The City of Los Angeles is “groping in the dark” when it comes to emergency preparedness, according to City Controller Laura Chick.
An audit released last recent month outlined the city’s many shortcomings, including outdated emergency plans that don’t meet national standards; disorganized emergency preparedness trainings and exercises; lack of collaboration between the city and non-governmental agencies; and poorly managed public safety grants.
“In audit after audit, I have found that the city does not have a clear vision or strategic plans in areas including our park system, affordable housing, transportation, and gang violence prevention,” Chick wrote in a letter to Los Angeles City Council members. “Emergency preparedness is the number one (area) that cries out for a coordinated, constantly up-dated, state of the art strategic plan.”
The report, which includes information on emergency management staffing, budgets, and recommendations for improvement can be accessed at the Los Angeles City Controller website.
Jolie Breeden is the lead editor and science communicator for Natural Hazards Center publications. She writes and edits for Research Counts; the Quick Response, Mitigation Matters, Public Health, and Weather Ready Research Award report series; as well as for special projects and publications. Breeden graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.