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Home My WebLink AboutAppendix J - Evacuation Plan Wildfire Evacuation Plan Nakano Project MAY 2023 PTS #647766 Prepared for: RECON ENVIRONMENTAL 3111 Camino del Rio North, Suite 600 San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Jennifer Campos TRI POINTE HOMES 13400 Sabre Springs Parkway, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92128 Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 Contact: Michael Huff __________________ 14680 i MAY 2023 Table of Contents SECTION PAGE NO. Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................ iv Quick Reference - Wildfire Preparedness ........................................................................................................................ 1 Nearest Medical Facilities ................................................................................................................................... 1 Register to Receive Emergency Alerts ................................................................................................................ 8 Get Involved in Community Readiness ............................................................................................................... 8 Evacuation Plan Purpose and Limitations .......................................................................................................... 9 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Project Description .............................................................................................................................. 11 1.2 Applicable Regulations, Standards and Planning Tools .................................................................... 12 1.2.1 Federal.................................................................................................................................... 12 1.2.2 State ....................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.3 Local ....................................................................................................................................... 19 2 Background ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 3 San Diego County Evacuation Planning ........................................................................................................... 25 3.1 Evacuation Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 26 3.2 Evacuation Coordination Process ....................................................................................................... 27 3.3 Evacuation Response Operations ...................................................................................................... 29 3.3.1 Evacuation Points and Shelters ............................................................................................ 29 3.3.2 Pet Evacuations ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.3 Shelter-in-Place (County EOC Discussion) ............................................................................ 30 4 Nakano Evacuation Road Network .................................................................................................................. 32 4.1 Roadway Capacities and Evacuation Time Estimates ...................................................................... 34 4.1.1 Evacuation Time Discussion ................................................................................................. 36 4.1.2 Mass Evacuation Vehicle Traffic ........................................................................................... 37 4.1.3 Potential for Project Evacuation Impact on Existing Conditions ......................................... 39 4.2 Evacuation Route Determination ....................................................................................................... 41 5 Nakano Wildfire/Evacuation Awareness ......................................................................................................... 42 6 Nakano Evacuation Procedures ....................................................................................................................... 44 6.1 Relocation/Evacuation ........................................................................................................................ 44 6.2 Nakano Project Evacuation Baseline ................................................................................................. 45 6.3 Civilian and Firefighter Evacuation Contingency ............................................................................... 45 6.3.1 Safety Zones .......................................................................................................................... 46 6.3.2 Temporary Firefighter Refuge Areas ..................................................................................... 47 NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 ii MAY 2023 6.4 Social Aspects of Wildfire Evacuation ................................................................................................ 48 6.4.1 Evacuation of Special Populations .................................................................................... 49 6.4.2 Animal Evacuations ............................................................................................................... 49 6.4.3 Re-Entry Procedures .............................................................................................................. 50 7 Limitations ......................................................................................................................................................... 52 8 References ........................................................................................................................................................ 54 TABLES Table 1 Existing Roadway and Freeway Estimated Hourly Vehicle Capacities29 Table 2 Population and Evacuation Vehicle Estimates for the Project and Vicinity Land Uses ………………… 31 Table 3 Vehicle Speeds Based on Road Capacity ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.34 Table 4 Evacuation Route Usage and Time Estimates ...................................................................................... 35 Table 5 Project Evacuation Travel Timeframes* ............................................................................................... 35 FIGURES Figure 1 Nakano Community Evacuation Map ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.3 Figure 2 Project Vicinity Map ................................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 3 Project Land Use Plan ............................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 4. Incident Command System Local Government EOC Functional Interactions ................................. 25 Figure 5 Evacuation Time Calculation .............................................................................................................. 35 APPENDICES A1-A3 City of San Diego Emergency Preparedness Resources, San Diego County Emergency Preparedness Resources and “Ready, Set, Go!” Wildland Fire Action Guide B1--B4 Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 iii MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 14680 iv MAY 2023 Acronyms and Abbreviations Acronym/Abbreviation Definition CAL FIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CALTRANS California Department of Transportation CERT Community Emergency Response Team CHP California Highway Patrol City City of San Diego County County of San Diego DAS Department of Animal Services EAS Emergency Alert System EOP Emergency Operations Plan FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency HOA Homeowner’s Association IC Incident Command IFTSA International Fire Service Training Association NIMS National Incident Command System NWFCG National Wildland Fire Coordinating Groups OA Operational Area OES Office of Emergency Services Project Nakano Project SANDAG San Diego Association of Governments SDFRD San Diego Fire-Rescue Department SDCFA San Diego County Fire Authority SDSD San Diego Sheriff’s Department SEMS State Emergency Management System TRA Temporary Refuge Area VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol WUI Wildland-Urban Interface NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 v MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 1 MAY 2023 Quick Reference - Wildfire Preparedness The Quick Reference Guide provides helpful tips and educational resources, so residents are prepared in the event of a wildland fire evacuation. Figure 1 illustrates the emergency evacuation routes potentially available to Nakano project and surrounding communities. Figure 2 displays the Nakano Project’s vicinity location and Figure 3 is the Project’s land use plan. The Project’s evacuation routes for residents and guests are detailed below and in Figure 1. Visitors should know available routes, stay informed, and follow directions provided by law enforcement or fire agencies, news media, and other credible sources. Do not rely on navigation apps that may inadvertently lead persons toward the approaching wildfire. The available and potential evacuation routes for the residents and guests of the Nakano community are detailed in Section 41. Know your available routes, stay informed and follow directions provided by credible sources. Do not rely on navigation apps that may inadvertently lead you toward an approaching fire. Nearest Medical Facilities Hospitals: Sharp HealthCare 765 Medical Center Court Chula Vista, CA 91911 Head south on Dennery Road Turn right on Palm Avenue Turn right to merge onto I-805 North Exit Olympic Parkway/E Orange Ave Left onto Brandywine Avenue Continue onto Medical Center Drive Right onto Medical Center Court Hospital on right Scripps Mercy Hospital, Chula Vista 435 H Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Directions: Head south on Dennery Road Turn right onto Palm Avenue Turn right to merge onto I-805 North Exit H Street Turn left onto H Street Hospital on right Urgent Care Facilities: Kaiser Urgent Care 4650 Palm Avenue San Diego, CA 92154 1 Directions of travel and use of routes noted here will be controlled by Emergency Personnel in the event of a wildfire based upon location of emergency and conditions such as weather, fire movement, and evacuation conditions. Southbay Urgent Care 1628 Palm Avenue San Diego, CA 92154 Date: 5/11/2023 - Last saved by: lterry - Path: Z:\Projects\j1410700\MAPDOC\DOCUMENT\EVAC\FIG 1_Evac Plan.mxd S A N D I E G OSAN D I E G O C H U L A V I S T ACHULA V I S T A 905 805 R e d F i n L n W i n d S u r f W a y Caliente Ave H e r i t a g e R dGolden Sky Way T o p sail Dr Heritage Rd Entertainmen t Circle Entertainment CircleAccess Rd H e r i t a ge Rd O t a y V a l l e y R d D e n n e r y R d Otay Mesa Rd Main St P a l m A v e I-805 SB I-805 NB S R -9 0 5 E B SR-905 WB Evacuation Plan Evacuation Plan for the Nakano Chula Vista Project SOURCE: BASE-ESRI 2022; TRANSPORTATION-SANGIS 2022 0 1,3 00650Feet FIGURE 1 Project Boundary City Limits Evacuation Route Major Transportation Corridor Primary Access Project Secondary Emergency Access Route Alternative Sesame PlaceWaterpark NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 3 MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Date: 5/11/2023 - Last saved by: lterry - Path: Z:\Projects\j1410700\MAPDOC\DOCUMENT\EVAC\FIG2_P rojectLocation.mxd Project Vicinity Evacuation Plan for the Nakano Chula Vista Project SOURCE: BING MAPPING SERVICE 0 2,0 001,0 00 Feet Project Boundary FIGURE 2 ChulaVista Solana BeachEncinitas SanDiego Carlsbad Oceanside La Mesa ElCajon Santee Poway San Marcos Escondido Vista ImperialBeach National City Del Mar Coronado R i v e r s i d eCounty S a n D i e g oCounty 905 52 54163 188 195 125 274 74 56 86 78 67 76 94 79 8 15 805 5Pacific Ocean Project Site NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 5 MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Propose Site Plan Evacuation Plan for the Nakano Chula Vista Project FIGURE 3SOURCE: CIVIL SENSE INC. 2023 A P1.1P2.1P1.1P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1P1.1P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1P3.1 C P2.2 P1.1P3.1 B A P1.1P2.1 P1.1P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1 P3.1 C P2.2 P3.1 C P2.2 P1.1 P3.1 B A P1.1P2.1 A P1.1 P2.1 P1.1 P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1 P2.1 P1.1 P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1 P2.1 P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1P1.1P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1P1.1P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1P2.1 A P1.1 P2.1 P1.1 P3.1 B P3.1 C P2.2 A P1.1 P2.1 P3.1 C P2.2 P4A P3 P2 P1 P4BRP3RP2RP1RP3RP3P4AP3P2P1P4BRP3RP2RP1RP3RP3 P4AP2P1 P4BR P3R P2R P1R P4AP3 P2P1 P4BR P3R P2R P1R NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 7 MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 8 MAY 2023 Register to Receive Emergency Alerts The City of San Diego (City) utilizes Alert San Diego for its Community Emergency Notification System. Alert San Diego is a countywide standard system that is managed as a regional asset by the County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services. In the event of a wildfire within the City limits, the Incident Command (IC) or other City departments will contact the Police Department Communications Division. The communications center has the responsibility to request activation of the Alert San Diego system and release an emergency notification (San Diego 2010) to affected population. Therefore, residents of the Nakano Project are strongly advised to register their land lines, mobile phone numbers and email addresses with Reverse 9-1-1, Alert San Diego system (http://www.readysandiego.org/AlertSanDiego/) in order to receive emergency evacuation instructions. The residents of Nakano are part of the greater San Diego media market and the media outlets will also be a good source of information, via television and radio, on overall emergency situations and how residents should respond. In addition, the San Diego Emergency Alert System (EAS) is county-wide and broadcasts emergency information via two radio stations: KOGO AM 600 and KLSD AM 1360. Social media provides another outlet for news: ▪ https://twitter.com/cityofsandiego ▪ CityTV is another news sources available during an emergency and can be found online (http://granicus.sandiego.gov/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1648) ▪ Channel 24 - Cox Communications ▪ Channel 24 - Time Warner Cable ▪ Channel 99 - AT&T Get Involved in Community Readiness Residents of the Nakano Project are encouraged to form a volunteer Neighborhood Emergency Response Team with Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) experience (https://www.sandiego.gov/fire/services/cert). The Nakano Homeowner’s Association (HOA) will organize annual evacuation public outreach for anyone interested from both communities, engage directly with organizations such as Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, as well as maintain a fire safe page on the community website, including this Emergency Evacuation Plan and links to important citizen preparedness information. This information will be made available to all residents of the Project. This Wildfire Evacuation Plan is prepared specifically for the Nakano Project and focuses on wildland fire evacuations, although many of the concepts and protocols will be applicable to other emergency situations. Ultimately, this plan should be used by residents for awareness of evacuation approaches during wildfires and other similar emergencies. It is important for the residents to understand the importance of being prepared, so if/when the time comes where evacuation is necessary, they will be able to calmly implement their evacuation plan. Some actions the community residents can do in advance include: ▪ Follow the “Ready, Set, Go!” model developed for wildfire evacuations. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 9 MAY 2023 - Create an escape plan from the residence, as well as an escape route once outside of the home. - Know your available routes, stay informed and follow directions provided by credible sources. - Do not rely on navigation apps that may inadvertently lead you toward an approaching fire. - Create a car emergency kit, including cell phone charger, flashlight, jumper cables, water, and food. - Gather important paperwork, including birth and marriage certificates, account documents, passports, Social Security cards, and any other important family photos or irreplaceable items and documents. - As time allows, make sure to secure your home by locking all doors and windows, and unplugging electrical equipment, such as appliances and electronics. Sample emergency preparedness resources available to the Nakano residents are provided in Appendix A (Resident “Ready, Set, Go!” Wildland Fire Action Plan) and Appendices B-1 through B-4 (Family Disaster Checklists and Communications Plans), and residents are encouraged to become familiar with the concepts detailed at the following websites: 1. “Ready, Set, Go!” Personal Action plan: https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RSG-Booklet.pdf 2. Red Cross Emergency Planning: http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan 3. Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness: https://www.ready.gov/hazardous-materials-incidents 4. Building a disaster kit: http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/be-red-cross-ready/get-a-kit 5. Making a Plan Checklist: https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan 6. Family Communication Plan: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1440449346150-1ff18127345615d8b7e1effb4 752b668/Family_Comm_Plan_508_20150820.pdf Evacuation Plan Purpose and Limitations Wildfire and other emergencies are often dynamic events and the need for evacuations are typically determined by on-scene first responders or by a collaboration between first responders and designated emergency response teams, including Office of Emergency Services and the IC established for larger emergency events. As such, and NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 10 MAY 2023 consistent with all emergency evacuation plans, this Wildfire Evacuation Plan is to be considered a tool that supports existing pre-plans and provides for residents who are familiar with the evacuation protocol but is subservient to emergency event-specific directives provided by agencies managing the event. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 11 MAY 2023 1 Introduction This Wildfire Evacuation Plan (WEP) was prepared based on guidance from the City’s Emergency Operations Procedures (City of San Diego 2018), County of San Diego Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) including Annex Q- Evacuation (County of San Diego 2018). The format and content of this report is consistent with the recommendations of the Evacuation Annex. A complete copy of the EOP can be downloaded here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/oes/emergency_management/oes_jl_oparea.html. Evacuation is a process by which people are moved from a place where there is immediate or anticipated danger, to a place of safety, and offered appropriate temporary shelter facilities. When the threat to safety is gone, evacuees are able to return to their normal activities, or to make suitable alternative arrangements. The overarching goal of evacuation planning in the San Diego County Operational Area (OA) is to maximize the preservation of life while reducing the number of people that must evacuate and the distance they must travel to seek safe refuge (County of San Diego 2018). This Wildfire Evacuation Plan will outline strategies, procedures, recommendations, and organizational structures that can be used to implement a coordinated evacuation effort in the case of a wildfire emergency effecting the Nakano Project. It is noted, that the on-set of a wildfire or other emergency is generally unplanned and often, residents and visitors will be faced with decisions that need to be made quickly and determined by on-scene first responders or by a collaboration between first responders and designated emergency response teams. Therefore, this Wildfire Evacuation Plan is to be considered a tool that supports existing pre-plans and provides for residents who are familiar with the evacuation protocol but is subservient to emergency event-specific directives provided by agencies managing the event. 1.1 Project Description The 23.77-acre project site is located to the northwest of Dennery Road in the City of Chula Vista, San Diego County, California. The project area, which total 36.49 acres, includes the project site (23.77 acres), a 100- foot buffer around the project site (11.53 acres), and the off-site impact areas (1.19 acres). The proposed project area is located east of Interstate 805 (I-805), northwest of Dennery Road, and south of the Otay River. A portion of the project area occurs within the City of San Diego, which is located directly east, south, and west of the site. The approximate centroid of the project area is within Sections 19 and 24 of Township 18 South, Range 1 and 2 West, of the Imperial Beach, California U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 -minute topographic quadrangle. Figure 1 shows the regional location. The Project consists of development of 215 residential dwellings units consisting of 61 detached condominiums, 84 duplexes and 70 multi-family dwelling units on 23.8 acres with approximately 5 acres of hardscaped/paved roadway area. Figure 2 shows the specific site plans. However, to represent a conservative analysis of potential unit mix, the environmental analysis assumes a maximum of 221 residential units. Development of up to 221 residential units could be supported on-site depending on the ultimate unit mix, but the Project footprint would remain the same. Recreational amenities would include a NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 12 MAY 2023 local-serving park, a regional overlook park associated with the Otay Valley Regional Park, and trail connections to the Otay Valley Regional Park. Primary site access would be provided via an off-site connection to Dennery Road, and secondary emergency access would be provided via a connection to Golden Sky Way in the River Edge Terrace residential development. Off-site remedial grading would be required to the north of the site within the City of Chula Vista. The Project includes two scenarios. Under the No Annexation Scenario, the project would remain within the City of Chula Vista. Under the Annexation Scenario, the Project would be annexed into the City of San Diego. While the physical improvements proposed would be the same under either project scenario, the discretionary actions would differ. To facilitate analysis of each development option, this report addresses consistency with the standards and thresholds of both the City of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista. 1.2 Applicable Regulations, Standards and Planning Tools 1.2.1 Federal 1.2.1.1 Disaster Mitigation Act The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires that a state mitigation plan, as a condition of disaster assistance, add incentives for increased coordination and integration of mitigation activities at the state level through the establishment of requirements for two different levels of state plans: “Standard” and “Enhanced.” States that develop an approved Enhanced State Plan can increase the amount of funding available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The Disaster Mitigation Act also established a new requirement for local mitigation plans. 1.2.1.2 National Incident Management System (NIMS) The NIMS guides all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from incidents. NIMS provides community members with a shared vocabulary, systems and processes to successfully deliver the capabilities described in the National Preparedness System. The National Preparedness System is a Presidential Policy Directive establishing a common goal to create a secure and resilient nation associated with prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery to address the greatest risks to the nation. One core area is fire management and suppression. NIMS defines operational systems that guide how personnel work together during incidents. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 13 MAY 2023 1.2.1.3 Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006 amends the Stafford Act, and requires evacuation plans to take into account the needs of individuals with household pets and service anim als, prior to, during, and following a major disaster or emergency. 1.2.2 State 1.2.2.1 Fire Hazard Severity Zones To assist each fire agency in addressing its responsibility area, California Department of Forestry and Fire (CAL FIRE) uses a severity classification system to identify areas or zones of severity for fire hazards within the state. CAL FIRE is required to map these zones for State Responsibility Areas and identify VHFHSZ for Local Responsibility Areas. The Specific Plan is located within a VHFHSZ. 1.2.2.2 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code On September 20, 2005, the California Building Standards Commission approved the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s emergency regulations amending the California Building Code (CBC) (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 24, Part 2). Section 701A of the CBC includes regulations addressing materials and construction methods for exterior wildfire exposure and applies to new buildings located in State Responsibility Areas or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Response Areas. 1.2.2.3 California Fire Code The 2016 California Fire Code (CCR Title 24, Part 9) establishes regulations to safeguard against the hazards of fire, explosion, or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures, and premises. The Fire Code also establishes requirements intended to provide safety for and assistance to firefighters and emergency responders during emergency operations. The provisions of the Fire Code apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, and demolition of every building or structure throughout California. The Fire Code includes regulations regarding fire-resistance-rated construction, fire protection systems such as alarm and sprinkler systems, fire services features such as fire apparatus access roads, means of egress, fire safety during construction and demolition, and wildland-urban interface areas. The City has adopted the California Fire Code as Chapter 5, Article 5, Division 1 of the City’s Municipal Code (SDMC), including appendices addressing fire-flow requirements for buildings. 1.2.2.4 California Emergency Services Act The California Emergency Services Act (California Government Code §8550, et seq., provides for the creation of an Office of Emergency Services, assign and coordinate functions and duties to be performed during an emergency, facilitate mutual aid, and assign resources (including manpower and facilities) throughout the state for dealing with any emergency that may occur. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 14 MAY 2023 1.2.2.5 California Office of Emergency Services The California Office of Emergency Services (OES) is responsible for the coordination of overall state agency response to disasters. Assuring the state's readiness to respond to, recover from all hazards and assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. 1.2.2.5.1 Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) SEMS is the cornerstone of California’s emergency response system and the fundamental structure for the response phase of emergency management. The system unifies all elements of California’s emergency management community into a single integrated system and standardizes key elements. SEMS incorporates: • Incident Command System (ICS) - A field-level emergency response system based on management by objectives • Multi/ Inter-agency coordination - Affected agencies working together to coordinate allocations of resources and emergency response activities • Mutual Aid - A system for obtaining additional emergency resources from non-affected jurisdictions. • Operational Area Concept - County and its sub-divisions to coordinate damage information, resource requests and emergency response. 1.2.2.6 Fire Protection Plan Consistency with Best Practices/Guidance Documents The California Office of the Attorney General issued (October 2022) guidance (Guidance) outlining best practices for analyzing and mitigating wildfire impacts of development projects u nder the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)2. The Guidance is intended to help local governments’ evaluation and approval considerations for development projects in fire-prone areas, and to help project design in a way that minimizes wildfire ignition and incorporates emergency access and evacuation measures. Importantly, the Guidance does not impose additional legal requirements on local governments, nor does it alter any applicable laws or regulations. The Project site is technically within a wildland urban interface (WUI) area and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Attorney General Provided Best Practices for Analyzing Project’s Impacts on Wildfire Risks Baseline Conditions The Guidance states that an EIR’s discussion of existing environmental (baseline) conditions should include information about open space areas and habitats within the project area that may be fire prone, a 2 *Wildfire guidance final (3).pdf (ca.gov) NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 15 MAY 2023 discussion of fire history and fuels on the project site and existing available water supplies for fire-fighting. The Project, within its FPP, provides details regarding each of these baseline conditions, including the off- site preserved areas, a detailed assessment of fire history within 5 miles of the Project, and confirmation that the Project will be provided water necessary for fire-fighting. Thresholds of Significance The Guidance encourages local governments to develop and apply thresholds of significance to identify when an increase in wildfire risk is considered a “significant impact” under CEQA. Relevant factors to this determination include: (1) the project’s impacts on ignition risk; (2) the likelihood of fire spread; and (3) the extent of exposure for existing and new residents, based on various fire scenarios. The Guidance notes that “wildfire ignitions are primarily human-caused in California.” The Project’s FPP evaluates the Project’s potential for increasing wildfire risk and is based on the location and its fire environment, Project land uses and their potential for fire ignitions, and provided design features that are proven fire safety and protection measures that provide protections from wildfire and have the dual role of minimizing the potential for on - site fire moving into the off-site areas. These features are described throughout the FPP and include low- ignition potential landscapes of pavement and irrigated, maintained vegetation, fuel modification zone buffers and masonry heat/fire deflecting walls that are designed to create a landscape within which fire spread is not facilitated, ignition resistant structures that would not easily ignite, and an aware on-site population with management outreach and enforcement of fire prevention measures. Modeling The Guidance encourages modeling fire scenarios to “quantify” increased wildfire risks resulting from a project adding more people to wildfire prone areas and assessing risks according to the threshold of significance, including fires that start in, near or far from the project site and “extreme weather conditions that exacerbate fire spread”. The Guidance states that a conclusion that conversion of wildland vegetation into paved development “reduces or does not increase wildfire risk” is “contrary to existing evidence” and cannot be used to avoid analyzing and modeling wildfire risk. The Project models fire scenarios utilizing BehavePlus fire behavior model to estimate fire intensity. Modeled scenarios included fires igniting near the Project within the preserved conservation areas and included extreme weather conditions. The models confirm that the Project’s provided defensible space buffers and walls are sufficient to slow wildfire spread and keep it from impacting the site. Likewise, neighboring developed areas and their provided protections required by SDFRD perform a similar function during wildfires in the Project area. Qualitative Assessment The Guidance indicates that complying with CEQA includes an EIR qualitatively assessing relevant variables to quantify the project’s impact on the risk of wildfire, specifically: Project Density – Project density influences how likely a fire is to start or spread and how likely it is that occupants will be in danger. The Guidance states that “Fire spread and structure loss is more likely to occur in low- to intermediate-density developments.” The Project is considered a higher density development, converting the developed area to ignition resistant landscapes with no inclusion of unmaintained vegetation within the converted footprint. The nearest open space vegetation is separated from the NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 16 MAY 2023 buildings by a 6-foot-tall masonry wall in areas where considered necessary for fire protection. The buildings are clustered and present one, defensible interface, unlike lower density development which incorporates fuels within and around buildings and multiple building interfaces. Location in the Landscape – Where a project’s structures are placed in the landscape relative to fire environment features (vegetation, topographical features, and wind alignments) it also influences wildfire risk. Terrain including wind corridors or steep slopes may increase risk while flatter terrain and natural fire breaks may reduce risk if the project is “strategically located” should be considered. The Project creates a flat pad on which the Project’s structures and infrastructure are placed. Fuels in the Project area are not conducive of extreme fire intensity and terrain varies but does not include extreme steep slopes and has been comprehensively evaluated and confirmed that even under the extreme weather conditions that have been recorded in the area, the provided defensible space and ignition resistant structures are appropriately designed to minimize the potential for structure ignitions. The Project is located at a site that is appropriate for the type of activities that will occur there and is not considered vulnerable to wildfire. Water Supply and Infrastructure – Water supply and infrastructure needed to address firefighting within the project site should be analyzed as part of evaluating wildfire risk impacts under CEQA. The analysis should consider the potential loss of water pressure or power during a fire. As indicated in the FPP, the Project will provide internal waterlines supplying sufficient fire flows and pressure to meet the demands for required on-site fire hydrants and interior fire sprinkler systems for all structures. Mitigating Wildfire Risk – Potential Measures The Guidance specifies that Project-provided mitigation measures should be combined and tailored to the specifics of the project, the surrounding landscape, and nearby existing uses. The Guidance emphasizes that CEQA requires lead agencies to consider and adopt feasible mitigation measures to avoid or reduce wildfire risk. Potential mitigation measures recommended by the Guidance that may reduce a project’s wildfire risk impacts to a less than significant level, include: Increasing residential density and consolidated project design, relying on higher density infill developments “as much as possible”. The Project is higher density and extends existing and ongoing development in a populated area of San Diego and Chula Vista. Avoiding and minimizing low-density development patterns or “leapfrog-type” developments with undeveloped wildland between developed areas. The Project is located in a highly developed area, is infill and is not the first development in the area, and develops land at the wildland urban interface edge, without creating a leapfrog development. Decreasing a project’s “edge” or wildland interface area and creating buffer zones and defensible space measures within and adjacent to the project. The Project minimizes edge by creating a clustered design and provides FMZ and specific alternative materials and methods to mitigate the potential for wildfire encroachment including noncombustible landscape walls to deflect heat and capture low flying embers. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 17 MAY 2023 Siting projects to maximize the role of low-flammability landscape features and limiting development along steep slopes and amidst rugged terrain. The Project occurs within an area that does not include significant topography or fuels. Undergrounding power lines. The Project’s power lines will be undergrounded, eliminating the potential for electrical transmission line-caused fires on the site. Upgrading building materials and installation techniques beyond applicable building code requirements to increase a structure’s resistance to heat, flames and embers (i.e. “fire hardening”), and requiring fire- hardened communication facilities (including internet) to the project site. The Project is consistent with this guideline based on the type of buildings and their ignition resistance. Communication facilities will be provided via underground or protected above ground conduits. Requiring on-site water supply and/or storage to augment ordinary supplies that may be lost during a wildfire. The Project is consistent with this guideline with internal waterlines that will supply sufficient fire flows and pressure to meet the demands for required onsite fire hydrants and interior fire sprinkler systems for all structures. Water supply must meet a 2-hour fire flow requirement of 2,500 gpm, which must be over and above the daily maximum water requirements for this development. Water utilities will be connected prior to any construction. Parking limitations to ensure access roads are not clogged with parked vehicles. The Project provides for parking restrictions and an HOA that will enforce them. Parking will not be an issue as fire apparatus access roads are not obstructed by designated parking areas and where parking is prohibited, signage and/or curb marking will be provided and illegally parked vehicles will be towed. Placement of development close to adequate emergency services, existing or planned ingress/egress, and designated evacuation routes. The Project is within an acceptable distance with fast response from nearby fire stations and close to surface streets and highway/freeway corridors. Evacuation In addition to evaluating the potential increased risk of ignition, the Guidance states that an EIR or MND for a project located in HFHSZ/ VHFHSZ must analyze the project’s impact on evacuation and emergency access. This analysis is relative to the project’s particular impacts and risks (e.g., higher density infill projects within developed areas would require less detailed analysis than a new low-density development within a high wildfire risk area and/or surrounded by open space). Evacuation Analysis The Guidance states that evacuation modeling and planning should be required for all projects located in HFHSZ/ VHFHSZ that present an increased risk of ignition and/or evacuation impacts. It further states that local jurisdictions should require evacuation modeling and planning to be developed prior to project approval in order to provide maximum flexibility in design modifications necessary to address wildfire risks and impacts. The Project is considered an infill project that will be adjacent to a conserved open space dominated by flashy type fuels that would produce a low-intensity wildfire. Because the Project includes NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 18 MAY 2023 defined FMZ and where constricted space would not allow a full FMZ, masonry walls provide a physical barrier between the Project and the conservation area. Further, the Project provides important road network improvements, including connection of existing dead-end road that will provide secondary fire access for the Project and the neighboring community. These improvements assist Project access as well as provide a public benefit for existing residents by providing an additional route that may be utilized, at the discretion of the fire department/law enforcement, for responder ingress and/or resident egress. The Guidance further states that evacuation modeling and analysis must augment existing information when necessary to include adequate analysis of the following. The Project includes an Evacuation Plan that analyzes the existing and Project population evacuations, road capacities, and evacuation timeframes. • Evaluation of the capacity of roadways to accommodate project and community evacuation and simultaneous emergency access. This Project Evacuation Plan evaluates the Project’s roads as well as existing roads that would be utilized in an evacuation event. The road capacities are conservatively mathematically modeled to arrive at evacuation travel times for the Project as well as for the existing communities with and without the project. The evacuation analysis only considers evacuations using outbound lanes, therefore, the inbound lanes are available for incoming emergency first responders. • Assessment of the timing for evacuation. This Evacuation Plan provides an analysis of evacuation timing in Section 4.1 and is found to be acceptable for the types of wildfires that may occur in the Project’s vicinity. Additionally, evacuation procedures now rely on advanced notification technology which enables phased or sequential evacuations where populations that are threatened are moved first and populations that may be threatened are moved in a phased approach. This method reduces traffic surges and congestion. • Identification of alternative plans for evacuation. Alternative plans for evacuation would be feasible due to the high ignition resistance level and the low risk of ignitions and correspo nding low fire intensity anticipated and may include using alternate routes, only evacuating perimeter residents, or enacting a temporary shelter in place. • Evaluation of the project’s impacts on existing evacuation plans. There are no published evacuation plans for the Project area. The Project would utilize primary evacuation routes that would be available to other evacuees, and the potential additional time needed to evacuate is considered insignificant due to the variety of options available to emergency managers that can facilitate early evacuations. • Consideration of the adequacy of emergency access, including the project’s proximity to existing fire services and the capacity of existing services. The Project’s Fire Protection Plan (Section 4) includes a comprehensive analysis of fire service for the Project and surrounding areas. The Project does not create a significant impact on the ability of existing fire response resources to respond to the anticipated Project calls. Fire Station 6 is within 1.4 miles of all Project structures and can respond within 4 ½ minutes travel time. The project provides access roads meeting code requirements for widths, dead end lengths, and secondary access. There would be acceptable access throughout the site and evacuations would not be expected to interfere with fire response. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 19 MAY 2023 • Traffic monitoring to quantify travel times under various likely scenarios. Traffic monitoring data was contemplated for traffic analysis, but is not applicable in regards to evacuation planning for the Project, as previously discussed. In consideration of the above, the AG Guidance encourages local jurisdictions to develop thresholds of significance for evacuation times based on community-wide standards. Any conclusion that an increase in evacuation times is a less than significant impact should be based on a threshold of significance that reflects community-wide goals and standards. Thresholds should also consider consistency with an adopted emergency operations or evacuation plan, a safety element updated to integrate wildfire and evacuation concerns or recommendations developed by CAL FIRE relating to safety of subdivisions. The potential to minimize on-road traffic when it is considered necessary and/or safer by temporarily providing refuge on-site in protected structures offers a contingency not available to all communities/developments and assists in providing flexibility and options for emergency managers. 1.2.3 Local 1.2.3.1 San Diego County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan The purpose of the County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (County of San Diego 2017) is to identify the County’s hazards, review and assess past disaster occurrences, estimate the probability of future occurrences, and set goals to mitigate potential risks to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural and human-made hazards. An important San Diego County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan component is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which educates community members about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic response skills, including fire safety. 1.2.3.2 San Diego County Emergency Operations Plan The 2022 San Diego County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) describes a comprehensive emergency management system that provides for a planned response to disaster situations associated with natural disasters, technological incidents, terrorism, and nuclear-related incidents. It delineates operational concepts relating to various emergency situations, identifies components of the Emergency Management Organization, and describes the overall responsibilities for protecting life and property and providing for the overall well-being of the population. The plan also identifies the sources of outs ide support that might be provided (through mutual aid and specific statutory authorities) by other jurisdictions, state and federal agencies, and the private sector. 1.2.3.3 Unified San Diego County Emergency Services Organization and County of San Diego Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan – Evacuation Annex The Evacuation Annex is intended to be used as a template for the development of jurisdictional evacuation plans and will support or supplement the evacuation plans prepared and maintained by ea ch local jurisdiction. The annex outlines strategies, procedures, recommendations and organizational structures NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 20 MAY 2023 that can be used to implement a coordinated evacuation effort in the San Diego County Operational Area (OA). 1.2.3.4 County of SD Resilience Review Report: Wildland Fires Prepared by the s Chief Administrative Officer’s Resilience Review Working Group, the Resilience Review Report: Wildland Fires provides recommendations for achieving community goals related to actively reducing risk of wildfire and improving efforts to respond and recover from wildfire events. The Working Group recommends 16 principal objectives divided among three focus areas: pre-fire, response, and recovery. 1. Pre-Wildfire: Focus on fire preparedness at the neighborhood-level. Specific community recommendations include: • Implementing a cohesive County pre-fire strategy • Enhancing pre-fire vegetation management • Improving pre-fire emergency planning • Strengthening fire safety measures in new construction • Reducing loss from wildfires in existing structures 2. Response: Improve fire suppression capabilities and on the ground safety measures including: • Increase County Fire’s firefighting capabilities • Enhancement of accessible transportation services to include the evacuation of at-risk populations and large animals • Improved operational communications among response personnel • More rapid and efficient restoration of essential services and systems • Improved delivery of coordinated, timely, reliable, and actionable information to the whole community during a wildfire 3. Recovery: Enhance fire recovery efforet including: • The ongoing development of a County Debris Removal Framework • Developing administrative tools and processes that improve the speed and efficiency in providing emergency interim housing options to victims of a wildfire • Improvements in health and social services capabilities NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 21 MAY 2023 • Increased County capacity to coordinate large-scale recovery operations 1.2.3.5 City’s Emergency Operations Procedures The City’s Emergency Operations Procedures (EOP) is an Administrative Regulation adopted to facilitate effective operations during emergency incidents and disasters and is accordance with the State of California’s Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The EOP sets up protocol for the control and coordination of on -scene emergency operations including the designation of an Incident Commander (IC), establish Incident Command Posts, conduct response operations according to departmental protocols and SEMS/NIMS principles, request assistance from other City departments for support as needed, and inform senior City officials as appropriate. 1.2.3.6 City of San Diego Fire Code The San Diego Fire Code consists of SDMC Chapter 5, Article 5, Sections 55.0101 through 55.9401, which adopts the 2016 California Fire Code with some modifications, and applicable sections of the CCR. Provisions of the California Fire Code are described under State Regulations, above. 1.2.3.7 City of San Diego Building Regulations The City’s Building Regulations (SDMC Chapter 14, Article 5, Division 1) are intended to regulate the construction of applicable facilities and encompasses (and formally adopts) associated elements of the CBC. Specifically, this includes regulating the “construction, alteration, replacement, repair, maintenance, moving, removal, demolition, occupancy, and use of any privately owned building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures within this jurisdiction, except work located primarily in a public way, public utility towers and poles, mechanical equipment not specifically regulated in the Building Code, and hydraulic flood control structures.” The City's Building Regulations also establish acceptable construction materials for development near open space to minimize fire risk through adoption of Chapter 7, “Fire Resistance-Rated Construction,” and Chapter 7A, “Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildlife Exposure,” of the CBC (SDMC Chapter 14, Article 5, Division 7). 1.2.3.8 City of San Diego Brush Management The City’s Brush Management Regulations (SDMC Section 142.0412) are intended to minimize wildland fire hazards through prevention activities and programs. These regulations require the provision of mandatory setbacks, irrigation systems, regulated planting areas, and plant maintenance in specific zones, and are implemented at the project level through the grading and building permit process. Brush management is required in all base zones on publicly or privately -owned premises that are within 100 feet of a structure and contain native or naturalized vegetation. The City requires Brush Management Plans for all new development, which are intended to reduce the risk of significant loss, injury, or death involving wildland fires. Unless otherwise approved by the City Fire Marshal, the brush management plans for all future development would consist of two separate and distinct zones as follows: NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 22 MAY 2023 Zone One consists of the area adjacent to structures where flammable materials would be minimized through the use of pavement and/or permanently irrigated ornamental landscape plantings. This zone is not allowed on slopes with a gradient greater than 4:1. Zone Two consists of the area between Zone One and any area of native or non -irrigated vegetation and consists of thinned native or naturalized vegetation. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 23 MAY 2023 2 Background This Nakano Evacuation Plan was prepared based on the City’s Emergency Operations Procedures and the County of San Diego Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). To establish a framework for implementing well-coordinated evacuations, the County, like most California emergency operations agencies, has adopted evacuation procedures in accordance with the State of California’s Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and the National Incident Command System (NIMS). Large-scale evacuations are complex, multi-jurisdictional efforts that require coordination between many agencies and organizations. Emergency services and other public safety organizations play key roles in ensuring that an evacuation is effective, efficient, and safe. Evacuation is a process by which people are moved from a place where there is immediate or anticipated danger, to a safer place, and offered temporary shelter facilities. When the threat passes, evacuees are able to return to their normal activities, or to make suitable alternative arrangements. Evacuation during a wildfire is not necessarily directed by the fire agency, except in specific areas where fire personnel may enact evacuations on-scene. The City’s Police Department or Fire-Rescue Department have primary responsibility for emergency evacuations. These agencies work closely within the Unified IC System, with the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and County OES. To that end, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFRD), San Diego Sheriff’s Department (SDSD), Public Works, Planning, Emergency Services Departments, and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), amongst others, have worked as part of a Pre-Fire Mitigation Task Force to address wildland fire evacuation planning for the County of San Diego. Every evacuation scenario will include some level of unique challenges, constraints, and fluid conditions that require interpretation, fast decision making, and alternatives. For example, one roadway incident that results in blockage of evacuating vehicles may require short-term or long-term changes to the evacuation process. Risk is considered high when evacuees are evacuating late, and fire encroachment is imminent. This hypothetical scenario highlights the importance of continuing to train responding agencies, model various scenarios, educate the public, provide contingency plans, and take a very conservative approach to evacuation decision timelines. Equally as important, the evacuation procedures should be regularly updated with lessons learned from actual evacuation events, as they were following the 2003, 2007, and 2014 San Diego County fires. The authors of this Emergency Evacuation Plan recommend that occasional updates are provided, especially following lessons learned from actual incidents, as new technologies become available that would aid in the evacuation process, and as changing landscapes and development patterns occur within and adjacent to the Project Area that may impact how evacuation is accomplished. At the time of this plan’s preparation, there is no encompassing emergency evacuation plan available for the San Diego region. This Wildfire Evacuation Plan is consistent with the County evacuation planning standards and can be integrated into a regional evacuation plan and other pre-plans when and if the area officials and stakeholders (CAL FIRE, SDFRD, OES, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, SDCFA, and others) complete one. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 24 MAY 2023 As demonstrated during large and localized evacuations occurring throughout San Diego County over the last 15 years, an important component to successful evacuation is early assessment of the situation and early notification via managed evacuation declarations. The County utilizes early warning and informational programs to help meet these important factors. Among the methods available to citizens for emergency information are radio, television, social media/internet, neighborhood City patrol car and aerial public address notifications, and Reverse 9-1-1 or Alert San Diego. The County of San Diego, in partnership with Blackboard Connect Inc., instituted this regional notification system that is able to send telephone notifications to residents and businesses within San Diego County impacted by, or in danger of being impacted by, an emergency or disaster. This system, called Alert San Diego, is used by emergency response personnel to notify homes and businesses at risk with information on the event and/or actions (such as evacuation, shelter-in- place, gas leak, missing person, etc.) they are advised to implement. The system utilizes the region’s 9-1-1 database, provided by the local telephone company(ies), and thus is able to contact landline telephones whether listed or unlisted. It is TTY/TDD capable. Please also note that the major fire events that have occurred in San Diego County in the past 17 years (including the Cedar Creek and Witch fires) have also resulted in substantial change in the individual and united approaches between City, County and State agencies, as well as substantial investment in fire- fighting resources. For example, San Diego County Fire Agencies and related partners have developed a robust ability to rationally predict wildfire movement. This is accomplished through pre -fire planning and fire behavior modeling, working with UCSD’s WIFIRE lab advanced wildfire behavior projection technology, and SDG&E’s nationally renowned weather system network. In addition, more than 500 million dollars has been invested to enhance the county’s fire prevention, detection, response, suppression and recovery capabilities since the 2003 Cedar Fire. These efforts have proven effective in managing and responding to wildfire events, such as was accomplished during the successfully managed 2017 Lilac Fire. Because the system uses the 9-1-1 database, only landline numbers are in the system. If you have a Voice over IP (VoIP) or cellular telephone and would like to be notified over that device, or if you would like an email notification, you must register those telephone numbers and/or email address for use by the system to receive voice, text, and email messages. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 25 MAY 2023 3 San Diego County Evacuation Planning This Wildfire Evacuation Plan incorporates concepts and protocols practiced throughout the City and San Diego County. The City’s EOP follows basic protocols set forth in the City’s Operation Area Emergency Operations Plan and the California Master Mutual Aid Agreement, which dictate who is responsible for an evacuation effort and how regional resources will be requested and coordinated. First responders are responsible for determining initial protective actions before EOCs and emergency management personnel have an opportunity to convene and gain situational awareness. Initial protective actions are shared/communicated to local EOCs and necessary support agencies as soon as possible to ensure an effective, coordinated evacuation. Figure 4 summarizes the functional interactions of local government EOCs under the Incident Command System. Figure 4. Incident Command System Local Government EOC Functional Interactions NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 26 MAY 2023 During an evacuation effort, the designated City Evacuation Coordinator is the Police Chief, who is also the Law Enforcement Coordinator, although several official City positions are allowed to declare evacuations. The Evacuation Coordinator will be assisted by other law enforcement and support agencies. Law enforcement agencies, highway/road/street departments, and public and private transportation providers will conduct evacuation operations. Procurement, regulation, and allocation of resources will be accomplished by those designated. Evacuation operations will be conducted by the following agencies: ▪ City Police Department ▪ San Diego Fire-Rescue Department ▪ American Red Cross ▪ San Diego Humane Society ▪ San Diego County Department of Animal Services ▪ Department of Planning and Development Services ▪ Department of Environmental Services ▪ Department of Public Works ▪ Other City, County and state agencies, as needed ▪ The following overview contains information from the San Diego County Evacuation Annex and is consistent with the City’s EOP. A complete copy of the EOC can be downloaded here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/oes/emergency_management/oes_jl_oparea.html. 3.1 Evacuation Objectives The overall objectives of emergency evacuation operations and notifications for the City of San Diego are to: ▪ Expedite the movement of persons from hazardous areas; ▪ Institute access control measures to prevent unauthorized persons from entering vacated, or partially vacated areas; ▪ Coordinate evacuation to appropriate transportation points, which may include: temporary evacuation points (TEP), temporary safe refuge areas (TSRA), and/or shelters. ▪ Coordinate adequate means of transportation for individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, which includes, but is not limited to, older adults, children, and individuals who are transportation disadvantaged. ▪ Coordinate the procurement, allocation, and use of necessary transportation and law enforcement resources by means of mutual aid or other agreements; ▪ Coordinate with affected law and enforcement agencies to control evacuation traffic and road closures. ▪ Account for the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals prior to, during, and following a major disaster or emergency; NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 27 MAY 2023 ▪ Provide initial notification, ongoing, and repopulation communications to the public through the Joint Information Center (JIC). ▪ Coordinate the safe repopulation of the evacuated persons. The SDSD is the lead agency for conducting evacuations of the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. In the incorporated cities, local law enforcement (or the SDSD in contracted cities) will be the lead agency for conducting evacuations. The lead agency for evacuating the Nakano project area is therefore dependent on the decision to annex the development into the city limits. Unified Command assesses and evaluates the need for evacuations with cooperating agencies, and SDSD or local law enforcement orders and conducts evacuations according to established procedures, which are outlined in this annex. Additionally, as part of the Unified Command, the SDSD or local law enforcement will identify available and appropriate evacuation routes and coordinate evacuation traffic management with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), other supporting agencies, and jurisdictions. The decision to evacuate an area is not made lightly and there is a significant impact to public safety and the economy. The following process describes how emergency evacuation decisions within the OA will be coordinated, allowing emergency managers and other supporting response organizations to make collaborative decisions. 3.2 Evacuation Coordination Process a. If the emergency only impacts the City, the decision to evacuate will be made at the local jurisdiction level. Regional coordination is required for any evacuation impacting multiple jurisdictions. Based on the information gathered, local jurisdictions will generally make the determination on whether to evacuate communities as the need arises, on a case-by-case basis. b. The decision to evacuate will depend entirely upon the nature, scope, and severity of the emergency; the number of people affected; and what actions are necessary to protect the public. c. Local jurisdictions may activate their EOC and conduct evacuations according to procedures outline in their EOP. d. All evacuations from, though, or into a local jurisdiction will be coordinated with that jurisdiction's public safety partners. e. The OA EOC may make recommendations on whether a jurisdiction should evacuate and may help coordinate the evacuation effort, if requested by the jurisdiction. f. The Evacuation Annex is automatically activated when an incident occurs requiring an evacuation effort that impacts two or more jurisdictions within the OA or when there is an evacuation in the unincorporated area necessitating response from the County. g. If the emergency impacts multiple jurisdictions within the OA: i. All impacted jurisdictions may activate their EOCs ii. The OA EOC may be activated, including the OA EOC JIC NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 28 MAY 2023 iii. The OA EOC with begin obtaining situational awareness, understanding the severity of the incident iv. Unified Command, which may consist of fire, law enforcement, public health, and other relevant support agencies, will communicate with the OA EOC as to what protective actions have been implemented. The OA EOC will coordinate with jurisdictional emergency management personnel and other public safety personnel. v. The Director of Emergency Services or designee or the Policy Group if it is established will coordinate with City Managers and other leaders within the OA to identify strategic decisions that will: • Gain regional situational awareness • Determine response status • Review statis if initial protective actions • Consider additional protective actions • Evaluate public information needs • Determine next steps • Establish a schedule for internal and external updates vi. Evaluate health and welfare of affected residents The OA EOC JIC will coordinate emergency public information to the public in accordance with procedures established in Annex L Emergency Public Information of the OA EOP vii. The OA EOC may support the evacuation response according to the OA EOP and: • Coordinate transportation for those who need assistance through the activation of emergency transportation services agreements. • Coordinate support for individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs during the evacuation process, which may include, but is not limited to, the provision of assistance with wayfinding, supervision, and language interpretation. • Coordinate and communicate with non-governmental organizations including but not limited to the private sector, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations to utilize services and resources available to support the response. • Coordinate the provision of accessible care and shelter services. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 29 MAY 2023 3.3 Evacuation Response Operations An evacuation of any area requires significant coordination among numerous public, private, and community/non- governmental organizations. Wildfire evacuations will typically allow time for responders to conduct evacuation notification in advance of an immediate threat to life safety; giving residents time to gather belongings and make arrangements for evacuation. On the other hand, other threats, including wildfires igniting nearby, may occur with little or no notice and certain evacuation response operations will not be feasible (for example, establishing contra flow requires between 24 to 72 hours to be implemented; a no -notice event will not allow for contra flow to be established). Every attempt will be made to assist people with safe evacuation, and risk to first responders is an additional important consideration. People are encouraged evacuate early and to help their neighbors, friends, and family to evacuate if doing so will not cause danger to themselves or others. 3.3.1 Evacuation Points and Shelters When SDSD implements an evacuation order, they will coordinate with the Incident Commander to decide on a location to use as a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP). When local law enforcement implements an evacuation order, they will coordinate with the Incident Commander and local EOC to decide on a location to use as a TEP. ARC representatives located in the OA EOC and/or ICP, along with the OA EOC Care & Shelter Branch will coordinate the locations to be used as emergency shelters if necessary. The OA EOC staff may assist, as requested, in the coordination of an evacuation in an incorporated city. The SDSD Dispatch Center in conjunction with the OA EOC and JIC will utilize the AlertSanDiego system, social media, radio, television, IPAWS, etc. to direct evacuees to the established TEP or shelter. Local jurisdictions all have access to the same alert and warning tools as the OA and should follow their internal protocols for sharing information with the public. Temporary evacuation points will serve as temporary safe zones for evacuees, but they generally do not provide any services, such as food, water, restrooms, etc. Emergency shelters are opened when at least one overnight stay is necessary. Basic services are provided at emergency shelters, which includes meals, accessible shower facilities, dormitory management, health, and behavioral health services. Some temporary evacuation points may be suitable to be converted into an emergency shelter location, if necessary and available. Possible shelters and assembly areas that can provide at least short-term refuge and that would be designated by emergency managers during an evacuation include: • Juarez Lincoln Elementary School • Chula Vista Elementary School • Valle Lindo Elementary School • North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre Other refuge sites are available within urbanized areas west of I-805. If there are residents unable to evacuate or in need of transportation assistance to get to a TEP or shelter, the SDSD or other local law enforcement may establish transportation points to collect and transport people without transportation resources to evacuation points. These transportation points should be large, well-known sites such as shopping centers, libraries, and schools. Transportation should be accessible to all populations, including people with disabilities and other access and functional needs. 3.3.2 Pet Evacuations NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 30 MAY 2023 The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006 amends the Stafford Act, and requires evacuation plans consider the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals, prior to, during, and following a major disaster or emergency. The San Diego County Department of Animal Services (DAS) has plans in place to transport and shelter pets in a disaster under Annex O of the OA EOP, including the Animal Control Mutual Aid Agreement. Animal Control Officers, the San Diego Humane Society, and private animal care shelters will assist in the rescue, transport, and sheltering of small and large animals. In addition, potential volunteer resources and private groups are identified and tracked in WebEOC by the County. Only non-emergency resources and personnel, such as public and private animal services agencies, will be used to rescue and transport animals during an evacuation effort. In most cases, DAS and the OA EOC will coordinate and attempt to co-locate animal shelters with people shelters. 3.3.3 Shelter-in-Place (County EOC Discussion) As stated in the County EOC, sheltering-in-place is the practice of going or remaining indoors during or following an emergency event. This procedure is recommended if there is little time for the public to react to an incident and it is safer for the public to stay indoors for a short time rather than travel outdoors. Sheltering-in-place also has many advantages because it can be implemented immediately, allowing people to remain in their familiar surroundings, and providing individuals with everyday necessities such as telephone, radio, television, food, and clothing. However, the amount of time people can stay sheltered-in-place is dependent upon availability of food, water, medical care, utilities, and access to accurate and reliable information. The decision on whether to evacuate or shelter-in-place is carefully considered with the timing and nature of the incident (San Diego County 2022). Sheltering-in-place is the preferred method of protection for people that are not directly impacted or in the direct path of a hazard. This will reduce congestion and transportation demand on the major transportation routes for those that have been directed to evacuate by police or fire personnel. The communities adjacent to the proposed Nakano Project includes homes built in the 2000s and are in varying states of ignition resistance. Unlike most new master planned communities that incorporate ignition-resistant construction and provide defensibility throughout (like Nakano will), responding fire and law enforcement personnel may not be able to direct existing residents to temporarily refuge in their homes; however, it would be possible for residents of Nakano. Homes that are not built to the ignition-resistant standards can be retrofitted to increase their ability to withstand wildfire and ember storms by focusing on roofs, windows, walls, vents, appendages and defensible space. Attention to these components of a home’s fire protection system is recommended for existing homeowners within the Project Area. Options when evacuation is not considered feasible that may be available to responding fire and law enforcement personnel may include temporary refuge/sheltering on site where residents are instructed to remain in their homes while firefighters perform their structure protection function if it is considered unsafe to evacuate. This approach is consistent with San Diego County’s (San Diego County 2022) evacuation approach which states, “The concept of shelter-in-place is an available option in those instances where physical evacuation is impractical. This procedure may be effective for residential dwellings in the immediately impacted areas, or for large facilities that house a high percentage of non-ambulatory persons (i.e., hospitals and convalescent homes). Sheltering-in-place attempts to provide a haven within the impacted area.” The surrounding communities do not currently include attributes that would allow a community-wide sheltering in place option, due primarily to the older construction methods and codes that guided construction at the time the homes were built. The structures in the Nakano community, including the proposed homes would conform to the ignition-resistant NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 31 MAY 2023 building codes codified in Chapter 7A of the California Building Code, would be ignition-resistant, defensible and designed to require minimal firefighting resources for protection, which enables this contingency option when it is considered safer than evacuation. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 32 MAY 2023 4 Nakano Evacuation Road Network As evidenced by mass evacuations during the 2007 Witch Fire along with other San Diego County evacuations, even with roadways that are designed to the code requirements, it may not be possible, or even the best response, to move large numbers of persons at the same time as part of a mass-evacuation. Instead, informed, phased evacuations enable more streamlined evacuations where those at highest risk are moved first. Road infrastructure throughout the United States, and including San Diego County, is not designed to accommodate a short -notice, mass evacuation without some level of congestion (FEMA 2008). The need for evacuation plans, pre-planning, and tiered or targeted and staggered evacuations becomes very important for improving evacuation effectiveness. Among the most important factors for successful evacuations in urban settings is control of intersections downstream of the evacuation area. If intersections are controlled by law enforcement, barricades, signal control, and other means, potential backups and slowed evacuations can be minimized. Multiple evacuation points enable more evacuees the ability to evacuate with less impact on roadways. As noted in the Nakano Fire Protection Plan, the proximity of the Project to the open space associated with the Otay River Valley Regional Park to the north has the potential to increase wildfire hazard in the Project vicinity. Further, wildfire risk for the Project site is also associated with a Santa Ana wind-driven wildfire burning or spotting on-site from the east/northeast, although a fire approaching from the west during more typical on-shore weather patterns is possible. While risk from embers is reduced for dwellings in the Nakano project given modern construction methods, an early evacuation of Nakano may occur if a wildfire burns closely in the adjacent Otay River riparian area adjacent to the northern boundary of the project. However, the surrounding terrain does not support aggressive runs at the community, much of which is separated from the open space by developed areas and wildfires during typical weather conditions are less aggressive and more manageable, rarely resulting in large evacuations. As conducted in past wildfires, an early evacuation of the area may occur several or more hours prior to actual threatening conditions at Nakano, depending on conditions and fire spread projections. The Project is located within an area that is subject to occasional wildfires, with the average fire return interval within a 5-mile radius at roughly 8 years, but based on the residential uses to the west, east, and south, the wildfire potential within the Project structures’ direct sphere of influence is considered minimal and direct exposure to unmaintained fuels is limited. Similarly, fire intensity would be expected to be low in the riparian area north of the project area. This reduced fire behavior would be expected to facilitate evacuations as well as potential on-site sheltering for properly constructed residences, if considered safer than a short-notice evacuation. This approach is consistent with San Diego County’s (2022) Evacuation approach which states, “The concept of shelter-in-place is an available option in those instances where physical evacuation is impractical. This procedure may be effective for residential dwellings in the immediately impacted areas, or for large facilities that house a high percentage of non-ambulatory persons (i.e., hospitals and convalescent homes). Sheltering-in-place attempts to provide a haven within the impacted area.” Although not a designated shelter-in-place community, the structures at Nakano would include the same level of ignition resistance and landscape maintenance, are defensible again st the short duration wildfire exposure anticipated, and are designed to require minimal resources for protection, which enables these contingency options that may not be available to other vicinity commun ities (California Terraces). NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 33 MAY 2023 Amon g the most important factors for successful evacuations at the Project site is control of intersections downstream of the evacuation area. If intersections are controlled by law enforcement, barricades, signa l control, f irefighters or other means, potential backups and slowed evacuations can be min imized. Another important aspect of successful evacuation is a managed and phased evacuation declaration. Evacuating in phases, based on vulnerability, location, or other factors, enables the subsequent traffic surges on major roadway to be smoothed over a longer time frame and can be planned to result in traffic levels that flow better than when mass evacuations include la rge evacuation areas at the same time. This plan defers to Law Enforcement and OES to appropriately phase evacuations and to consider the vulnerability of commun ities when makin g decisions. For example, newer development in the area, includin g Nakano’s protected structures, will offer a high level of f ire safety on site, along with open -air options for firefighter safety zones and temporary on-site refuge as a contingency due to the setbacks from the nearest wildland areas. Consistent with the County of San Diego evacuation planning annex (2022), major ground transportation corridors in the area will be used as primary evacuation routes during an evacuation effort. The road systems were evaluated to determine the best routes for fire response equipment and “probable” evacuation routes for relocating people to designated safety areas. The primary roadways that would be used for evacuation from the Project are: • Dennery Road • Palm Avenue These roads provide access to urbanized areas and major traffic corridors including I -805. During a Project emergency evacuation, the primary and secondary roadways may be providing citizen egress while responding emergency vehicles are inbound. Because the required fire access roads throughout the area are designed to meet or exceed County of San Diego Consolidated Fire Code, including 24 foot-wide, unobstructed roadways, adequate parking, turning radius, grade maximums, and roadside fuel modification zones, potential conflicts that could reduce the roadway efficiency are minimized, allowing for smoother evacuations. The primary evacuation routes are accessed from internal roadways, which connect to primary evacuation routes (i.e. Dennery Road, Palm Avenue). The primary and secondary Project ingress/egress routes are as follows: Pri mary Ingre ss/Egre ss Route: a. Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805 Secondary Ingre ss/Egre ss Route s : b. Golden Sky Way to Ocean Mist Place south to Sand Star Way to Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805 c. Dennery Road to Topsail Drive to gated emergency access road to Sesame Place San Diego Parking lot to Entertainment Circle to Heritage Road. Gates would need to be opened for this route to be viable. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 34 MAY 2023 Depending on the nature of the emergency requiring evacuation, it is anticipated that Nakano residents would be directed to Dennery Road and be directed southbound toward Palm Avenue to I-805. This is the most direct route out of the Project area. Evacuation movement will be determined primarily by the fire’s location, its s pread rate direction, and time available before it could threaten evacuation routes and traffic levels. If less time is available, or one or more potential routes are considered unsafe, fire and law enforcement officials may direct all traffic in one direction and may consider directing some area communities or the Project site’s residents and guests, to temporarily refuge in protected structures. The large developed and converted landscapes and lack of uninterrupted open space through the developed portions of this area significantly reduces the potential for dangerous evacuation conditions and evacuee exposure to wildfire. Evacuation Alternatives Fires occurring on typical (non-extreme) fire weather days, when humidity is higher and winds are not as high o r gusty, have been very successfully controlled at small sizes within minutes of ignition and would not typically trigger a need to evacuate the Nakano community. Partial evacuation of some dwellings could be an option in on-shore wind wildfire, particularly those homes that are closest to the native fuels adjacent to the northern Project boundary. If a wildfire ignited closer to the Nakano community during weather that facilitates fire spread, where multiple hours are not available for evacuation and placing residents on the roads could expose them to wildfire, an alternative evacuation approach would need to be explored. It is preferred to evacuate long before a wildfire is near, and in fact, history indicates that most human fatalities from wildfires are due to late evacuations when they are overtaken on roads. Therefore, it is prudent to consider a contingency option of temporary on -site refuge. For example, if a wildfire is anticipated to encroach upon the community or Dennery Road in a timeframe that is shorter than would be required to evacuate all residents, then evacuations could be significantly impacted and the ability to temporarily shelter residents in their homes is a prudent contingency. 4.1 Roadway Capacities and Evacuation Time Estimates Roadway capacity represents the maximum number of vehicles that can reasonably be accommodated on a road. Roadway capacity is typically measured in vehicles per hour and can fluctuate based on the number of available lanes, demand surges, number of traffic signals, construction activity, accidents, and obstructions as well as positively by traffic control measures. The estimated capacities for existing roads are provided in Table 1. Each roadway classification has a different capacity based on level of service, with freeways having the highest capacities. Using the Highway Capacity Manual methodology for calculating adjusted saturation flow rates, roads that would be the most likely available to existing and Project residents were analyzed and the hourly capacities are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Existing Roadway and Freeway Estimated Hourly Vehicle Capacities Roadway Segment Lanes and Direction Estimated Roadway and Freeway Capacity 1 East West North South Total Dennery Road Palm Ave to Red Fin Lane 2 NB/2 SB 3,500 3,500 7,000 NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 35 MAY 2023 Table 1. Existing Roadway and Freeway Estimated Hourly Vehicle Capacities Roadway Segment Lanes and Direction Estimated Roadway and Freeway Capacity 1 East West North South Total Dennery Road Red Fin to Terminus 1 NB/1 SB 1,750 1,750 3,500 Palm Avenue I-805 to Dennery Road 3 EB/4 WB 5,000 6,200 11,200 1 Road capacity was determined through professional judgement, which considered existing data (LOS Engineering 2022) that utilized Synchro, which uses the Highway Capacity Manual methodology for calculating adjusted saturation flow rates, for the same or similar roadways. Note: This WEP assumes that law enforcement personnel are controlling downstream intersections to maintain traffic flow out of the area. If traffic flow is not maintained, then the estimated evacuation times would be expected to increase, potentially substantially, as is the case in any urban area. Using these averages, the length of time it will take for an area to evacuate can be estimated by dividing the population by the average vehicle occupancy and then dividing by the roadway capacity (Figure 5). Table 2 provides a summary of the calculated number of evacuating vehicles and assumptions for the existing and Project populations. The existing populations, which considers neighborhoods in the vicinity of the Project that would utilize the same evacuation routes, include3: • Residential – 1,364 dwelling units • Commercial – 2,600 parking spaces • Kaiser – 659 parking spaces Figure 5 Evacuation Time Calculation The existing Otay Mesa Community Planning Area is estimated to include 3.39 persons per dwelling unit (SANDAG 2022), which equals approximately 4,624 persons. The Nakano Project, with up to 221 residential units is projected to include 3.39 persons per dwelling unit, which totals 750 persons. When estimating the total number of potential vehicles during an evacuation, it is typically assumed that an average of 2 persons per vehicle would evacuate. This would result in up to 2,687 vehicles potentially evacuating in a major incident that required full evacu ation of the Project at buildout (750 residents) and the existing population (4,624 residents). However, to continue the WEP’s conservative approach, the evacuation travel time calculation is based on every residence evacuating two vehicles. 3 Residential dwelling units, commercial parking spaces, and Kaiser parking spaces were estimated using ariel imagery from Goog le Maps. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 36 MAY 2023 This results in up to 2,728 vehicles generated from existing residential units (1,364 dwelling units x 2 vehicles) and 442 vehicles from Nakano (221 dwelling units x 2 vehicles), totaling up to 3,170 vehicles. Additionally, within the existing land uses, there are several non-residential land uses, including: commercial (approximately 2,600 parking spaces) and Kaiser (659 parking spaces). This increases the worst-case number of post-project evacuating vehicles to 6,417, as depicted in Table 2. The number would likely be lower, as some families would likely drive in one vehicle versus in multiple vehicles and, depending on the time of day, many of these vehicles may already be off-site, such as if a fire occurred during typical work hours or if after hours. Table 2 . Population and Evacuation Vehicle Estimates for the Project and Vicinity Land Uses Existing Nakano (Project) Commercial Kaiser Combined Dwelling Units (residences) 1,364 221 N/A N/A 1,579 Persons per Unit 3.39 3.39 N/A N/A - Calculated Population 4,624 750 5,200a 989b 11,563 Vehicles per Unit 2 2 N/A N/A - Parking Spaces N/A N/A 2,600 659 3,259 Worst Case Number of Vehicles Evacuating 2,728 442 2,600 659 6,429 a Assumes 2 persons per vehicle b Assumes 1.5 persons per vehicle 4.1.1 Evacuation Time Discussion For purposes of determining an appropriate discount on the travel time vehicle capacity estimate, it is important to know the potential worst-case evacuation population (number of vehicles) that could occur. Discounting the maximum vehicle capacity essentially slows down the calculated travel times, imitating congested roadways and/or bottleneck intersections. Based on the Project’s estimated potential 442 vehicles and utilizing a vehicle roadway capacity of 1,000 vehicles per hour for internal roadways during evacuation, it is estimated that the last vehicle can be off the Project site and onto Dennery Road in approximately 25.8 minutes of wheels rolling. Traffic moving off the Project site would either go south along Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805 or east to Golden Sky Way to Ocean Mist Place to Sand Star Way to Dennery Road to Palm Ave to I-805. Vehicles traveling south to Dennery Road would travel approximately 0.75 miles to access I-805, while vehicles traveling east via Golden Sky Way would travel approximately 1.00 miles to access the I-805. Traveling at approximately 10 mph, assuming all other populations are simultaneously NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 37 MAY 2023 evacuating west would require approximately 110.4 minutes or 1.84 hours (6,429 vehicles/3,500 vehicles per hour). 4.1.2 Mass Evacuation Vehicle Traffic Mass evacuation events have become extremely rare as wildfire evacuation technology and capabilities have improved dramatically in the last 20 years. Wildfire evacuations are managed to move smaller populations in a successive phasing to minimize traffic surges. Populated areas are evacuated in phases based on proximity to the event and risk levels. For example, it is anticipated that wildfire evacuations of the Project area will likely include the relocation of perimeter populations that are closest to open space, either to on-site temporary shelter sites or off-site, rather than mass evacuating the entire area. The Project is built to ignition resistant standards and represent fire-safe fuel breaks that provide emergency managers many options that do not all include a mass evacuation. The result of this type of evacuation is that residents that may be in locations that would be closest to a wildfire burning in open space areas are temporarily moved from the vicinity and vehicle congestion on evacuation routes is minimized, enabling a more efficient evacuation. Under this evacuation approach, the evacuation would include a much smaller population and would be implemented in a surgical way. The evacuation time would be even lower and would have very little impact on the existing communities, except for evacuees who decide to leave the area despite not being directed to do so (Sorensen and Vogt 2006). PHASED EVACUATION The purpose of a phased evacuation is to reduce congestion and transportation demand on designated evacuation routes by controlling access to evacuation routes in stages and sections. This strategy can also be used to prioritize the evacuation of certain communities that are in proximity to the immediate danger. A phased evacuation effort will need to be enforced by law enforcement agencies and coordinated with the EOC and affected jurisdictions. Evacuations in San Diego County will soon be managed by a system that enables emergency managers to designate small areas in a surgical approach that can target neighborhoods, blocks or streets for alert messaging. Similarly, numerous cities and counties are implementing similar plans, with one example being an evacuation planning system called Zonehaven. Zonehaven is a software program that uses an algorithm incorporating various factors or inputs affecting disasters or emergency events to produce a digital evacuation map or real-time guide based on numerous, pre-set, community zones vs large swaths of a community. These factors include weather, traffic flows, street design, historical disaster data, geography and more. They are used to build a communitywide (city or county or whatever entity is purchasing the program) baseline digital map of evacuation zones. First responders use these types of programs to guide decision-making for if, when, and where to order evacuations or evacuation warnings. Residents of affected zones are alerted using a variety of means, including alert systems, Nixle local alerts, social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and door-to-door warnings. Dept of Homeland Security (2019) provides supporting data for why jurisdictions have moved to the surgical evacuation approach that leverages the power of situation awareness to support decision making. According to their Planning Considerations: Evacuation and Shelter in Place document, they indicate that delineated zones provide benefits to the agencies and community members. Evacuation and shelter-in-place zones promote phased, zone-based evacuation targeted to the most vulnerable areas, which allows jurisdictions to prioritize evacuation orders to the most vulnerable zones first and limit the need to evacuate large areas not under the threat. Zones help: NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 38 MAY 2023 • Jurisdictions to understand transportation network throughput and capaci ty, critical transportation and resource needs, estimated evacuation clearance times, and shelter demand. • Planners to develop planning factors and assumptions to inform goals and objectives. • Community members to understand protective actions to take during an emergency. • Shelters to limit traffic congestion and select locations suitable for the evacuated population. The amount of time needed to evacuate the Project would vary by the type of incident, the number of evacuation routes utilized, the amount of mobilization time, actual areas at risk, and other factors. It has also been established herein that the targeted approach would minimize the size of the area being evacuated and use a phased approach, which may further reduce the evacuation time estimates. There is no evacuation timeframe threshold that Projects must meet in order to avoid a CEQA impact or to be consistent with codes, regulations or policies. Regardless, the Project has provided a comprehensive evacuation evaluation, and the evacuation time results are comparable to similar sized populations under a mass evacuation. Further, any additional time does not necessarily generate a greater safety risk. Emergency personnel who issue evacuation orders can consider the additional time needed to implement an evacuation when determining when and where to issue evacuation orders. Risk to nearby development, including the Project or existing communities, is assessed on a regular basis in a wildfire event. Hours or days of lead time may be available to assess risk and make evacuation determinations. Further, peak occupancy conditions like those assumed in the modeling typically do not occur as all residents are not typically at home while maximum occupancy at industrial, commercial and office uses is also occurring. Further, drifting smoke, awareness of the risk, road closures, or other factors result in people avoiding the area in a fire event. Additionally, the Project is designed to allow people to shelter -in-place or take temporary refuge within the Project site, which could reduce evacuating traffic from the site. The potential occurrence of a large evacuation event including evacuation of existing populations is minimal, but possible. In this case, the existing populations for the Project would be existing residential to the east and south, commercial to the south, and Kaiser to the south. During a large wildfire moving from east to west, it is most likely, that evacuations would be directed north along I-805, depending on the fire location and movement. The vehicle capacity estimates utilized for this evacuation plan are based the current Highway Capacity Manual methodology for calculating adjusted saturation flow rates and are discounted for various assumed traffic -related slowing, such as higher volume and downstream bottlenecks; therefore, the discounted vehicle capacity (2,500 vehicles per hour, per Table 1) includes capability to absorb additional vehicles. In an actual evacuation scenario, a phased evacuation would be implemented where orders are given to evacuate based on vulnerability, location, and/or other factors, which enables the subsequent traffic surges on major roadways to be smoothed over a longer time frame and improve traffic flow. A phased strategy can also be used to prioritize the evacuation of certain communities that are in proximity to the immediate danger. The limitations of the model used for this analysis are such that it cannot accurately reflect phased evacuation conditions; hence, a worst-case mass evacuation scenario was assumed. This WEP assumes that law enforcement personnel are controlling downstream intersections to maintain traffic flow out of the area. If traffic flow is not maintained, then the estimated evacuation times would be expected to increase, potentially substantially, as is the case in any urban area. Additionally, this analysis assumes that all existing populations within the Project area and the Project are evacuating simultaneously. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 39 MAY 2023 4.1.3 Potential for Project Evacuation Impact on Existing Conditions The potential occurrence of a large evacuation event including evacuation of existing populations is minimal, but possible. In this case, the existing populations would be associated with residences to the south and west, and commercial uses and Kaiser to the south. As mentioned, this analysis caps the evacuation route traffic capacity at 1,000 vehicles per hour on internal roads and 2,500 vehicles per hour on the major evacuation route roadways in each direction. This ca pacity is lower than each travel lane could support under ideal conditions but is utilized as a method to reflect evacuation conditions, where there may be a traffic surge that slows vehicle speeds. Understanding the speed vehicles would travel to support 1,000 or 2,500 vehicles per hour provides additional supporting context. If the average vehicle is approximately 16 feet long, and allowing approximately 10 feet between vehicles (26 total feet per vehicle) for 1,000 vehicles per hour and 15 feet between vehicles (31 total feet per vehicle) for 2,500 vehicles per hour, an average travel speed of approximately 10 or 15 mph would enable 2,000 or 3,000 vehicles to pass a given point every hour, respectively. This is calculated by the following: • 1,000 vehicles per hour = 16.67 vehicles per minute = 1 vehicle every 3.6 seconds • 5 mph = 7.35 feet per second (1 mph = 1.47 feet per second) Therefore, at 7.35 feet/second x 3.6 seconds = 26.5 feet. Each vehicle (16 feet + 10 feet = 26 feet) is allotted 3.6 seconds to pass a given point. In order for 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 vehicles to pass that given point, a speed of 4.9, 9.8 and 14.8 mph is necessary, respectively, per Table 3. The average human walking speed is around 3 mph. Table 3. Vehicle Speeds Based on Road Capacity Vehicles per hour Vehicles per minute Seconds for a vehicle (26’) to pass a given point Feet per second for a vehicle to pass a given point mph for a vehicle to pass a given point 1000 16.67 3.60 7.22 4.9 1200 20 3.00 8.82 6 2000 33.33 1.80 14.44 9.8 2500 41.67 1.60 16.25 11 3000 50 1.20 21.67 14.8 Therefore, the following travel time and evacuation estimates are not reliant on unrealistic vehicle speeds in order to achieve the use of 1,000 and up to 2,500 vehicles per hour capacity and are representative of congested roadways that can occur during evacuations, especially the initial phase where traffic surges are common. It is likely that more than 2,500 vehicles per hour would be possible on Dennery Road or Palm Avenue with law enforcement traffic control. Based on the factors and assumptions previously detailed regarding evacuation routes and incorporating standard pre-evacuation timeframes and the evacuation route estimates detailed in Table 4, it is estimated that the existing NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 40 MAY 2023 condition would see all evacuating traffic from residential uses, commercial uses and Kaiser via Dennery Road and Palm Avenue. With the Project, the same traffic conditions are expected, but the Project’s traffic would also be added to the formula. The following scenarios describe the most likely and worst-case evacuation routes and usage during an evacuation event: Scenario 1 (Existing Condition): In this scenario, 100% of existing evacuation traffic would use Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805. Scenario 2 (Exiting Condition + Project): In this scenario, 100% of existing and Project evacuation traffic would use Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805. Table 4 . Evacuation Route Usage and Time Estimate s Existing Condition (Scenario 1) Existing Conditions + Project (Scenario 2) Evacuation Route using; Percent of Vehicles Total Vehicles Percent of Vehicles Total Vehicles Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805 100 5,987 100 (EC) / 100 (P) 5,987 (EC) / 442 (P) Total 100 5,987 100 6,429 Based on the preceding assumptions and the travel time formula, the time estimates for the existing condition and the Project scenario are summarized in Table 5. Table 5 . Evacuation Time Calculation Route: Scenario 1. Existing Cond. 2. Existing Cond. + P roject Minimum Road Capacity (vehicles per hour) Existing Cond. Estimated Evacuation Travel Timeframe Existing Cond. + Project Estimated Evacuation Travel Timeframe** Travel Time Increase with Project Dennery Road to Palm Avenue to I-805 5,987 5,987 (EC) / 442 (P) 3,500 5,987 vehicles 1.71 hrs or 102.6 min 6,417 vehicles 1.84 hrs or 110.4 min 0.14 hrs or 7.8 min Total Vehicles 5,987 6,429 NA NA NA NA * Includes “wheels rolling” where all persons have left their home. Does not include notification, mobilization and travel out of the area ** Estimated evacuation travel timeframe is calculated by dividing the maximum number of vehicles using each evacuation route by the route’s lowest vehicle capacity. The longest evacuation route timeframe is used to represent the overall travel time. The Project evacuation scenario results in a worst-case calculated 1.84 hours or 110.4 minutes travel time to fully evacuate all studied populations. With the Project, there is an increase in the calculated evacuation travel time of up to an estimated 7.8 minutes for all evacuation routes. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 41 MAY 2023 This travel time calculation is conservative in both the number of vehicles evacuating and the number of vehicles per hour that can be accommodated. 4.2 Evacuation Route Determination Typically, fire and law enforcement officials will identify evacuation points before evacuation routes are announced to the public. Evacuation routes are determined based on the location and extent of the incident and its spread rate and direction and include as many pre-designated transportation routes as possible. However, field conditions and shifting fire behavior may result in real-time changes to predetermined routes. Having additional evacuation route options is considered critical in these conditions. Under extreme fire weather events, when wildfire is approaching from the north or east, driven by Santa Ana winds, it is unlikely that evacuation would occur to the east, toward the fire, unless there is substantial time until the fire arrival. Therefore, under these conditions, which is the most likely type of wildfire to result in an evacuation, this analysis assumes all traffic, existing and proposed Project related, would be sent west to I-805. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 42 MAY 2023 5 Nakano Wildfire/Evacuation Awareness The Nakano HOA should be active in its outreach to its residents regarding fire safety and general evacuation procedures. There are aspects of fire safety and evacuation that require a significant level of awareness by the residents and emergency services to reduce and/or avoid problems with an effective evacuation. Mitigating potential impediments to successful evacuations requires focused and repeated information through a strong educational outreach program. The Nakano HOA should engage residents and coordinate with local fire agencies for fire safety awareness through a variety of methods. This WEP will be accessible on the HOA’s website. Annual reminder notices will be provided to each homeowner encouraging them to review the plan and be familiar with community evacuation protocols. The HOA will coordinate with local fire agencies to hold an annual fire safety and evacuation preparedness informational meeting. The meeting will be attended by representatives of appropriate fire agencies and important fire and evacu ation information will be reviewed. One focus of these meetings and of the HOA’s annual message will be on the importance of each resident to prepare and be familiar with their own “Ready, Set, Go!” evacuation plan. The “Ready, Set, Go!” program is defined at: http://www.readysandiego.org/Resources/wildfire_preparedness_guide.pdf, and information about preparing a personalized evacuation plan is provided in Appendix A of this document. The focus of the “Ready, Set, Go!” program is on public awareness and preparedness, especially for those living in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. The program is designed to incorporate the local fire protection agency as part of the training and education process in order to ensure that evacuation preparedness inf ormation is disseminated to those subject to the potential impact from a wildfire. There are three components to the program: • “READY” – Preparing for the Fire Threat : Take personal responsibility and prepare long before the threat of a wildfire so you and your home are ready when a wildfire occurs. Create defensible space by planting and maintaining ignition-resistant vegetation near your home. Use only fire-resistant landscaping and maintain the ignition resistance of your home. Assemble emergency supplies and belongings in a safe spot. Confirm you are registered for Reverse 911, AlertSanDiego, and Community alert system. Make sure all residents residing within the home understand the plan, procedures and escape routes. • “SET” – Situational Awareness When a Fire Starts : If a wildfire occurs and there is potential for it to threaten Nakano and surrounding communities, pack your vehicle with your emergency items. Stay aware of the latest news from local media and your local fire department for updated information on the fire. If you are uncomfortable, leave the area. • “GO!” – Leave Early! Following your Action Plan provides you with knowledge of the situation and how you will approach evacuation. Leaving early, well before a wildfire is threatening your community, provides you with the least delay and results in a situation where, if a majority of neighbors also leave early, firefighters are now able to better maneuver, protect and defend structures, evacuate other residents who couldn’t leave early, and focus on citizen safety. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 43 MAY 2023 “READY SET GO!” is predicated on the fact that being unprepared and attempting to flee an impending fire late (such as when the fire is physically close to your community) is dangerous and exacerbates an already confusing situation. This Nakano Wildfire Evacuation Plan provides key information that can be integrated into the individual evacuation plans, including the best available routes to use in the event of an emergency evacuation. Situation awareness requires a reliable information source. One of the most effective public notification methods is Reverse 911. The San Diego OES operates the Reverse 911 notification system that provides a recorded message over land line telephone systems relating to evacuation notices. In addition, OES operates a program known as “Alert San Diego” that has the capability to send emergency notifications over both land lines as well as to cell phones and via text messages. It is up to individual residents to register their cell phones for “Alert San Diego.” The registration of cell phones can be done on line at www.ReadySanDiego.com. In addition, the San Diego Emergency Alert System (EAS) is county-wide and broadcasts emergency information via two radio stations: KOGO AM 600 and KLSD AM 1360. Although not relying on this for safe and effective evacuations, as part of the Nakano resident fire awareness and evacuation readiness program, information will be delivered in a variety of methods (e.g., website, mailers, in-person meetings). The HOA will be responsible for providing access to this Wildfire Evacuation Plan, including materials from the “Ready, Set, Go!” Program. The HOA, through its CC&R’s ) will actively participate as a partner with the SDFRD to assist with the coordination and distribution of fire safety and evacuation information to Project residents. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 44 MAY 2023 6 Nakano Evacuation Procedures 6.1 Relocation/Evacuation It is estimated that the minimum amount of time needed to move the Nakano population to urbanized and/or designated evacuation areas may require up to 1.84 hours or more under varying constraints that may occur during an evacuation. This does not include additional allowances for the time needed to detect and report a fire, for fire response and on-site intelligence, for phone, patrols, and aerial based notifications, and for notifying special needs citizens. Wolshon and Marchive (2007) simulated traffic flow conditions in a computer derived WUI under a range of evacuation notice lead times and housing densities. To safely evacuate more people, they recommended that emergency managers (1) provide more lead time to evacuees and (2) control traffic levels during evacuations so that fewer vehicles are trying to exit at the same time. Wildfire emergency response procedures will vary depending on the type of wildfire and the available time in which decision makers (IC, SDFRD, CAL FIRE, SDSD, and/or County Office of Emergency Management) can assess the situation and determine the best course of action. Based on the Nakano Project and surrounding communities, its road network, and the related fire environment, the first and primary type of evacuation envisioned is an orderly, pre-planned evacuation process where people are evacuated to more urban areas further from an encroaching wildfire (likely to urban areas north [and west]) well before fire threatens. This type of evacuation must include a conservative approach to evacuating; i.e., when ignitions occur and weather is such that fires may spread rapidly, evacuations should be triggered on a conservative thresh old that includes time allowances for unforeseen, but possible, events that would slow the evacuation process. The second type of evacuation is considered by many to offer the highest level of life protection to the public, but it can result in evacuees being placed in harm’s way if the time available for evacuation is insufficient (Cova et al. 2011). An example of this type of evacuation, which is highly undesirable from a public safety perspective, is an evacuation that occurs when fire ignites close to vulnerable communities. This type of situation is inherently dangerous because there is generally a higher threat to persons who are in a vehicle on a road when fire is burning in the immediate area than in a well-defended, ignition-resistant home. Conditions may become so poor that the vehicle drives off the road or crashes into another vehicle, and flames and heat overcome the occupants. A vehicle offers little shelter from a wildfire if the vehicle is situated near burning vegetation or catches fire itself. This type of evacuation must be considered a very undesirable situation by law and fire officials in all but the rarest situations where late evacuation may be safer than seeking temporary refuge in a structure (such as when there are no nearby structures, the structure[s] is/are already on fire, or when there is no other form of refuge). Temporary refuge would be possible within the Nakano structures, but structures within surrounding communities, as previously discussed, are less desirable due to their higher vulnerability to ignition. The third potential type of evacuation is a hybrid of the first two. In cases where evacuation is in process and changing conditions result in a situation that is considered unsafe to continue evacuation, it may be advisable to direct evacuees to pre-planned temporary refuge locations, including their own home if it is ignition-resistant and defensible, such as those within Nakano. As with the second type of evacuation discussed above, this situation is considered highly NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 45 MAY 2023 undesirable, but the evacuation pre-planning must consider these potential scenarios and prepare decision makers at the IC level and at the field level for enacting a contingency to evacuation when conditions dictate. Indications from past fires and related evacuations, in San Diego County and throughout Southern California, which have experienced increasingly more frequent and larger fires, are that evacuations are largely successful, even with a generally unprepared populace. It then stands to reason that an informed and prepared populace would minimize the potential evacuation issues and related risk to levels considered acceptable from a community perspective. Evacuation orders or notifications are often triggered based on established and pre -determined model buffers, which are based on topography, fuel, moisture content of the fuels and wind direction. Evacuation s are initiated when a wildfire reaches or crosses one of these pre-determined buffers. Evacuations can also be very fluid. The IC, law enforcement and OES would jointly enact evacuations based on fire behavior. 6.2 Nakano Project Evacuation Baseline For purposes of this Wildfire Evacuation Plan, the first and most logical choice for all of the residents and guests within the boundaries of Nakano Project is to adhere to the principles and practices of the “Ready, Set, Go!” Program previously mentioned in this document. As part of this program, it is important that each household develop a plan that is clearly understood by all family members and participates in the educational and training programs sponsored by the Nakano HOA and the SDFRD. In addition, it is imperative that the “Ready, Set, Go!” program information be reviewed on a routine basis along with the accompanying maps illustrating evacuation routes, temporary evacuation points and pre-identified evacuation points. It must be kept in mind that conditions may arise that will dictate a different evacuation route than the normal roads used on a daily basis. Residents are urged to evacuate as soon as they are notified to do so or earlier if they feel uncomfortable. Directions on evacuation routes will be provided in most cases, but when not provided, residents of the Project will proceed according to known available routes away from the encroaching fire as detailed in Quick Reference section of this report. Residents are cautioned not to rely on navigation aid apps which may inadvertently lead them toward an oncoming fire. Depending on the type of emergency and the resulting evacuation, it could take as long as 1.84 or more to complete a Nakano community-wide evacuation, based on road capacities and competing use of the roads by residents from other areas. Note: this evacuation plan will require adjustment and continued coordination by the Nakano HOA and/or developer and fire/law enforcement agencies during each of the construction phases. With each phase, the evacuation routes may be subject to changes with the addition of both primary and secondary evacuation routes. 6.3 Civilian and Firefighter Evacuation Contingency As of this document’s preparation, no community in California has been directed to shelter -in- place during a wildland fire. Even the communities in Rancho Santa Fe, California, which are designed and touted as shelter -in- place communities, were evacuated during the 2007 Witch Creek Fire. This is not to say that people have not successfully sheltered-in-place during wildfire, where there are numerous examples of people sheltering in their homes, in hardened structures, in community buildings, in swimming po ols, and in cleared or ignition-resistant landscape open air areas. The preference will always be early evacuation following the “Ready, Set, Go!” model, but NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 46 MAY 2023 there exists the potential for unforeseen civilian evacuation issues, and having a contingency pla n will provide direction in these situations that may result in saved lives. Potential problems during wildfire evacuation from the Nakano community include: • Inadequate time to safely evacuate • Fire evacuations during rush hour traffic or when large events are occurring • Blocked traffic due to accidents or fallen tree(s) or power pole(s) • The need to move individuals who are unable to evacuate It is recommended that local law enforcement and fire agencies conduct concerted pre -planning efforts focusing on evacuation contingency planning for civilian populations when it is considered safer to temporary seek a safer refuge than evacuation. Nakano structures would allow for the possibility of temporary sheltering while structures in surrounding communities would not typically be considered ignition-resistant and therefore, not appropriate for temporary refuge. 6.3.1 Safety Zones The International Fire Service Training Association (IFTSA; Fundamentals of Wildland Fire Fighting, 3rd Edition) defines “safety zones” as areas mostly devoid of fuel, which are large enough to assure that flames and/or dangerous levels of radiant heat will not reach the personnel occupying them. Areas of bare ground, burned over areas, paved areas, and bodies of water can all be use d as safety zones. The size of the area needed for a safety zone is determined by fuel types, its location on slopes and its relation to topographic features (chutes and saddles) as well as observed fire behavior. Safety zones should never be located in to pographic saddles, chutes or gullies. High winds, steep slopes or heavy fuel loads may increase the area needed for a safety zone. The National Wildland Fire Coordinating Groups (NWFCG), Glossary of Wildland Fire Terminology provides the following definitions for safety zones: Safety Zone. An area cleared of flammable materials used for escape in the event the line is outflanked or in case a spot fire causes fuels outside the control line to render the line unsafe. In firing operations, crews progress so as to maintain a safety zone close at hand allowing the fuels inside the control line to be consumed before going ahead. Safety zones may also be constructed as integral parts of fuelbreaks; they are greatly enlarged areas, which can be used with relative safety by firefighters and their equipment in the event of blowup in the vicinity. According to NWFCG, safety zone(s): • Must be survivable without a fire shelter • Can include moving back into a clean burn • May take advantage of natural features (rock areas, water, meadows) • Can include constructed sites (clear-cuts, roads, helispots) NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 47 MAY 2023 • Are scouted for size and hazards • Consider the topographic location (larger if upslope) • Should be larger if downwind • Should not include heavy fuels • May need to be adjusted based on site-specific fire behavior The definition for a safety zone includes provisions for separation distance between the firefighter and the flames of at least four times the maximum continuous flame height. Distance separation is the radius from the center of the safety zone to the nearest fuels. For example, considering worst-case 70-foot tall flame lengths that may be possible in open space near this site (Dudek 2022), then a 280-foot separation would be required, and potentially more could be needed if there were site-specific features that would result in more aggressive fire behavior. The calculated 70-foot-tall flame lengths are not directly adjacent to this site and are longer than the fire behavior modeling results for fuels on and directly adjacent to the Project’s developed area. Safety zones are available within the Nakano community, but the Kaiser Medical Center, shopping just south of the community offers the best possibility for a safety zone for firefighter use. The Nakano community will include the ability for firefighters to seek safety zones within the ignition-resistant landscapes, but identification of other potential safety zones will require additional focused study by SDFRD and other fire and law enforcement agencies. 6.3.2 Temporary Firefighter Refuge Areas Firescope California (Firefighting Resources of Southern California Organized for Potential Emergencies) was formed by legislative action to form a partnership between all facets of local, rural, and metropolitan fire departments, CAL FIRE and federal fire agencies. Firescope defines a contingency plan when it is not possible to retreat to a safety zone. This contingency includes establishment of firefighter temporary refuge areas (TRAs), which are defined as: A preplanned area where firefighters can immediately take refuge for temporary shelter and short- term relief without using a fire shelter in the event that emergency egress to an established safety zone is compromised. Examples of a TRA may include the lee side of a structure, inside of a structure, large lawn or parking areas, or cab of a fire engine, amongst others. Differences between a TRA and a Safety Zone is that TRAs are closer to the immediate firefighting area, are considered a contingency to being able to get to a safety zone, do not include a requirement for a large area set back four times the flame lengths of adjacent fuels, and cannot be feasibly pre-planned until firefighters arrive on-scene and size up the situation. Firescope appropriately notes that although safety zones and viable escape routes shall always be identified in the WUI environment, they may not be immediately available should the fire behavior increase unexpectedly. Often a TRA is more accessible in the WUI environment. A TRA will provide temporary shelter and short -term relief from an approaching fire without the use of a fire shelter and allow the responders to develop an alternate plan to safely survive the increase in fire behavior. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 48 MAY 2023 The major difference between a TRA and a safety zone is that a TRA requires another planned tactical action; i.e., TRAs cannot be considered the final action, but must include self-defense and a move out of the area when the fire threat subsides. A TRA should be available and identified on site at a defended structure. TRAs are NOT a substitute for a safety zone. TRA pre-planning is difficult, at best because they are very site- and fire behavior-specific. For the Nakano community, TRAs would likely include navigating into the densely developed areas where firefighters would be separated from the unmaintained wildland fuels by wide areas including site-wide maintained landscapes, ignition- resistant residences, and wide roads that offer numerous opportunities for TRA. The entire developed portion of Nakano development, but especially the interior dwellings, are considered TRAs. This is an important concept because it offers last-resort, temporary refuge of firefighters, and in a worst-case condition, residents. This approach would be consistent with Firescope California (2013), which indicates that firefighters must determine if a safe evacuation is appropriate and if not, to identify safe refuge for those who cannot be evacuated, including civilians. Each of the site’s residences that can be considered for TRA include the following features: • Ignition-resistant construction • Annual landscape inspections by 3rd party inspectors • Wide roadways with fire hydrants • Maintained landscapes and roadside fuel modification • Ember-resistant vents • Interior fire sprinklers Because there is the possibility that evacuation of the Project and surrounding communities may be less safe than temporarily refuging on site, such as during a fast -moving, wind-driven fire that ignites nearby, including temporary refuge within some properly designed, constructed and maintain ed residences onsite is considered a contingency plan for the Nakano Project. This concept is considered a component of the “Ready, Set, Go!” model as it provides a broader level of “readiness” should the ability to execute an early evacuation be negated by fire, road congestion, or other unforeseen issues. Note: this approach would be considered a last -resort contingency during wildfire with the primary focus being on early evacuation. The decision for evacuation or temporarily refuging on site will be ma de by responding law enforcement and/or fire personnel. 6.4 Social Aspects of Wildfire Evacuation Orderly movement of people is the result of planning, training, education, and awareness, all of which are promoted in San Diego. Evacuation has been the standard term used for emergency movement of people and implies imminent or threatening danger. The term in this Wildfire Evacuation Plan, and under the “Ready, Set, Go!” concept, indicates that there is a perceived threat to persons and movement out of the area is necessary, but will occur according to a pre-planned and practiced protocol, reducing the potential for panic. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 49 MAY 2023 Citizen reactions may vary during an evacuation event, although several studies indicate that orderly movement during wildfire and other emergencies is not typically unmanageable. Evacuation can be made even less problematic through diligent public education and emergency personnel training and familiarity. Social science research literature indicates that reactions to warnings follow certain behavior patterns that are defined by people’s perceptions (Aguirre 1994; Drabek 1991; Fitzpatrick and Mileti 1994; Gordon 2006; Collins 2004) and are not unpredictable. In summary, warnings received from credible sources by people who are aware (or have been made aware) of the potential risk, have the effect of an orderly decision process that typically results in successful evacuation. This success is heightened when evacuations are not foreign to residents (Quarantelli and Dynes 1977; Lindell and Perry 2004) as will occur within the Project area. Further, in all but the rarest circumstances, evacuees will be receiving information from credible sources during an evacuation. It would be anticipated that law enforcement and/or fire personnel would be on site to help direct traffic and would be viewed by evacuees as knowledgeable and credible. The importance of training these personnel cannot be overstated and annual education and training regarding fire safety and evacuation events will be essential for s uccessful future evacuations. 6.4.1 Evacuation of Special Populations Vogt (1990 and 1991) defines special populations as those groups of people who, because of their special situations or needs, require different planning strategies from those of the gene ral population. Special needs populations include those in institutions or special facilities, those with disabilities in homes, those who need care, children, and others who cannot provide for their own evacuation if necessitated. The special needs popula tion is concentrated in facilities but is also widespread in terms of facility locations and those who live in residences. Special needs populations in Nakano include the hearing or visually impaired, foreign speaking, visitors passing through the area, temporary visitors such as day workers, and the non -ambulatory confined to residences either temporarily or permanently. Tourists and temporary visitors may not have knowledge of the area’s fire hazard, they may not know how to react in a fire emergency, and they may not understand what they are being told to do. Conversely, this segment of the population would typically be easier to evacuate quickly as they have no possessions or pets they would need to prepare. They can get in their cars and be directed out of the area. 6.4.2 Animal Evacuations Animal evacuations present a host of challenges that may affect the overall successful movement of people and their possessions out of harm’s way. For example, livestock owners do not always have the means to load and trailer their livestock out of the are a. Further, most wildfire evacuation relief shelters or commercial lodging facilities do not allow people to bring in pets or other animals. Sorensen and Vogt (2006) indicate that an issue receiving increasing attention is what evacuees do with pets or oth er animals such as livestock when they leave their homes and whether having pets or animals impacts their decision to evacuate. The Nakano Project would not accommodate livestock onsite. However, household pets are a common occurrence. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 50 MAY 2023 6.4.3 Re-Entry Procedures An important component of evacuations is the citizen re-entry process. Guidance and procedures to ensure a coordinated, safe, and orderly re-entry into impacted communities following an incident is provided in the County of San Diego Re-Entry Protocol. Guidance and procedures to ensure a coordinated, safe, and orderly repopulation into impacted communities following an incident is provided in the County of San Diego Evacuation and Repopulation Plans. Repopulation will be initiated by the Incident Commander/Unified Command of the Incident Management Team, with the support of the Director of Emergency Services, the OA EOC Director, and the Operations Section Chief at the OA EOC. In most cases the OA EOC will remain activated until full repopulation is complete. In the event that the OA EOC has been deactivated, the Incident Commander or the Liaison Officer of the Incident Management Team will initiate repopulation procedures. The Incident Commander will designate staff to the Evacuation/Repopulation Branch and the Operations Section Chief of the OA EOC will coordinate with and support the Evacuation/Repopulation Branch Coordinator. The Evacuation/Repopulation Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the repopulation procedures with all involved agencies and ensuring effective communication. The public will be notified of repopulation through various notification measures previously mentioned in this annex, which may include AlertSD.org, the SDEmergency App for smart phones, emergency broadcast radio, television, press releases, informational phone lines such as 2-1-1, community briefings, and informational updates at shelters. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 51 MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 52 MAY 2023 7 Limitations This Wildfire Evacuation Plan has been developed based on City of San Diego wildfire and evacuation standards and the San Diego City and County Evacuation Annexes and is specifically intended as a guide for evacuations for the Nakano Project. This plan provides basic evacuation information that will familiarize residents of the Project with the evacuation route options that may be available to them during an emergency. However, because emergencies requiring evacuation have many variables and must be evaluated on a case -by-case basis, real-time law enforcement and fire personnel/agencies’ decision-making and direction during an emergency requiring evacuation would supersede this plan. This plan analyzes the existing community’s evacuation times currently and with the proposed Nakano Project. The estimated evacuation times are based on several assumptions as detailed in this WEP. However, actual evacuation times may be faster or slower than the estimates, depending on the type of emergency, the extent of the evacuation, the time of day, and other factors. A collective, community–wide evacuation of existing populations would include congested roads in its existing condition. Congested roads are normal in any urban setting when a mass evacuation is declared unless it is managed and evacuation areas are staggered to reduce the potential traffic surges that can significantly impact evacuations. Therefore, with the Project evacuation traffic, although minimal, there would still be congestion and delays. This Wildfire Evacuation Plan promotes the “Ready, Set, Go!” model, adopted by County OES, CAL FIRE, and many fire agencies statewide, including SDCFA. The goal is to raise agency and citizen awareness of potential evacuation issues and get a majority of the public “Ready” by taking a proactive stance on preparedness, training drills, visitor education, and evacuation planning efforts. The Nakano populace will be “Set” by closely monitoring the situation whenever fire weather occurs and/or when wildland fire occurs, and elevating pre -planned protocol activities and situation awareness. Lastly, officials will implement the plan and mandate that populations “Go” by executing pre- planned evacuation procedures in a conservative manner (i.e., evacuation will occur based on conservative decision points, as proposed in this evacuation plan or when directed by fire and law enforcement personnel, whichever is more conservative). The preferred alternative will always be early evacuation. However, there may be instances when evacuation is not possible, is not considered safe, or is not an option b ased on changing conditions. For example, should a fire occur and make evacuation from the Project area ill advised, a contingency plan for residents should be available. This contingency would include moving people to pre -designated TRAs until it is safe to evacuate or the threat has been mitigated. Ultimately, it is the intent of this Wildfire Evacuation Plan to guide the implementation of evacuation procedures such that the process of evacuating people from the Nakano Project and surrounding communities is facilitated in an efficient manner and according to a pre-defined evacuation protocol as well as providing a contingency option of temporarily refuging (for Nakano), if evacuation is considered less safe. The Nakano residents will be aware of this evacuation plan as the Project’s HOA will post it on its website and provide reminders to residents on at least an annual basis. This educational outreach will result in a populace that understands the potential for evacuations and the routes and options that may be presented to them. During extreme fire weather conditions, there are no guarantees that a given structure will not burn or that evacuations will be successful all of the time. Wildfires may occur in the area that could damage property or harm NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 53 MAY 2023 persons. However, successful implementation of the procedures outlined in this Wildfire Evacuation Plan will provide for an informed populace regarding evacuations. This WEP does not provide a guarantee that all persons will be safe at all times because of the procedures discussed. There are many variables that may influence overall safety. This WEP provides a summary for implementation of standard evacuation protocols, suggested roadway enhancements, and public outreach, which should result in reduced wildfire related risk and hazard. Even then, fire can compromise the procedures through various, unpredictable ways. The goal is to reduce the likelihood that the system is compromised through implementation of the elements of this WEP and regular occurring program maintenance and updates. It is recommended that the evacuation process is carried out with a conservative approach to fire safety. This approach must include establishing and maintaining the Nakano Project’s fuel modification landscape on a property-by-property basis, infrastructural, and ignition-resistant construction components (retrofitting as possible) according to the appropriate standards and embracing a “Ready, Set, Go!” stance on evacuation. Accordingly, evacuation of the wildfire areas should occur according to pre-established evacuation decision points, or as soon as they receive notice to evacuate, which may vary depending on many environmental and other factors. Fire is a dynamic and somewhat unpredictable occurrence, and it is important for anyone living at the wildland-urban interface to educate themselves on practices that will improve safety. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 54 MAY 2023 8 References Aguirre, D.B. 1994. Planning warning evacuation, and search and rescue: A review of the social science research literature. College Station, TX. Texas A&M University, Hazard Reduction Recovery Center. Collins, S. L. 2004. Evaluation of Evacuation Planning in Wildland-Urban Interface Environments: Executive Analysis of Fire Service Operations in Emergency Management. Applied Research project submitted to the National Fire Academy as part of the Executive Fire Officer Program. 44 pp. Cova, T.J., P.E. Dennison, and F.A. Drews. 2011. “Modeling evacuate versus shelter-in-place decisions in wildfires.” Sustainability, 3(10): 1662-1687. Published, 09/30/2011. http://www.mdpi.com/2071- 1050/3/10/1662/. Drabek, T.E. 1991. “Anticipating organizational evacuations: disaster planning by managers of tourist-oriented private firms.” International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters. 9, (2), 219–245. Fitzpatrick, C. and D.S. Mileti. 1994. “Public Risk Communication.” In Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization. Dynes R. R. and Tierney, K.J. (Eds). 1994. Newark University of Delaware Press, 71–98. Gordon, R. 2006. “Acute Responses to Emergencies: findings and observations of 20 years in the field.” The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 21, No. 1, February 2006. 23 pp. FEMA. 2008. Mass Evacuation Incident Annex. Federal Emergency Management Agency. 20 pp. Firescop e 2013. International Fire Chiefs Association. “Ready, Set, Go!” website link: http://wildlandfirersg.org/. Lindell, M.K. and R.W. Perry. 2004. Communicating Environmental Risk in Multiethnic Communities. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Quarantelli, E.L. and R.R. Dynnes. 1977. “Response to social crisis and disasters.” Annual Review of Sociology. 3, 23–49. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) 2022. SANDAG Data Surfer Demographic and Socioeconomic Estimates for Community Planning Area – Otay Mesa for April 1, 2020. Available at: https://datasurfer.sandag.org/ Sorensen, J., and B.Vogt. 2006. Interactive Emergency Evacuation Guidebook. Prepared for the Protective Action IPT – Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program. Vogt, B. 1990. Evacuation Of Institutionalized And Specialized Populations, ORNL/SUB-7685/1 & T23. Oak Ridge, TN: Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Vogt, B. 1991. “Issues in nursing home evacuations.” International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disas ters, 9, 247–265. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 55 MAY 2023 Wolshon B. and E. Marchive. 2007. “Planning in the Urban Wildland Interface: Moving Residential Subdivision Traffic During Wildfires.” ASCE J. Urban Plann. Dev. – Special Emergency Transportation Issue. 133(1) 73–81. NAKANO WILDFIRE EVACUATION PLAN 14680 56 MAY 2023 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Appendix A1-A3 City of San Diego Emergency Preparedness Resources, San Diego County Emergency Preparedness Resources and “Ready, Set, Go!” Wildland Fire Action Guide Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival GuideSan Diego County Office of Emergency Services Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! I. PREPARATION A. Know how and where to shut off utilities. Location of Main Water Valve: Location of Gas Valve*: Location of Wrench: Location of Garage Door Manual Override: Location of Other Utilities: * Do not shut off gas unless you suspect a leak exists. B. On a separate sheet of paper, draw a floor plan of your home showing the location of exit doors and win dows, utility shutoffs, first aid kit, and emergency supplies. Ensure EVERYONE in your household is familiar with it. Show it to babysitters and house guests when you're going away. C. Reunion locations: Establish two places where you and your family can meet following an emergency. One immediately outside of your home, e.g. a neighbor’s mailbox, or community park AND another site outside of your immediate community in case you are unable to return home. Home Location: Away-from-Home Location: D. Out-of-State Contact: Name and telephone number of a person outside of the state for family members to call and report their location and condition. Everyone should memorize this number! Name: Location: Phone: ( ) E. What is your children’s school disaster policy? Are medical consent forms for your children complete and current? Where are they located? F. Assemble a Home Emergency Supply Kit. Store it in a convenient and accessible location. See Section VII for details on what to put inside your Home Emergency Supply Kit. Location of Home Emergency Supply Kit: Family Meetings At least once a year, have a meeting with your family to discuss and update your disaster plan. Determine what additional training, equipment, and supplies are needed to meet your family’s needs. Don’t forget to practice! Occasional drills can improve reaction time and help to avoid panic in an actual emergency. Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! II. TRAINING A. Learn how to protect yourself from falling objects, smoke, fire, toxic fumes, etc. B. Learn First Aid/CPR Person(s) Trained: Name: Date Training Expires: Name: Date Training Expires: III. BEFORE A DISASTER There are many different kinds of disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, airplane crashes, chemical spills, and explosions, which seldom give warning and can be equally devastating to their victims. Although this guide is primarily about earthquake preparation, the steps you take will help your family prepare for any type of disaster that could strike in your community. For additional information on local disaster preparedness for your home, school, and business visit www.ReadySanDiego.org. A. Register your cell phone, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, and email address with AlertSanDiego*. Listed and unlisted landlines are already registered. Registering makes it more likely that you will receive an emergency notification. Registration is quick and simple. *Also available in accessible formats such as American Sign Language. B. Download the SD Emergency App for Android and iOS devices. C. Inspect your home. Identify potential hazards and evacuation routes. D. Secure water heater and tall or heavy furniture to wall studs. E. Move heavy items to lower shelves in bookcases. F. Install clips, latches and other locking devices on cabinet doors. G. Provide strong support and flexible connections on gas appliances. H. Remove or isolate and secure flammable materials. I. Review and practice this plan. IV. DURING AN EARTHQUAKE A. If you are indoors STAY THERE. Move away from windows, bookcases, and high/overhanging shelves. Get under a sturdy table or desk and hold onto it. Be prepared to move with it and HOLD that position until the shaking stops and it is safe to relocate. If there is no desk or table to get under, brace yourself in an interior corner. Watch for falling, flying and sliding objects, and be especially careful around windows, as they can shatter during an earthquake. NOTE: If you are in a mobile home which is resting on A-Frame supports, get on top of the bed or sofa and cover your head and face. If a mobile home slips off the supports they may penetrate the flooring and cause injuries. B. If you are outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings, trees, power poles, brick or block walls and other objects that could fall. C. If you are in an automobile, stop and stay in it until the shaking ends. Avoid stopping near trees and power lines or on or under overpasses or bridges. D. If you are in a multi-level building, get under a desk and hold on, or crouch next to an interior wall until the shaking stops. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR TO EVACUATE. Use the stairs. E. If you are in a store, get under a table or any sturdy object. Avoid stopping under anything that could fall. DO NOT RUN FOR THE EXIT. After the shaking has stopped, choose your exit carefully. Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! V. IF YOU EVACUATE A. Take with you:  Medicines and first aid kit  Flashlight, radio and batteries  Important documents and cash  Blankets and extra clothes  Personal sanitary items  Any additional items you feel are necessary (e.g. photos, heirlooms, jewelry, etc.) B. Make arrangements for pets. Don’t forget food, medications, vaccination records, and other important items. VI. AFTER A DISASTER A. Put on heavy shoes immediately to avoid injury from stepping on glass. B. Locate a light source, such as a flashlight, if necessary. C. Check for injuries and administer first aid. D. Check for fires and fire hazards.  Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the hot water heater. If you smell gas, hear a hissing sound or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open the windows and carefully leave the house. DO NOT TURN LIGHTS ON OR OFF. DO NOT STRIKE MATCHES. NOTE: Do not shut off the gas unless you suspect a leak exists. Only the gas company can restore service.  If necessary, turn off the electrical system at the main circuit breaker or fuse box. E. Check on your neighbors. F. Visit www.SDCountyEmergency.com or the SD Emergency App for updates, shelter locations, interactive mapping information (e.g. evacuation areas and hazard perimeters), official social media feeds, and other critical information. G. Listen for advisories using a battery powered radio. The primary Emergency Alert System station for San Diego County is KOGO AM 600. The secondary station is KLSD AM 1360. H. Do not use the phone except in emergencies. Only call 9-1-1 for life threatening emergencies. Have a plug-in analog phone in case the power is out, but phone lines are still working. I. For general and updated disaster information or volunteer opportunities, call 2-1-1. J. Do not touch downed power lines or objects touching downed wires. Do not stand in water near downed lines. K. Remove fallen debris that may cause personal injury. L. Assess house, roof, and chimney for damages. M. Be prepared for aftershocks. N. Open closets and cupboards carefully because items may have fallen or become rearranged. O. Cooperate with public safety officials. P. Be prepared to evacuate when/if necessary. Q. DO NOT GO SIGHTSEEING! Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! VII. HOME EMERGENCY SUPPLIES This list contains items usually available in your home. It is recommended that they be organized and located together for easy access during an emergency. Your emergency supplies should be sufficient to sustain you, your family and pets for a minimum of 72 hours. A two (2) week supply of prescription and necessary over-the-counter medications is recommended. Basic Supplies  Water* – minimum of 1 gallon per person per day  Blankets or sleeping bags for each member of the family  Non-Perishable Foods*  Radio – portable, with spare batteries  First Aid Kit and Manual  Prescription and over-the-counter medications*  Can opener – non-electric  Additional equipment – glasses, dentures, hearing aids  Watch or clock – non-electric  Flashlight – spare batteries and light bulb  Plug-in analog telephone  Fire extinguisher – multipurpose labeled “ABC”  Cash  Whistle  Important documents  Dust mask  Activity items for adults (e.g. deck of cards) and kids (e.g. coloring books with crayons) *Rotate food, water, and medications as necessary. Remember to consider household members with unique needs: infants, elderly, disabled, allergies. Avoid salty foods, as they will make you thirsty. Water Tips The best option is to store drinking water prior to a disaster, in appropriate containers. If purified water is not available, water should be boiled for 1 full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water completely cool before use. Sanitation Supplies  Large plastic trash bags for waste, sanitation, and protection  Pre-moistened towelettes  Feminine supplies  Hand soap and liquid detergent  Infant supplies  Shampoo  Toilet paper and paper towels  Toothpaste & toothbrush  Deodorant Cooking Supplies  Plastic bags – various sizes, sealable  Paper plates, plastic utensils, paper towels  Pots (cooking) – at least two  Barbecue or gas grill; charcoal and lighter or propane (for outdoor use only); Sterno® stove Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! VII. HOME EMERGENCY SUPPLIES (CONTINUED) Safety Supplies  Knife, razor blade, and multipurpose tool  Heavy gloves for each adult  Clothes – complete change for each family member (Preferably long pants and long sleeves for protection)  Heavy shoes for each family member Pet Supplies  Carrier  Collar with ID tag and harness or leash  Food  Water  Medications  Sanitation items – Litter and litter box if appropriate  Important documents such as vaccination records and license information Car Survival Kit  Non-perishable food  Sealable plastic bags  Flares  Flashlight with batteries  Bottled water  Tools and rubber hose  First Aid Kit and Manual  Critical medications  Fire extinguisher  Pre-moistened towelettes and tissues  Blanket  Extra clothing VIII. IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS USE "9-1-1" FOR LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES ONLY NON-EMERGENCY FIRE DEPARTMENT: NON-EMERGENCY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY: PRIMARY DOCTOR: GAS COMPANY: ELECTRIC COMPANY: WATER COMPANY: OUT-OF-STATE CONTACT: POISON CONTROL: 1-800-222-1222 OTHER: Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! IX. PRACTICE YOUR PLAN AS A FAMILY A. Practice helps people feel less disoriented and better organized in case of a disaster – even in the middle of the night. B. Make sure your family knows where to locate fire extinguishers, gas and water valves, and the main circuit breaker. C. Update your Family Disaster Plan every year.  Verify the telephone numbers and personal information of everyone listed in the plan.  Print updated copies for all the members of your family. D. In case of emergency, you should know the school’s disaster plan.  Determine what is required to release your child to your representatives if you cannot get there yourself.  Ensure that the school knows your current contact information and those people authorized to pick up your child. E. Check the contents of your emergency kits.  Change the batteries in your flashlights and portable radio; replace spare batteries.  Replenish your emergency kits. Replace bottled water; ensure that all food is still safe to eat and that medications have not expired. Every family member should carry a copy of this important information: EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION Out-of-State Contact Name:_________________________________ Out-of-State Contact Name:__________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________ Telephone: _____________________________ Neighborhood Meeting Place: ______________________________________ Neighborhood Meeting Place: _______________________________________ Out-of-Area Meeting Place:: Out-of-Area Meeting Place:: ______________________________________ _______________________________________ Call 2-1-1 for disaster information such as shelters, road closures, affected areas, and recovery and relief programs. Call 2-1-1 for disaster information such as shelters, road closures, affected areas, and recovery and relief programs. EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION Out-of-State Contact Name:_________________________________ Out-of-State Contact Name:__________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________ Telephone: _____________________________ Neighborhood Meeting Place: ______________________________________ Neighborhood Meeting Place: _______________________________________ Out-of-Area Meeting Place:: Out-of-Area Meeting Place:: ______________________________________ _______________________________________ Call 2-1-1 for disaster information such as shelters, road closures, affected areas, and recovery and relief programs. Call 2-1-1 for disaster information such as shelters, road closures, affected areas, and recovery and relief programs. Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH Y U! v.1/17 San Diego County Board of Supervisors Greg Cox District 1 Dianne Jacob District 2 Kristin Gaspar District 3 Ron Roberts District 4 Bill Horn District 5 NOTICE: The information presented in this brochure is believed to be accurate and of practical value in preparing for a disaster, however, no guarantee can be given that the guidance presented will provide protection. The County of San Diego, the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services, the Unified San Diego County Emergency Services Organization, the Unified Disaster Council and each organization’s officers, employees, and agents, assume no l egal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process disclosed herein, or for any injuries or damages arising from any disaster or occurrence giving rise to the use or application of the information, products or processes described or disclosed herein. County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services Phone: (858) 565-3490 Website: www.ReadySanDiego.org Background cover-photos provided by Robert A. Eplett/Cal-EMA This document was prepared under a grant from FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of FEMA’s Grant Pro grams Directorate or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Wildfire iS coMing. are yoU…ready? tHoUSandS of WildfireS Strike california eVery year. it’S not a Matter of if yoUr HoMe iS at riSk, BUt WHen. readyforWildfire.org defenSiBle SPace and Hardening yoUr HoMe. Plant and tree SPacing The spacing between grass, shrubs, and trees is crucial to reduce the spread of wildfire. The spacing needed is determined by the type and size of the shrubs and trees, as well as the slope of the land. For example, a property on a steep slope with larger plant life will require greater spacing between trees and shrubs than a level property that has small, sparse vegetation. Vertical SPacing remove all tree branches at least 6 feet from the ground. If shrubs are under trees, additional vertical space is needed. Lack of vertical space can allow a fire to move from the ground to the shrubs to the treetops like a ladder. MiniMUM Vertical SPacing BetWeen treeS and SHrUBS To determine the proper vertical space between shrubs and the lowest branches of trees, use the formula below. example: A five-foot shrub is growing near a tree. 3 x 5 = 15 feet of clearance needed between the top of the shrub and the lowest tree branches. X 3X 6 foot MiniMUM clearance fire-Safe landScaPing Fire-safe landscaping isn’t necessarily the same thing as a well-maintained yard. Fire-safe landscaping uses fire-resistant plants that are strategically planted to resist the spread of fire to your home. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make your landscape fire-safe. And fire-safe landscaping can increase your property value and conserve water while beautifying your home. For more information on fire-safe landscaping, visit: readyforWildfire.org/landscaping. flat to Mild SloPe (leSS tHan 20%) X X X 2X 10 feet 20 feet 30 feet 4X 6X Mild to Moderate SloPe (20%–40%) Moderate to SteeP SloPe (greater tHan 40%) MiniMUM HoriZontal SPacing for treeS and SHrUBS Horizontal spacing depends on the slope of the land and the height of the shrubs or trees. Check the diagrams below to determine spacing distance. ZONE 1 100 FEET 30 FEET 10 FEE T ZONE 2 NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 2 6 5 7 9 12 10 11 8 3 4 14 1 13 defenSiBle SPace Creating and maintaining defensible space is essential for increasing your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It’s the buffer that homeowners are required to create on their property between a structure and the plants, brush and trees or other items surrounding the structure that could catch fire. This space is needed to slow the spread of wildfire and improves the safety of firefighters defending your home. two zones make up the required 100 feet of defensible space: Zone 1—extends 30 feet out from buildings, decks, and other structures 1 Remove all dead plants, grass and weeds. 2 Remove dead or dry leaves and pine needles from your yard, roof and rain gutters. 3 Trim trees regularly to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees. 4 Remove dead branches that hang over your roof. And keep branches 10 feet away from your chimney. 5 Relocate exposed woodpiles outside of Zone 1 unless they are completely covered in a fire resistant material. 6 Remove or prune flammable plants and shrubs near windows. 7 Remove vegetation and items that could catch fire from around and under decks. 8 Create a separation between trees, shrubs and items that could catch fire, such as patio furniture, swing sets, etc. Zone 2—extends 30 to 100 feet from buildings and other structures 9 Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches. 10 Create horizontal spacing between shrubs and trees. (See diagram) 11 Create vertical spacing between grass, shrubs and trees. (See diagram) 12 Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches. However, they may be permitted to a depth of 4 inches if erosion control is an issue. BotH ZoneS—0 to 100 feet from buildings and other structures 13 Mow before 10 a.m., but never when it’s windy or excessively dry. 14 Protect water quality. Do not clear vegetation near waterways to bare soil. Vegetation removal can cause soil erosion—especially on steep slopes. are yoU doing tHe rigHt tHing—tHe Wrong Way? Each year, CAL FIRE responds to hundreds of fires started by Californians using equipment the wrong way. If you live in a wildland area, all equipment must be used with extreme caution. Lawn mowers, metal-bladed trimmers, chain saws, grinders, welders, and tractors can all start a wildland fire if not used properly. Do your part to keep your community fire-safe. Here’S HoW to do it tHe rigHt Way: Mowing Metal blades striking rocks can create sparks and start fires in dry grass. Use caution. Spark arresters In wildland areas, spark arresters are required on all portable, gasoline-powered equipment. This includes tractors, harvesters, chainsaws, weed-trimmers and mowers. • Keep the exhaust system, spark arresters and mower in proper working order and free of carbon buildup. • Use the recommended grade of fuel, and don’t top it off. ZONE 1 100 FEET 30 FEET 10 FEE T ZONE 2 NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 2 6 5 7 9 12 10 11 8 3 4 14 1 13 ZONE 1 100 FEET 30 FEET 10 FEE T ZONE 2 NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 2 6 5 7 9 12 10 11 8 3 4 14 1 13 knoW tHe laW Be fire SMart 100 feet of defenSiBle SPace iS reqUired Under tHe PUBlic reSoUrceS code (Prc) 4291. california BUilding code cHaPter 7a reqUireS certain conStrUction MaterialS and MetHodS for HoMeS in Wildland areaS. Be SUre to contact yoUr local fire dePartMent for additional reqUireMentS to enSUre yoUr HoMe iS coMPliant WitH tHe laW. readyforWildfire.org/tHelaW ZONE 1 100 FEET 30 FEET 10 FEE T ZONE 2 NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 2 6 5 7 9 12 1011 8 3 4 14 1 13 additional Home fire Safety Steps: Go to ReadyForWildfire.org/hardening for more important information on the following: SoMe tHingS yoU can do to Harden yoUr HoMe: roof: Your roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Homes with wood or shingle roofs are at high risk of being destroyed during a wildfire. Build your roof or re-roof with materials such as composition, metal or tile. Block any spaces to prevent embers from entering and starting a fire. Vents: Vents on homes create openings for flying embers. • Cover all vent openings with 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch metal mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt and burn. • Protect vents in eaves or cornices with baffles to block embers. (Mesh is not enough.) eaves and Soffits: Eaves and soffits should be protected with ignition- resistant or non-combustible materials. Windows: Heat from a wildfire can cause windows to break even before the home ignites. This allows burning embers to enter and start fires inside. Single-paned and large windows are particularly at risk. • Install dual-paned windows with one pane of tempered glass. • Consider limiting the size and number of windows that face large areas of vegetation. decks: Surfaces within 10 feet of the building should be built with ignition-resistant, non-combustible, or other approved materials. • Remove all combustible items from underneath your deck. exterior Walls: Wood products such as boards, panels or shingles are common siding materials. However, they are combustible and not good choices for fire-prone areas. • Build or remodel your walls with ignition-resistant building materials, such as stucco, fiber or cement siding, fire-retardant-treated wood, or other approved materials. • Be sure to extend materials from the foundation to the roof. rain gutters: Screen or enclose rain gutters to prevent accumulation of plant debris. Patio cover: Use the same ignition-resistant materials for patio covers as a roof. fences: Consider using ignition-resistant or non- combustible fence materials to protect your home during a wildfire. Hardening yoUr HoMe flying eMBerS can deStroy HoMeS UP to a Mile aHead of a Wildfire. PrePare (Harden) yoUr HoMe noW Before fire StartS. • Driveways and Access Road Information • Garage Safety • Address Visibility • Water Supply Access • Equipment Use Safety • Ignition-Resistant Materials go to readyforWildfire.org for more detailed information on all three guides to prepare for and survive a wildfire. ready, Set, go! PreParation gUideS Preparing for a wildfire starts with three simple steps: Ready, Set, Go! Keep all three wildfire preparation guides on hand as a quick reference for helping your family and property be safe in the event of a wildfire. Wildfire iS coMing PreParation gUideS: Step 1: is your Home ready? Creating defensible space and hardening your home against wildfire. Step 2: are you Set? Developing a Wildfire Action Plan. Step 3: are you ready to go? A quick-reference evacuation guide. GET pREpARED TO EVACUATE BEfORE WiLDfiRE sTRiKEs. WiLDfiRE is COmiNG. ARE YOU… THOUsANDs Of WiLDfiREs sTRiKE CALifORNiA EVERY YEAR. iT’s NOT A mATTER Of if YOUR HOmE is AT RisK, BUT WHEN. ReadyforWildfire.org sET? KNOW THE LAW BE READY TO EVACUATE CALifORNiA LAW AUTHORizEs OffiCERs TO REsTRiCT ACCEss TO ANY AREA WHERE A mENACE TO pUBLiC HEALTH OR sAfETY ExisTs DUE TO A CALAmiTY sUCH As fLOOD, sTORm, fiRE, EARTHqUAKE, ExpLOsiON, ACCiDENT OR OTHER DisAsTER. REfUsAL TO COmpLY is A misDEmEANOR. (pENAL CODE 409.5) UsE THis GUiDE TO pREpARE YOUR EVACUATiON pLAN AND EmERGENCY sUppLY KiT Once you complete your plan, rehearse and discuss it regularly with your family. Consider practicing the plan at night as well. Keep it in a safe, visible place for quick access when a wildfire emergency occurs. Reminder: In an emergency it is easy to become confused or panicked. Preparing your wildfire action plan in advance will help keep you focused and able to act quickly when evacuation is anticipated or needed. For more information on wildfire evacuation planning and survival, see the Ready for Wildfire “Go!” brochure or visit ReadyforWildfire.org/go. CREATE A WiLDfiRE ACTiON pLAN Your Wildfire Action Plan must be prepared and familiar to all members of your household well in advance of a wildfire. Use the checklist below to help create your plan. Each family’s plan will be different, depending on a variety of issues, needs and situations. YOUR WiLDfiRE ACTiON pLAN CHECKLisT: Be prepared: Have fire extinguishers on hand and train your family how to use them. (Check expiration dates regularly.) Ensure that your family knows where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are located and how to safely shut them down in an emergency. Assemble an Emergency Supply Kit for each person, as recommended by the American Red Cross. (See next section for details.) Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers posted near your phone and in your emergency supply kit. Keep an extra emergency supply kit in your car in case you cannot get to your home because of fire or other emergency. Have a portable radio or scanner so you can stay updated on the fire. Tell your neighbors about Ready, Set, Go! and your Wildfire Action Plan. Create an evacuation plan that includes: A designated emergency meeting location outside the fire or hazard area. This is critical to determine who has safely evacuated from the affected area. Several different escape routes from your home and community. Practice these often so everyone in your family is familiar in case of emergency. Have an evacuation plan for pets and large animals such as horses and other livestock. A family communication plan that designates an out-of-area friend or relative as a point of contact to act as a single source of communication among family members in case of separation. (It is easier to call or message one person and let them contact others than to try and call everyone when phone, cell, and internet systems can be overloaded or limited during a disaster.) REmEmBER THE six “p’s” KEEp THEsE six “p’s” READY iN CAsE immEDiATE EVACUATiON is REqUiRED: • people and pets • papers, phone numbers, & important documents • prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses • pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia • personal computer hard drive and disks • “plastic” (credit cards, ATm cards) and cash AssEmBLE AN EmERGENCY sUppLY KiT Put together your Emergency Supply Kit long before a wildfire or other disaster occurs and keep it easily accessible so you can take it with you when you have to evacuate. Plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time. Each person should have a readily accessible Emergency Supply Kit. Backpacks work great for storing these items (except food and water) and are quick to grab. Storing food and water in a tub or chest on wheels will make it easier to transport. Keep it light enough to be able to lift it into your car. Emergency supply Kit Checklist: Three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person Map marked with at least two evacuation routes Prescriptions or special medications Change of clothing Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses An extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler’s checks First aid kit Flashlight Battery-powered radio and extra batteries Sanitation supplies Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.) Don’t forget pet food and water! items to take if time allows: Easily carried valuables Family photos and other irreplaceable items Personal computer information on hard drives and disks Chargers for cell phones, laptops, etc. ALWAYs KEEp A sTURDY pAiR Of sHOEs AND A fLAsHLiGHT NEAR YOUR BED AND HANDY iN CAsE Of A sUDDEN EVACUATiON AT NiGHT. fOR mORE iNfORmATiON ON EmERGENCY sUppLiEs, VisiT WWW.READY.GOV. WHEN WE HAVE TO EVACUATE, WE WiLL mEET AT: OUR OUT-Of-AREA EmERGENCY CONTACT pERsON is: Name: Relationship: Home Phone #: Cell Phone #: E-mail: OTHER impORTANT NUmBERs ARE: Emergency 911: Local Police: Local Fire Department: Other: Other: Other: OUR TWO EVACUATiON ROUTEs ARE (sKETCH ROUTEs BELOW): sAVE THisfAmiLY COmmUNiCATiON pLAN Fill out this form and place it near your telephone where it can easily be found by everyone in your household. Copy the form and keep it in your Emergency Supply Kits. This will allow all family members to have access to this key information in case you get separated. Go to ReadyforWildfire.org for more detailed information on all three guides to prepare for and survive a wildfire. READY, sET, GO! pREpARATiON GUiDEs Preparing for a wildfire starts with three simple steps: Ready, Set, Go! Keep all three wildfire preparation guides on hand as a quick reference for helping your family and property be safe in the event of a wildfire. WiLDfiRE is COmiNG pREpARATiON GUiDEs: step 1: is Your Home Ready? Creating defensible space and hardening your home against wildfire. step 2: Are You set? Developing a Wildfire Action Plan. step 3: Are You Ready to Go? A quick-reference evacuation guide. Give your family The besT chance of survivinG a wildfire by evacuaTinG early. readyforwildfire.org Go! wildfire is cominG. are you ready To… wildfire evacuaTion Guide. Take acTion immediaTely when wildfire sTrikes follow these steps as soon as possible to get ready to Go! 1. Review your Evacuation Checklist. 2. Ensure your Emergency Supply Kit is in your vehicle. 3. Cover up to protect against heat and flying embers. Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, heavy shoes/boots, cap, dry bandanna for face cover, goggles or glasses. 100% cotton is preferable. 4. Locate your pets and take them with you. when To evacuaTe leave as soon as evacuation is recommended by fire officials to avoid being caught in fire, smoke or road congestion. Don’t wait to be ordered by authorities to leave. Evacuating early also helps firefighters keep roads clear of congestion, and lets them move more freely to do their job. In an intense wildfire, they may not have time to knock on every door. If you are advised to leave, don’t hesitate! • Officials will determine the areas to be evacuated and escape routes to use depending upon the fire’s location, behavior, winds, terrain, etc. • Law enforcement agencies are typically responsible for enforcing an evacuation order. Follow their directions promptly. • You will be advised of potential evacuations as early as possible. You must take the initiative to stay informed and aware. Listen to your radio/TV for announcements from law enforcement and emergency personnel. • You may be directed to temporary assembly areas to await transfer to a safe location. The terms “voluntary” and “mandatory” are used to describe evacuation orders. however, local jurisdictions may use other terminology such as “Precautionary” and “immediate Threat.” These terms are used to alert you to the significance of the danger. all evacuation instructions provided by officials should be followed immediately for your safety. whaT To do if you become TraPPed while in your vehicle: • Stay calm. • Park your vehicle in an area clear of vegetation. • Close all vehicle windows and vents. • Cover yourself with a wool or cotton blanket or jacket. • Lie on vehicle floor. • Use your cell phone to advise officials—call 911. while on fooT: • Stay calm. • Go to an area clear of vegetation, a ditch or depression on level ground if possible. • Lie face down and cover up your body. • Use your cell phone to advise officials—call 911. while in your home: • Stay calm and keep your family together. • call 911 and inform authorities of your location. • Fill sinks and tubs with cold water. • Keep doors and windows closed, but unlocked. • Stay inside your house. • Stay away from outside walls and windows. NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 14 16 4 5 8 1813 7 9 11 10 12 19 20 6 17 15 3 1 2 Pre-evacuaTion PreParaTion sTePs when an evacuation is anticipated, follow these checklists (if time allows) to give your home the best chance of surviving a wildfire: ouTside 1 Gather up flammable items from the exterior of the house and bring them inside (patio furniture, children’s toys, door mats, trash cans, etc.) or place them in your pool. 2 Turn off propane tanks. 3 Move propane BBQ appliances away from structures. 4 Connect garden hoses to outside water valves or spigots for use by firefighters. Fill water buckets and place them around the house. 5 Don’t leave sprinklers on or water running; they can affect critical water pressure. 6 Leave exterior lights on so your home is visible to firefighters in the smoke or darkness of night. 7 Put your Emergency Supply Kit in your vehicle. 8 Back your car into the driveway with vehicle loaded and all doors and windows closed. Carry your car keys with you. 9 Have a ladder available and place it at the corner of the house for firefighters to quickly access your roof. 10 Seal attic and ground vents with pre-cut plywood or commercial seals. 11 Monitor your property and the fire situation. Don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel threatened and need to leave. 12 Check on neighbors and make sure they are preparing to leave. inside The house 13 Shut all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked. 14 Remove flammable window shades and curtains. Close metal shutters. 15 Move flammable furniture to the center of the room, away from windows and doors. 16 Shut off gas at the meter. Turn off pilot lights. 17 Leave your lights on so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions. 18 Shut off the air conditioning. animals 19 Locate your pets and keep them nearby. 20 Prepare farm animals for transport and think about moving them to a safe location early. NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 14 16 4 5 8 1813 7 9 11 10 12 19 20 6 17 15 3 1 2 NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROAD 14 16 4 5 8 1813 7 9 11 10 12 19 20 6 17 15 3 1 2 know The law be ready To evacuaTe california law auThorizes officers To resTricT access To any area where a menace To Public healTh or safeTy exisTs due To a calamiTy such as flood, sTorm, fire, earThquake, exPlosion, accidenT or oTher disasTer. refusal To comPly is a misdemeanor. (Penal code 409.5) how To be PrePared before wildfire sTrikes develoP an acTion Plan ThaT includes: where to Go Have a safe destination planned. It should be a low-risk area, such as a well-prepared friend’s or relative’s house, an evacuation center, motel, etc. how To Get There Plan several travel route options in case one route is blocked by the fire or by emergency vehicles and equipment. what To Take Assemble your emergency supply kit long before a wildfire or other disaster occurs. Plan to be away from your home for at least three days. Don’t forget to plan for your pets or livestock as well. For more information on preparing your family, pets and property for wildfire see the Ready for Wildfire “Are You Set?” brochure or visit ReadyforWildfire.org/set. reTurninG home afTer a wildfire Do not return to your home until fire officials determine it is safe. Notification that it is safe to return home will be given as soon as possible considering safety and accessibility. when you return home: • Be alert for downed power lines and other hazards. • Check propane tanks, regulators, and lines before turning gas on. • Check your residence carefully for hidden embers or smoldering fires. Go to readyforwildfire.org for more detailed information on all three guides to prepare for and survive a wildfire. ready, seT, Go! PreParaTion Guides Preparing for a wildfire starts with three simple steps: Ready, Set, Go! Keep all three wildfire preparation guides on hand as a quick reference for helping your family and property be safe in the event of a wildfire. wildfire is cominG PreParaTion Guides: step 1: is your home ready? Creating defensible space and hardening your home against wildfire. step 2: are you set? Developing a Wildfire Action Plan. step 3: are you ready to Go? A quick-reference evacuation guide. Appendix B1- B4 Family Disaster Plan and Personal Survival Guide Emergency Supply List Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ fro Sl if y Co pa ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Prescription medications and glasses Infant formula and diapers Pet food and extra water for your pet Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container Cash or traveler’s checks and change Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information m www.ready.gov eeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding ou live in a cold-weather climate. mplete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long nts and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate. Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners. Fire Extinguisher Matches in a waterproof container Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels Paper and pencil Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children www.ready.gov ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit: Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both Flashlight and extra batteries First aid kit Whistle to signal for help Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) Local maps Through its Ready Campaign, the Federal Emergency Management Agency educates and empowers Americans to take some simple steps to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies, including natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Ready asks individuals to do three key things: get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses. All Americans should have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs. Following is a listing of some basic items that every emergency supply kit should include. However, it is important that individuals review this list and consider where they live and the unique needs of their family in order to create an emergency supply kit that will meet these needs. Individuals should also consider having at least two emergency supply kits, one full kit at home and smaller portable kits in their workplace, vehicle or other places they spend time. Federal Emergency Management Agency Washington, DC 20472 BE SMART. TAKE PART. ECRMEAETER YOGEUR FANCMILYY COMMUNICATION PLAN Join with others to prepare for emergencies and participate in America’s PrepareAthon! | ready.gov/prepare Creating your Family Emergency Communication Plan starts with one simple question: “What if?” “What if something happens and I’m not with my family?” “Will I be able to reach them?” “How will I know they are safe?” “How can I let them know I’m OK?” During a disaster, you will need to send and receive information from your family. Communication networks, such as mobile phones and computers, could be unreliable during disasters, and electricity could be disrupted. Planning in advance will help ensure that all the members of your household—including children and people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, as well as outside caregivers—know how to reach each other and where to meet up in an emergency. Planning starts with three easy steps: 1. COLLECT. Create a paper copy of the contact information for your family and other important people/offices, such as medical facilities, doctors, schools, or service providers. 2. SHARE. Make sure everyone carries a copy in his or her backpack, purse, or wallet. If you complete your Family Emergency Communication Plan online at ready.gov/make-a-plan, you can print it onto a wallet-sized card. You should also post a copy in a central location in your home, such as your refrigerator or family bulletin board. 3. PRACTICE. Have regular household meetings to review and practice your plan. If you are using a mobile phone, a text message may get through when a phone call will not. This is because a text message requires far less bandwidth than a phone call. Text messages may also save and then send automatically as soon as capacity becomes available. TEXT IS BEST! July 2015 2 Am e r i c a ’ s P r e p a r e A t h o n ! re a d y . g o v / p r e p a r e The following sections will guide you through the process to create and practice your Family Emergency Communication Plan. CO INF LLE ORMATIO C N T HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION Write down phone numbers and email addresses for everyone in your household. Having this important information written down will help you reconnect with others in case you don’t have your mobile device or computer with you or if the battery runs down. If you have a household member(s) who is Deaf or hard of hearing, or who has a speech disability and uses traditional or video relay service (VRS), include information on how to connect through relay services on a landline phone, mobile device, or computer. SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PLANS Because a disaster can strike during school or work hours, you need to know their emergency response plans and how to stay informed. Discuss these plans with children, and let them know who could pick them up in an emergency. Make sure your household members with phones are signed up for alerts and warnings from their school, workplace, and/or local government. To find out more about how to sign up, see Be Smart. Know Your Alerts and Warnings at http://1.usa.gov/1BDloze. For children without mobile phones, make sure they know to follow instructions from a responsible adult, such as a teacher or principal. OUT-OF-TOWN CONTACT It is also important to identify someone outside of your community or State who can act as a central point of contact to help your household reconnect. In a disaster, it may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town because local phone lines can be jammed. EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES Decide on safe, familiar places where your family can go for protection or to reunite. Make sure these locations are accessible for household members with disabilities or access and functional needs. If you have pets or service animals, think about animal-friendly locations. Identify the following places: Indoor : If you live in an area where tornadoes, hurricanes, or other high-wind storms can happen, make sure everyone knows where to go for protection. This could be a small, interior, windowless room, such as a closet or bathroom, on the lowest level of a sturdy building, or a tornado safe room or storm shelter. In your neighborhood : This is a place in your neighborhood where your household members will meet if there is a fire or other emergency and you need to leave your home. The meeting place could be a big tree, a mailbox at the end of the driveway, or a neighbor’s house. Outside of your neighborhood: This is a place where your family will meet if a disaster happens when you’re not at home and you can’t get back to your home. This could be a library, community center, house of worship, or family friend’s home. 3 Am e r i c a ’ s P r e p a r e A t h o n ! re a d y . g o v / p r e p a r e • • Outside of your town or city : Having an out-of-town meeting place can help you reunite if a disaster happens and: You cannot get home or to your out-of-neighborhood meeting place; or Your family is not together and your community is instructed to evacuate the area. This meeting place could be the home of a relative or family friend. Make sure everyone knows the address of the meeting place and discuss ways you would get there. OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND INFORMATION You should also write down phone numbers for emergency services, utilities, service providers, medical providers, veterinarians, insurance companies, and other services. SHARE MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE INFORMATION Make copies of your Family Emergency Communication Plan for each member of the household to carry in his or her wallet, backpack, or purse. Post a copy in a central place at home. Regularly check to make sure your household members are carrying their plan with them. Enter household and emergency contact information into all household members’ mobile phones or devices. Store at least one emergency contact under the name “In Case of Emergency” or “ICE” for all mobile phones and devices. This will help someone identify your emergency contact if needed. Inform your emergency contact of any medical issues or other requirements you may have. Create a group list on all mobile phones and devices of the people you would need to communicate with if there was an emergency or disaster. Make sure all household members and your out-of-town contact know how to text if they have a mobile phone or device, or know alternative ways to communicate if they are unable to text. Read Be Smart. Know Your Alerts and Warnings at http://1.usa.gov/1BDloze and sign up to receive emergency information. PNORW ITAC’S TTIMICEE TO! Once you have completed your Family Emergency Communication Plan, made copies for all the members of your household, and discussed it, it’s time to practice! Here are some ideas for practicing your plan: Practice texting and calling. Have each person practice sending a text message or calling your out-of-town contact and sending a group text to your mobile phone group list. Discuss what information you should send by text. You will want to let others know you are safe and where you are. Short messages like “I’m OK. At library” are good. 4 Talk about who will be the lead person to send out information about the designated meeting place for the household. Practice gathering all household members at your indoor and neighborhood emergency meeting places. Talk about how each person would get to the identified out-of-neighborhood and out-of-town meeting places. Discuss all modes of transportation, such as public transportation, rail, and para-transit for all family members, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. Regularly have conversations with household members and friends about the plan, such as whom and how to text or call, and where to go. To show why it’s important to keep phone numbers written down, challenge your household members to recite important phone numbers from memory— now ask them to think about doing this in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone, including children, knows how and when to call 911 for help. You should only call 911 when there is a life-threatening emergency. Review, update, and practice your Family Emergency Communication Plan at least once a year, or whenever any of your information changes. To help start the conversation or remind your family why you are taking steps to prepare and practice, you may want to watch the 4-minute video, It Started Like Any Other Day, about families who have experienced disaster, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_omgt3MEBs. Click on the closed captioning (CC) icon on the lower right to turn on the captioning. After you practice, talk about how it went. What worked well? What can be improved? What information, if any, needs to be updated? If you make updates, remember to print new copies of the plan for everyone. OTHER IMPORTANT TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING IN DISASTERS1 Text is best when using a mobile phone, but if you make a phone call, keep it brief and convey only vital information to emergency personnel and/or family or household members. This will minimize network congestion, free up space on the network for emergency communications, and conserve battery power. Wait 10 seconds before redialing a number. If you redial too quickly, the data from the handset to the cell sites do not have enough time to clear before you’ve re-sent the same data. This contributes to a clogged network. Conserve your mobile phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode, and closing apps you do not need. Limit watching videos and playing video games to help reduce network congestion. Keep charged batteries, a car phone charger, and a solar charger available for backup power for your mobile phone, teletypewriters (TTYs), amplified phones, and caption phones. If you charge your phone in your car, be sure the car is in a well-ventilated area (e.g., not in a closed garage) to avoid life-threatening carbon monoxide poisoning. 1 Federal Communications Commission, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. (n.d.) Tips for communicating in an emergency. Retrieved from http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/emergency-information/tips.html 5 If driving, do not text, read texts, or make a call without a hands-free device. Maintain a household landline and analog phone (with battery backup if it has a cordless receiver) that can be used when mobile phone service is unavailable. Those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities and use devices and services that depend on digital technology (e.g., VRS, Internet Protocol [IP] Relay, or captioning) should have an analog phone (e.g., TTY, amplified phone, or caption phone) with battery backup in case Internet or mobile service is down. If you evacuate and have a call-forwarding feature on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your mobile phone number. Use the Internet to communicate by email, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media networks. These communication channels allow you to share information quickly with a widespread audience or to find out if loved ones are OK. The Internet can also be used for telephone calls through Voice over Internet Protocol. For those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities, you can make calls through your IP Relay provider. If you do not have a mobile phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster. Use a pay phone if available. It may have less congestion because these phones don’t rely on electricity or mobile networks. In some public places, you may be able to find a TTY that can be used by those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities. The reader recognizes that the Federal Government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-Federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. America’s PrepareAthon! is a grassroots campaign for action to get more people prepared for emergencies. Make your actions count at ready.gov/prepare. 10 WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN Access Alerts and Warnings Test Communication Plans Assemble or Update Supplies Drill or Practice Emergency Response Participate in a Class, Training, or Discussion Plan with Neighbors Conduct an Exercise Make Property Safer Document and Insure Property Safeguard Documents i A m e r i c a ’ s P r e p a r e A t h o n ! FAMILY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLAN HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION Home #: ........................................................... Address: ............................................................ Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... Important medical or other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... Important medical or other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... Important medical or other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Other # or social media: ................................... Email: ............................................................... Important medical or other information: ........... .......................................................................... Name: .............................................................. Address: ............................................................ Emergency/Hotline #: ....................................... Website: ........................................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: ................................. SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PLANS ii Am e r i c a ’ s P r e p a r e A t h o n ! SCHOOL, CHILDCARE, CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PLANS Name: .............................................................. Address: ............................................................ Emergency/Hotline #: ....................................... Website: ........................................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: ................................. Name: .............................................................. Address: ............................................................ Emergency/Hotline #: ....................................... Website: ........................................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: ................................. Name: .............................................................. Address: ............................................................ Emergency/Hotline #: Website: ........................................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: ................................. ....................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Home #: ...................Email: ............................. Address: ........................................................... Name: ..................... Mobile #: ........................ Home #: ...................Email: ............................. Address: ........................................................... Indoor: .............................................................. Instructions: ..................................................... Neighborhood: ................................................. Instructions: ..................................................... Out-of-Neighborhood: ....................................... Address: ............................................................ Instructions: ..................................................... Out-of-Town: .................................................... Address: ............................................................ Instructions: ..................................................... IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (ICE) CONTACT OUT-OF-TOWN CONTACT EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES iii A m e r i c a ’ s P r e p a r e A t h o n ! IMPORTANT NUMBERS OR INFORMATION Police: .................. Dial 911 or #: .................... Fire: ...................... Dial 911 or #: .................... Poison Control: ........................#: .................... Doctor: ....................................#: .................... Doctor: ....................................#: .................... Pediatrician: .............................#: .................... Dentist: ...................................#: .................... Hospital/Clinic: ........................#: .................... Pharmacy: ...............................#: ..................... Medical Insurance: ..................#: .................... Policy #: ............................................................ Medical Insurance: ..................#: .................... Policy #: ............................................................ Homeowner/Rental Insurance: ......................... #: ...................................................................... Policy #: ............................................................ Flood Insurance: ......................#: .................... Policy #: ............................................................ Veterinarian: ............................#: .................... Kennel: ....................................#: .................... Electric Company: ...................#: .................... Gas Company: ........................#: .................... Water Company: .....................#: .................... Alternate/Accessible Transportation: ................ #: ...................................................................... Other: .....................................#: .................... Other: .....................................#: .................... Other: .....................................#: .................... #: .............................................. ......................................... Family Emergency Communication Plan Write your family’s name above HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION Home #: ......................................................................................................... Address: ......................................................................................................... Name: ....................................................Mobile #: ........................................ Other # or social media: .............................Email: ........................................ Important medical or other information: ....................................................... Name: ....................................................Mobile #: ........................................ Other # or social media: .............................Email: ........................................ Important medical or other information ........................................................ Name: ....................................................Mobile #: ........................................ Other # or social media: .............................Email: ........................................ Important medical or other information: ....................................................... Name: ....................................................Mobile #: ........................................ Other # or social media: .............................Email: ........................................ Important medical or other information: ....................................................... SCHOOL, CHILDCARE , CAREGIVER, AND WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PLANS Name: ............................................................................................................. Address: ......................................................................................................... Emergency/Hotline #: ............................Website: ....................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: .............................................................................. Name: ............................................................................................................. Address: ......................................................................................................... Emergency/Hotline #: ............................Website: ....................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: .............................................................................. Name: ............................................................................................................. Address: ......................................................................................................... Emergency/Hotline #: ................................Website: .................................... Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: .............................................................................. Name: ............................................................................................................. Address: ......................................................................................................... Emergency/Hotline #: ................................Website: .................................... FOLDHERE<> FOLDHERE<> Emergency Plan/Pick-Up: .............................................................................. FOLD HERE<> IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (ICE) CONTACT Name: ..............................................Mobile #: .............................................. Home #: ..........................................Email: ................................................... Address: ......................................................................................................... OUT-OF-TOWN CONTACT Name: ..............................................Mobile #: .............................................. Home #: ..........................................Email: ................................................... Address: ......................................................................................................... EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES Indoor: ............................................................................................................ Instructions: ................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... Neighborhood: ............................................................................................... Instructions: ................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... Out-of-Neighborhood: ................................................................................... Address: ......................................................................................................... Instructions: ................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... Out-of-Town: .................................................................................................. Address: ......................................................................................................... Instructions: ................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... IMPORTANT NUMBERS OR INFORMATION Police: ............................................Dial 911 or #: .......................................... Fire: ...............................................Dial 911 or #: .......................................... Poison Control: ................................................#: .......................................... Doctor: ............................................................#: .......................................... Doctor: ............................................................#: .......................................... Pediatrician: .....................................................#: .......................................... Dentist: ............................................................#: .......................................... Medical Insurance: ..........................................#: .......................................... Policy #: .......................................................................................................... Medical Insurance: ..........................................#: .......................................... Policy #: .......................................................................................................... Hospital/Clinic: ................................................#: .......................................... Pharmacy: .......................................................#: .......................................... Homeowner/Rental Insurance: .......................#: . ..........................................................................................................Policy #: Flood Insurance: .......................................... Policy #: .......................................................................................................... Veterinarian: ....................................................#: .......................................... Kennel: ............................................................#: .......................................... Electric Company: ...........................................#: .......................................... Gas Company: .................................................#: .......................................... Water Company: .............................................#: .......................................... Alternate/Accessible Transportation: ........................#: ............................... Other: ............................................................................................................. Other: ............................................................................................................. <FOLDHERE > 1 FamilyDisasterPlan FamilyLastName(s)orHouseholdAddress:Date: FamilyMember/HouseholdContactInfo;/ĨŶĞĞĚĞĚ͕ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶĂůƐƉĂĐĞŝƐƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚŝŶηϭϬďĞůŽǁͿ: NameHomePhoneCellPhoneEmail: Pet(s)Info: Name:Type: Color: Registration#: PlanofAction 1.Thedisastersmostlikelytoaffectourhouseholdare: 2.Whataretheescaperoutesfromourhome? 3.Ifseparatedduringanemergency,whatisourmeetingplacenearourhome? 2 4.Ifwecannotreturnhomeorareaskedtoevacuate,whatisourmeetingplaceoutsideofour neighborhood? Whatisourroutetogetthereandanalternateroute,ifthefirstrouteisimpassible? 5.Intheeventourhouseholdisseparatedorunabletocommunicatewitheachother,ouremergency contactoutsideofourimmediateareais: NameHomePhoneCellPhoneEmail: Afteradisaster,letyourfriendsandfamilyknowyouareokaybyregisteringat“SafeandWell”at https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms//orbycalling1Ͳ800Ͳ733Ͳ2767.Youcanalsogivethema call,sendaquicktextorupdateyourstatusonsocialnetworkingsites. 6.Ifatschool/daycare,ourchild(ren)willbeevacuatedto: Child’sName: EvacuationSite(addressandcontactinfo): 7.Ourplanforpeopleinourhouseholdwithadisabilityorspecialneedis: Person’sName: Plan: 8.Duringcertainemergencieslocalauthoritiesmaydirectusto“shelterinplace”inourhome.An accessible,saferoomwherewecango,sealwindows,ventsanddoorsandlistentoemergency broadcastsforinstructions,is: 3 9.FamilyMemberResponsibilitiesintheEventofaDisaster TaskDescriptionFamily Member Responsible DisasterKit*Stockthedisasterkitandtakeitifevacuationisnecessary.Include itemsyoumightwanttotaketoanevacuationshelter.Remember toincludemedicationsandeyeglasses. BeinformedMaintainaccesstoNOAAorlocalradio,TV,emailortextalertsfor importantandcurrentinformationaboutdisasters. Family Medical Information Makesurethehouseholdmedicalinformationistakenwithusif evacuationisnecessary. Financial Information ObtaincopiesofbankstatementsandcashintheeventATMsand creditcardsdonotworkduetopoweroutages.Bringcopiesof utilitybillsasproofofresidenceinapplyingforassistance. Pet Information Evacuateourpet(s),keepaphonelistofpetͲfriendlymotelsand animalshelters,andassembleandtakethepetdisasterkit. Sharingand Maintaining thePlan Sharethecompletedplanwiththosewhoneedtoknow.Meet withhouseholdmembersevery6monthsorasneedschangeto updatehouseholdplan. *Whatsuppliesandrecordsshouldgoinyourdisasterkit?Visitwww.redcross.org 10.Otherinformation,ifnotabletobeincludedabove. Congratulationsoncompletingyourfamilydisasterplan!Pleasetellothers:“We’vemadeafamilydisasterplan andyoucan,too,withhelpfromtheAmericanRedCross.” Getthefactsaboutwhatyoushoulddoifanemergencyordisasteroccursatwww.redcross.org