Report to Mayor and City Council
Wednesday, November 03, 2021
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
UPDATE ON EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Body
I. SUMMARY
The City of Carson utilizes the Everbridge system for emergency mass notification of the public. The system is funded through AB-1646 which requires the funding of alert and warning systems for local communities that have oil and gas refineries in the area.
The city’s use of the the system is also enhanced through a partnership with Alert SouthBay which combines the efforts of 14 cities to promote registrations and standardize use of the system in the South Bay region. To register for the system, residents are encouraged to text their zip code to 888777 or by visiting AlertSouthbay.org.
Since the program went live in May 2021, the system has been utilized for a variety of emergencies including recently for the earthquake on September 18, the pallet yard fire on September 30, and the current Dominguez Channel odor incident.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. Receive and file.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
1. TAKE any other action the City Council deems appropriate that is consistent with the requirements of law.
IV. BACKGROUND
In May 2020, the city council approved an agreement with Everbridge, Inc. to provide mass notification software services to the residents of Carson. This agreement was followed by a credit agreement in March 2021 with the Marathon and Phillips 66 refineries as required by AB-1646. AB-1646, enacted into law effective July 1, 2018, requires petroleum refineries to fund the reasonable and necessary costs for the design, building, and installation of the notification system, and a fee, as part of the single fee system levied on a petroleum refinery, in an amount sufficient to cover the reasonable and necessary costs for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the notification system. Following the approval of the credit agreement, city staff worked with Everbridge to design the system and conduct training with city Emergency Services as well as Sheriff’s Department staff.
The City of Carson is among 14 South Bay cities who have collaborated to establish Alert SouthBay, an integrated, interoperable regional alert and warning platform. The Alert SouthBay, emergency notification system, powered by Everbridge, aims to keep communities informed about disasters and major emergencies via SMS (text), email, phone, landline, as well as other means of communication. The system also allows access to Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) that can alert on mobile phones without pre-registration, however, only the most urgent, regional messages are allowed for WEA use.
Through the partnership with Alert SouthBay, the City of Carson has registered approximately 14,000 residents into the system. All residents are encouraged to register by texting their zip code to 888777 or by visiting AlertSouthbay.org. Advertisements for Alert Southbay have run in the Carson Report and are available on the city website as well as posts to social media.
Since the system went live in May 2021, the system has been used in multiple instances including recently for the earthquake on September 18, the pallet yard fire on September 30, and to update the community on the current Dominguez Channel odor incident. The system has also been used to notify residents to pick-up resources like air purifiers as part of the recent response.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact for FY 2021.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Alert SouthBay advertising graphic
Prepared by: Raymond Cheung, Emergency Services Manager