Disaster Preparedness

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is recognizing National Preparedness Month with a series of educational community outreach opportunities throughout the month of September. National Preparedness Month, observed each September, promotes family and community emergency preparedness and raises awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.  

“Planning ahead is an important way to help prepare for and recover from a disaster,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This outreach is a great way to help Long Beach residents and families learn about disaster preparedness and will help keep people safe in case of an emergency.”

This year’s theme, “A Lasting Legacy,” urges communities to plan today for a resilient tomorrow and the importance of preparing for disasters to create a lasting legacy for you and your family. Because data shows the most vulnerable communities suffer the most when disaster strikes, the City will be conducting proactive informative outreach to those communities. The Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications will continue to take a whole community approach in this year’s National Preparedness Month by utilizing city and community resources to engage the public in this important safety campaign. Preparedness outreach, information and resources will be made accessible to residents and their household in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.

Long Beach residents are encouraged to participate in the following outreach events and information sharing opportunities to help their friends and family be more resilient in the event of a catastrophic event:

• Pop-ups in North and West Long Beach where community members can speak with Disaster Preparedness staff about disaster planning, held in partnership with Long Beach CERT, Long Beach Unified School District and Houses of Worship. Details will be posted on the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications Facebook and Instagram throughout the month.
• Educational and interactive social media campaign where participants can win emergency preparedness items. Be sure to follow @LBDisasterPrep on Facebook and Instagram. 

In addition to the above community engagement opportunities, the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is partnering with Meals on Wheels of Long Beach to provide “Preparedness Packs,” consisting of an emergency preparedness guide, guide to calling 9-1-1, flashlight and wallet-size First Aid Kit, to 150 existing clients throughout the month. The Department is also partnering with the United Cambodia Community (UCC) of Long Beach to conduct outreach to members of the local Cambodian community, particularly older adults, to ensure the critical, life-saving information included in the Preparedness Packs is accessible in both English and Khmer. In addition, the Department is also hosting a virtual meeting with the City’s Community Partner Organizations where they will share project updates and news and promote preparedness month activities.

Residents are encouraged to follow the three pillars of preparedness: 1. Make a Plan; 2. Build a Kit; and 3. Sign Up for Alerts. To be prepared for a disaster, people should also be self-sustaining for up to seven days following a disaster by making and practicing an emergency plan and learning lifesaving skills such as basic emergency medical procedures, CPR and other first aid techniques.

“Disasters can affect everyone, and we want to prepare all Long Beach residents to be more resilient and recover quickly from a disaster,” said Reggie Harrison, Director of the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications Department. “Planning ahead, knowing your risks, and signing up for early warning services, like Alert Long Beach, is crucial to helping our community be ready for any catastrophic event.”

More information about the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is available on their webpage at longbeach.gov/disasterpreparedness.

About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program. 

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.  

About Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications
The mission of the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is to protect the lives and property of the community and first responders through comprehensive planning, training and communication to ensure that daily requests for emergency services, as well as response, recovery, and mitigation for major emergencies and disasters is completed in an effective and efficient manner.