broad reach, officials concluded the message could panic people who were not in danger, triggering mass evacuations that would snarl traffic and delay emergency vehicles, county spokeswoman Jennifer Larocque said. …

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