News forecasters, meteorologists, and scientists have all predicted that El Niño is expected to peak in Southern California sometime between the months of January and March and will be one of the strongest El Niños on record. The question that we as Angelenos should ask ourselves is, are we prepared for El Niño?

Last month, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed Executive Directive No. 14. This Directive is an El Niño preparedness, response, and recovery plan put in place for various departments to abide by in order to prepare for El Niño. The Directive makes sure that the City of Los Angeles is sufficiently prepared to prevent extreme or excessive damage and injury.

On Tuesday, November 24, 2015, the Los Angeles City Council had an informative meeting where three Council Files were discussed: 15-0887-S1, 15-0887, and 15-0887-S2 all relating to the topic of El Niño preparedness. At the meeting, department heads from the Bureau of Sanitation, the Emergency Management Department, and the Bureau of Street Services had the opportunity to discuss and answer questions from the City Council about what their departments are doing in preparation for El Niño. Topics of concern that arose from City Council Members included: staffing levels (as staffing is half of what it was in 1997 when El Niño last hit), power outages and damaged power lines, flooded streets, tree debris, when trash services will be suspended and resumed, supply of sandbags, how residents can prepare for the storm, and the care of the homeless were just some of the topics discussed. Councilman David Ryu recognized the Neighborhood Councils’ kick-off meeting of the Emergency Preparedness Alliance that was recently hosted by the Emergency Management Department and where over 70 were in attendance, including city officials and Neighborhood Councils. To view the November 24, City Council meeting click here. The El Niño discussion takes place starting at 01:17:10 and ends at 02:12:41.

To find out more information about El Niño, how to prepare, and to receive emergency alerts visit ElNiñoLA.com and NotifyLA.org. For the Bureau of Sanitation services call 311.

CIS Statements: Neighborhood Councils can engage in this important matter by exploring and identifying problem areas in their communities that may be affected during the storm. This can be done specifically by submitting a Community Impact Statement on El Niño preparedness as proposed in Council Files above. Thank you for your help to Empower L.A.

Contributor Danielle Merriweather is a graduate student at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy specializing in State and Local Policy and American Politics. She is working closely with EmpowerLA to inform Neighborhood Councils about various issues that are taking place in Los Angeles, as well as encouraging NCs and their stakeholders to use the power that they have to influence legislation through community impact statements.

Source: Empower LA