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Frequently Asked Questions
DOES THE CITY OF TEMECULA HAVE A DISASTER PLAN?
HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR CERT TRAINING?
I DON’T HAVE A SMART PHONE, OR I PREFER A PAPER TO WRITE MY PLAN ON. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR MEMBERS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS OR A DISABILITY, HOW CAN I HELP THEM PREPARE FOR A DISASTER?
I NEED AN EMERGENCY PLAN FOR MY BUSINESS AND EMPLOYEES. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
I NEED AN EMERGENCY PLAN FOR MY CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, MOSQUE, TEMPLE, OR PLACE OF WORSHIP. HOW CAN WE PREPARE?
I RUN A BOARD AND CARE HOME WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS, WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE THE FACILITY AND THE RESIDENTS FOR A DISASTER?
WHAT DOES “SHELTER IN PLACE” MEAN?
WHAT DOES THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (OEM) DO?
WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET ALL OF THAT DONE?
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STAY INFORMED DURING A DISASTER?
WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY PET IN THE CASE OF A DISASTER?
WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE IN MY EMERGENCY KIT?
WHAT TYPES OF DISASTERS SHOULD WE PREPARE FOR HERE IN THE TEMECULA VALLEY?
DOES THE CITY OF TEMECULA HAVE A DISASTER PLAN?
Yes, and here is the current version for you to read. If you want a deeper dive into more information, here are the plans for the County, and the State:
City of Temecula Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
Local/County/State Plans
HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR CERT TRAINING?
Find out more about our CERT program HERE.
HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS?
Sign up for Temecula ALERTS with a cell phone, email address, or home phone, and we will make sure you stay informed.
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/family-communication-plan_fillable-card.pdf
I DON’T HAVE A SMART PHONE, OR I PREFER A PAPER TO WRITE MY PLAN ON. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Sure, no problem. Here you go...
Family Emergency Communications Plan from FEMA
Basic Emergency Supply List (For everyone!)
I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR MEMBERS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS OR A DISABILITY, HOW CAN I HELP THEM PREPARE FOR A DISASTER?
Here are some great resources for you to help your family member with special medical needs or access and functional needs be disaster resilient!
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/disaster-safety-for-people-with-disabilities#Plan-Ahead
http://www.disastersrus.org/mydisasters/disability/disability.pdf
https://www.ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs
I NEED AN EMERGENCY PLAN FOR MY BUSINESS AND EMPLOYEES. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Ask and you shall receive!
https://www.ready.gov/business
https://www.ready.gov/business-continuity-plan
https://www.ready.gov/business-continuity-planning-suite
An emergency supply kit does not change for a business, it just scales up or down according to the number of employees you have on staff.
I NEED AN EMERGENCY PLAN FOR MY CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, MOSQUE, TEMPLE, OR PLACE OF WORSHIP. HOW CAN WE PREPARE?
Places of worship are playing a greater role in disaster management, so we recommend the following resources for you and your faith-based community.
http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Churches-Playing-Growing-Role-Emergency-Management.html
The last document referenced above is filled with links to great resources. While it’s from 2013 and things do change fast in our technologically advanced society, the themes are still relevant.
An emergency supply kit does not change for a faith-based organization, it just scales up according to the number of people in your congregation and others affected by a disaster who you wish to serve.
The Collaborating Agencies’ Disaster Relief Effort (CADRE) is a network of organizations that provide community services that are essential in times of disaster. They also coordinate organizational preparedness planning in non-disaster times and are a great resource for your faith-based group.
I RUN A BOARD AND CARE HOME WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS, WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE THE FACILITY AND THE RESIDENTS FOR A DISASTER?
Thanks for being prepared for your special community. We have some great resources for you
Residential care evacuation training video from our friends at the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District.
Emergency preparedness information from the American Health Care Association.
Emergency preparedness for assisted living communities from the California Assisted Living Association.
California Association of Health Facilities Disaster Preparedness Program.
WHAT DOES “SHELTER IN PLACE” MEAN?
When local officials tell you to shelter-in-place, the intention is to keep you safe while remaining indoors. It means to find a small, interior room, with no or few windows, and take refuge there. Typically, the instructions to shelter-in-place means to shelter for a few hours, not days or weeks at a time. Keep listening to your radio or TV until you are told it's safe.
https://www.ready.gov/shelter
Red Cross Shelter in Place
https://emergency.cdc.gov/shelterinplace.asp
WHAT DOES THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (OEM) DO?
WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET ALL OF THAT DONE?
The City of Temecula Office of Emergency Management (OEM) coordinates the emergency mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery services to the residents of the City of Temecula with the appropriate City agencies and external partners. This typically occurs in our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and efforts are guided by the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which is reviewed annually and updated every three years. Through outreach, our office encourages residents to become more disaster ready and disaster resilient to ensure they are prepared for emergencies. We also manage the City's Alert and Warning Program, Temecula ALERT, to ensure residents of this community are informed during an emergency.
More specifically, the OEM manages the following functions:
Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Impact Analysis
Emergency Operations Center
Hazard Mitigation
Planning
Public Outreach and Education
Direction, Control, and Coordination
Communications, Alert and Warning
Operations and Procedures
Logistics and Facilities
Resource Management
Mutual Aid
Training
Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions
Crisis Communications and Public Information
Finance and Administration
Laws and Authorities
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STAY INFORMED DURING A DISASTER?
The best way is whatever works for you and your family. Not everyone has or likes smart phones, and not everyone likes to send text messages. But that is a really good way to stay in contact during an emergency because text messages will go through when phone calls might not.
Radio is a proven technology that has been helping us in emergency response for almost 100 years. And remember, you probably still have a radio charged and ready to go if you own a car.
TV is great if it’s still working. Same goes for the internet. We will push messages out to the public in any way we can after a disaster including emergency phone, radio, and TV messages.
We will also send Police and Fire units out to your neighborhood with public address systems, longer range loudspeakers, and to knock on your door if we have to. Stay alert, stay tuned and stay informed!
WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY PET IN THE CASE OF A DISASTER?
We get it. Pets are family too. So much so that after Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Government directed FEMA to recognize the need to plan for pets in a large-scale disaster. So here in Temecula, Animal Friends of the Valley works with us during disasters to help take care of pets. We try and locate pet shelters along with or very close to the people shelters. We also work with the Riverside County Emergency Management Department and Animal Care group for large pets like horses. Here is some basic information for you to help make sure your pet has its own go bag in case your family must evacuate:
https://www.ready.gov/animals
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/ARCPetsandSheltering_3pg.pdf
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/ready_pet-preparedness-flyer.pdf
WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE IN MY EMERGENCY KIT?
There are many lists out there, here are a couple we like and recommend from FEMA and Red Cross.
WHAT TYPES OF DISASTERS SHOULD WE PREPARE FOR HERE IN THE TEMECULA VALLEY?
The only type of disaster that we don’t see here in the Golden State is Hurricanes. What we try to prepare for are the more frequent and expected types of disasters. For all of us here in the Temecula Valley, that means earthquakes, fires, and floods. We take an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness, so if you have an emergency Kit, an emergency communications Plan, and are ready to Stay Informed via smart phone, radio, or TV, then you are ready for whatever comes your way!