Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach is inviting members of the public to participate in the development of the City’s updated Hazard Mitigation Plan. Residents are encouraged to share their knowledge of local hazards through a public survey, available online and in-person at all Long Beach Public Library locations, now through March 31, 2022.
“Preparing for natural disasters is a critical part of the City’s recovery and long-term planning efforts,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We encourage residents and business owners to complete this survey so we can assess the emergency preparedness needs of our community and best prepare for the future.”
The survey, available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, is designed to gauge the level of knowledge community members have about hazards that are most relevant to Long Beach and their preparedness for disasters. Information provided in the surveys will be used by the City’s Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications to support the development of strategies and actions to reduce the risk of death, injuries and property damage resulting from a disaster, which will be outlined in the updated Hazard Mitigation Plan.
“Long Beach is susceptible to a number of natural disasters – earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding,” said Reginald Harrison, Director of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications. “Understanding and preparing forthese hazards, through a deliberate planning process, will help the City be more resilient in the face of disaster.”
The Hazard Mitigation Plan serves to reduce loss of life and property by mitigating potential risks and minimizing the impact of disasters. The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires the plan to be updated every five years in order to maintain eligibility for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding programs.
Up-to-date information will be posted on the Disaster Preparedness website,Facebook, and Instagram pages at @LBDisasterPrep in the coming weeks. Drafts of the plan will be made available to the public at a variety of venues including Long Beach Public Library branches and on the City’s Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications webpage later this year.
The updated plan will be presented to the Long Beach City Council later this year for consideration.
To learn more about disaster preparedness, residents can visit the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Preparedness website or follow @LBDisasterPrep on Facebook and Instagram.
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, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 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.