Mandeville Evacuation Exercise - another eye-opener for residents and city departments

The rain did not stop representatives from the Bel-Air Association to observe last Sunday's Wildfire Evacuation Exercise of Mandeville and Sullivan Canyons.

The exercise involved Council District 11 (Mike Bonin), and an impressive number of City departments, services and agencies, that included LAFD, LAPD, Emergency Management Department (EMD), Department of Disability (DOD). For the evacuated pets, present were Los Angeles Recreation & Parks (LARAP) as well as Animal Regulations. LADWP, Southern California Gas Company, Department of Transportation (DOT), My Safe LA, and the Department of Aging were also engaged. The exercise revealed not only strengths in the operation but also areas that require more attention to finesse.

Bel-Air Association sent observers to the Command Center in order to get a better grasp on how an evacuation of this magnitude operates. Emergency Preparedness Chair, Mark Goodman MD, was present along with Jamie Meyer, Gail Sroloff, Suzanne Childs and Maureen Levinson.

The HAM radio operators of LAFD Auxilliary Communications Services (ACS), the amateur communications group for the City of Los Angeles, participated and ran scenarios with the Palisades Highlands and Mountaingate HAM operators, along with five of the seven stations in the canyon.