“WE WILL NOT BE BURNED AGAIN.”

THE WOOLSEY FIRE:

EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT ACTION

CAN PREVENT SUCH NEEDLESS DESTRUCTION .

The Board of the Malibu Democratic Club recommends the following measures be undertaken promptly, to alleviate the suffering of the victims of the fire, and to prevent the needless destruction that happened to Malibu from ever happening again.  Wildfires are inevitable.  The loss of life and the extent of destruction that Malibu suffered is not. While additional information is needed about what happened; what worked and didn’t work; and improvements that can be made, it is already apparent that following steps are essential.  Wildfires will recur.  If we choose to make no real changes, more people will pay for such indifference with the loss of their lives and their lifelong homes.  We find such inaction not only irresponsible, but immoral. The Club stands ready to work with all our elected officials, government entities, and other groups to help get these life-saving changes implemented.

1. All Governments, and Government Agencies Involved Should Facilitate the Rebuilding of Homes, Fast-Tracking All Permitting Processes. Everyone Whose Home Was Destroyed or Damaged Should be Helped to Rebuild.
2. Prompt Internal and External, Independent Investigations Are Neededon (a) How and Where the Woolsey Fire Started, (b) Why It Was Not Stopped at Its Outset, (c) Why It Was Not Prevented from Jumping the 101 and PCH, (d) Why the Firefighting Effort was Inadequately Resourced; (e) Failures in Government Planning, Strategy and Execution in Fighting This Fire, and (f) Action that Will Be Taken Promptly To Remedy Those Failures.
3. Emergency Evacuation Sirens Should Be Installed ASAP.  Sirens Are Cheap & Save Lives.
4. More Full-Time FirefightersShould be Hired, and More Firefighting Equipment Brought On Board.
5. A CALIFORNIA FIRE RESERVE CORPS (CFRC) Should Be Established at the State, County and Local Levels, to Complete Firefighting Resources and Capabilities. It Is a Win-Win Solution for All Involved – the State, the People and the Firefighters.
6. Malibu Should Establish Its Own MALIBU CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
7. Brush Clearance Must Be Strictly and Equally Enforced, with Respect to Private Citizens Businesses, and All Government Entities Alike.
8. All Power Lines and Associated Equipment in Areas of Wildfire Risk Must Be Put Underground.
9. Require, at State, County and/or City Expense, the Elimination of All Non-Native, Invasive Trees, such as Eucalyptus Trees, Bamboo Trees, and Others Species That Increase the Danger of Fire Starting and Spreading.
10. LA County Should Provide or Pay For Toxin Tests for Every Home in Every Neighborhood Affected by the Woolsey Fire. Just as LA County Pays for Toxin Testing and Debris Removal from Destroyed Homes, They Should Pay for Toxin Testing of Homes That Were Inundated With Toxic Smoke and Ash From the Fire.
11. The County and City Must Ensure That Enough Water to Fight Blazes Is Available in Every Neighborhood in Malibu.
12. Effective Disaster Communications Must Be Implemented Both Between Malibu and Its Citizens, and Between All Jurisdictions Involved.
13. The City and County’s Recovery Plan for Any Community Affected by a Disaster Should Include Both Community and Individual Counseling to Help the Community Cope With the Psychological and Emotional Impact of Such a Traumatic Event.
14. Better Evacuation Procedures Must Be Put in Place.

MORE INFORMATION ON EACH RECOMMENDATION CAN BE FOUND BELOW:

1. All Governments, and Government Agencies Involved Should Facilitate the Rebuilding of Homes, Fast-Tracking All Permitting Processes. Everyone Whose Home Was Destroyed or Damaged Should be Helped to Rebuild.

Our understanding is that LA County and Malibu City are already committed to this.  They should also work with residents to quickly overcome any hurdles at the California Coastal Commission or other agencies.  Malibu should consider establishing “one-stop shopping” for citizens who lost their homes, by establishing either a single office and/or a person through which people who lost their homes can get all permits needed.

2. Prompt Internal and External, Independent Investigations Are Needed on (a) How and Where the Woolsey Fire Started, (b) Why It Was Not Stopped at Its Outset, (c) Why It Was Not Prevented from Jumping the 101 and PCH, (d) Why the Firefighting Effort was Inadequately Resourced; (e) Failures in Government Planning, Strategy and Execution in Fighting This Fire, and (f) Action that Will Be Taken To Remedy Those Failures.

The most fundamental role of government is to protect its people.  It’s the most basic social contract between a government and its people, going back to the beginning of civilization.  While we recognize that the failure to protect Malibu was not consciously built into emergency planning, and that many diligent employees worked tirelessly, the systems that each agency and jurisdiction had in place to protect Malibu failed miserably.  Malibu was left to fend for itself, both during and after the fire (during the mandatory evacuation).   And fend for ourselves we did. But that decision to let Malibu burn, or fend for itself, ruptured the most basic social contract between citizens and their government, and with it, a fundamental pillar of citizen trust in their government.  Most Malibu-ites do not believe that our government will or can protect us in the event of the next fire.  As such, many are making their own plans, and understandably do not plan to comply with future mandatory evacuation orders.

The government entities involved will have to work hard to regain that trust.  They will have to prove that they are able to protect this city, and willing to put needed changes in place fast.  Trust, once broken, is twice as hard to regain.

Our understanding is that LA County, Malibu, the LA County Fire Department, the LA County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies have begun this investigative process.  While internal assessments are very important, and should be done, there also needs to be independent investigations to ensure a set of fresh eyes examining the problems, fresh ideas for solutions, and objective assessments of problems that exist.  Independent investigations will also be essential for regaining public trust. Good independent investigations will serve both the government and the people well.

Citizens from every community affected by the Woolsey Fire – people who lived through the fire – must be well represented on all committees, commissions, working groups and independent investigations analyzing the Woolsey Fire and its aftermath.  This is needed for transparency, constituent trust in the process, and the inclusion of invaluable information on problems that occurred and how to fix them.

Final reports should be completed within 6 months.  That is sufficient time to get a thorough investigation done, and the next fire season starts in 9 months.  Interim reports should be issued where possible. The reports need to identify all failures, including failures in-

1. Planning for major fires, including providing sufficient firefighting resources;
2. Strategiesused to fight the Woolsey Fire, including triage choices;
3. Implementationof those strategies;
4. Water Availability to Fight the Fire;
5. Communications Systems;
6. Evacuation Procedures; and
7. Community SupportDuring Mandatory Evacuation.

More important, the investigations need to recommend solid changes to prevent such problems in the future. The governments and agencies involved need to move quickly to implement needed changes.  Studies and reports, without follow-up action, are a waste of time and taxpayer’s money.  People are looking for improvement, not merely a report.  The only purpose of examining the situation is take action to correct what went wrong.  Governments should also not wait for the investigative reports to take make improvements that are clearly needed.

3. Emergency Evacuation Sirens Should Be Installed ASAP.Sirens Are Cheap & Save Lives. 

Sirens are cheap, effective, can be installed quickly,and save lives.  There is no excuse not to have sirens up and running in Malibu within 3 months maximum.  It is vital. They are the quickest way to reach the largest number of people.  No technology invented yet can reliably do it better or quicker.  We already know that text, phone, internet and tv emergency alert systems, alone, don’t reach many people in time. Minutes save thousands of lives in urgent situations.  The failure of governments in Montecito and Paradise, CA to use sirens cost people their lives.  Can we not learn from other’s mistakes?  Do we have to wait until the same preventable tragedy happens in Malibu?  We came perilously close to that with the Woolsey Fire. The original mandatory evacuation order went out before 7 am.  Many people didn’t get notice of it until hours later.

There is no sound, defensible reason not to use sirens.  Hawaii uses them to warn of tsunamis.  The Midwest uses them to warn of fast-moving tornadoes.  California can and should use them when mandatory evacuation orders go into place – to alert people quickly.  Loudspeaker announcements can be made after the siren.  When they hear the siren, people would know a mandatory evacuation order has been issued.  If so desired, different sounds can be used for fire, earthquake or flood, but a simple siren to alert for mandatory evacuation may be best.  Public education campaigns can teach people to check the radio, internet, tv, text messages, etc., to get more detailed information.  The proper reaction to a siren can and should be part of the extensive public education efforts that the state and city already have to prepare citizens for earthquakes, fires and floods.

4. More Full-Time Firefighters Should be Hired, and More Firefighting Equipment Brought On Board.

Although many improvements are needed to prevent the kind of catastrophe that Malibu experienced, none will be effective without adequate fire-fighting resources.  The lack of adequate firefighting resources to fight the Camp and Woolsey fires was painful proof that the State and County is tremendously understaffed.  Another indication of understaffing is that firefighters currently put in a lot of overtime.  Additional equipment will also be needed to provide proper fire protection.   “We can’t afford it” is a worn-out excuse.  We can’t afford not to. Hiring more full-time firefighters and establishing a California Fire Reserve Corps (explained below) is not only necessary to protect the people and property of California.  It is good for the firefighters.  Firefighters will be safer if there are more of them fighting, and fewer of them exhausted from being overworked.

5. A CALIFORNIA FIRE RESERVE CORPS (CFRC) Should Be Established at the State, County and Local Levels, to Complete Firefighting Resources and Capabilities. It Is a Win-Win Solution for All Involved – the State, the People and the Firefighters.

It takes thousands of firefighters to successfully fight a large wildfire, all the more so when multiple fires are burning at once.  Thousands of additional firefighters need to be mobilized on a moment’s notice. California should have a fire reserve force of 10,000 or more that it can activate when needed.  While more full-time firefighters are needed in general, it’s not necessary to hire thousands of full-time firefighters to be prepared for large wild fires.  That is more efficiently accomplished with a California Fire Reserve Corps (CFRC).

The CFRC is similar in concept to the California National Guard, except the CFRC would be devoted to firefighting.  This is not a volunteer force.  The CFRC would be part of California’s fully trained and paid firefighting forces, expanding, enhancing and completing the state, county and local resources already in place.  CFRC divisions and teams would be recruited from, and located in, every county and city, part of the overall team working with every fire station – just as the divisions of the National Guard and Army Reserves can be called up to support full-time soldiers and combat missions. The enhanced resources provided by the CFRC will also improve government ability to protect citizens during earthquakes, mudslides, and other disasters.

When big wildfires or fire emergencies arise, the CFRC would be called up – just as the Governor calls up the National Guard for other state emergencies.  However, the CFRC could be activated by Fire Department Commanders and Chiefs at the state, regional and local levels, as needed.  The CFRC should be recruited from, and based in, every county and city.  Because the state will be assured of having enough firefighters with the CFRC, the strategy for protecting communities should change, so that no community is left to fend for itself.  With the CFRC, no community should ever be left without professional firefighters to help protect it.  Indeed, part of the mission of the CFRC should be to ensure that every community will always have firefighter and first responder support.

To join the CFRC, individuals would have to successfully complete the normal 14 weeks (basic) training required to become fully certified firefighter.  The training would be paid for by the state, just as basic training is provided by the Army.  (Community colleges offer such courses on a full-time and part-time basis.) Firefighters who retire young could also serve in the CFRC, just as some in the military continue to serve in the Reserves.   Members of the CFRC could pursue additional or more specialized training once part of the Corps.  Similar to the National Guard, they would have to commit to 2 days per month training, and 2 weeks a year service.  Members of the CFRC would be paid, just as the California National Guard is paid.

This force will not only be good for California, but good for the firefighters.  This is a way of hiring more firefighters, expanding their available resources, and ensuring that enough firefighters are there for any fire.  The CFRC could, for example, ensure that every fire engine sent to a major fire is manned with 6 firefighters, rather than 3 which is now standard. This would allow additional hoses to be run from each engine and significantly increase fire-fighting effectiveness.

With the CFRC, the thousands of Californians who stay and fight for their homes, despite evacuation orders, could sign up; get better trained and equipped; and save their homes and communities.  The CFRC will vastly enhance the impact that their skills and courage can have in their community.  These often skilled and brave citizens are not a problem in fighting fires.  To the contrary, they are part of the solution.

California has the money to do this.    The State Legislative Analyst’s office just reported in November that California has $ 14.5 billion in “rainy-day” reserves, and is expected to have a $14.8 billion surplus for the 2019-20 fiscal year.

Big fires cost billions – not just to property and business owners, but to state, county and local governments.  Being properly prepared, with adequate firefighting resources made possible by a large CFRC force, would cost a fraction of what one large fire costs. Moreover, the CFRC will, in the end, save the state money, by vastly reducing disaster relief, clean up, and rebuilding expenses.   The CFRC will pay for itself many times over.

The concept of a reserve corps to enhance full-time agencies charged with public safety is used successfully, not only with National Guards throughout the country, but with LA County Sheriff’s Office.   The LA County Sheriff’s office has paid Reserves who are called up to expand their force of full-time deputies when needed.  To be a part of the Reserves, you have to complete training and get certified.  You can also pursue additional training for higher levels of certification.  LA Sheriff’s Reserves are paid a nominal amount annually, so that they can be covered by insurance.  They are then paid on an hourly basis when they are called up.

In addition to the CFRC, an organized, fire volunteer corps could free up first responders for critical tasks.  This could be done on a local, county or state level.  However, a volunteer corps alone will not prevent the loss of lives and needless property loss that is caused by major wild fires.  That requires a large force of fully trained, properly equipped first responder firefighters.  A professional CFRC is the most efficient way to meet that need.

6. Malibu Should Establish Its Own MALIBU CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.

No city – and no citizens – should ever be left alone to fight a major fire like Malibu was during the Woolsey Fire.  Because Malibu was being protected, in principle, by the LA County Fire Department, the allocation of firefighting resources was made on a regional and county basis.  The only way that Malibu City can ensure that it has control over whether its firefighters stay and fight for Malibu is to have its own fire department.  There are ways of funding it.  A Malibu Fire Department, just like the LA, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica Fire Departments, would have cooperation agreements with the County and other Fire Departments.  Until a Malibu Fire Department is established, Malibu must insist that the County Fire Department change its strategy for fighting such a blaze.  Malibu must never be left without fire-fighting resources.  Some 12 hours before the fire reached Malibu, it was known tshe winds were headed this way.  A defense strategy for Malibu, beyond the evacuation order, should have been in place. A Malibu City Fire Department could also include some smaller fire engines capable of maneuvering in some of Malibu’s smaller canyon roads.

7. Brush Clearance Must Be Strictly and Equally Enforced, with Respect to Private Citizens Businesses, and All Government Entities Alike.

Malibu is a city at high risk of wild fires.  Accordingly, Malibu should have strict enforcement of brush clearance requirements, as is practiced in some other jurisdictions.  That would include mandatory, annual inspections, both before brush clearance notices go out, and afterwards, to ensure compliance.  When brush is not cleared in a timely or adequate fashion, the City or County would have the authority to go in, do it, and bill it to the property owner.  Enforcement has to be strict, with fines, and for repeat offenders, criminal penalties – just as there are criminal penalties for drunk driving.  Failure to observe proper brush clearance is a serious threat to public safety.

Equally as important, extensive natural park land in and around Malibu is owned and/or managed by federal, state and local entities. Out-of-control wildfires on those properties during the Woolsey fire threatened many lives, and destroyed neighboring and nearby properties.  The same brush clearance rules and practices that are applied to private property must be applied to government-owned and -managed properties. These vast public lands present the single largest wildfire threat to Malibu.  The government agencies managing these lands should provide the example – demonstrate the gold standard – in fire prevention practices. That is not currently the case.

8. All Power Lines and Associated Equipment in Areas of Wildfire Risk Must Be Put Underground.

The only reason that this eminently sensible measure has not been done years ago has been SCE’s claims that it is too costly and rate payers bills would increase exponentially.  These claims are belied by the fact that some areas of Malibu, such as Big Rock, and parts of Malibu West, already have underground electrical lines.  In reality, it is far more costly not to do it. Using wood poles and overhead electrical wires costs billions every time they cause a fire.   SCE is a private company that is under pressure to produce short-term profits for shareholders.  So, it has chosen to continue to use cheap, outdated technology in fire-prone areas, to protect their immediate bottom line.  This boosts short-term profits by passing the full cost of using such technology to others, namely the people who lose their homes and the governments that are burdened with disaster relief.  It’s time for that to change.  SCE is also granted a lucrative monopoly by the people, its rate payers.  In the interim, until wires are put underground, SCE should be required to replace any wooden poles with composite or metal poles, and insulated wire.

9. Require, at State, County and/or City Expense, the Elimination of All Non-Native, Invasive Trees, such as Eucalyptus Trees, Bamboo Trees, and Others Species That Increase the Danger of Fire Starting and Spreading.

The removal of such trees should be mandated.  To ensure that it is done, it should be paid for by the government.  It is similar to programs where people are paid to turn in guns.   While it would be an expense, it would be a fraction of what one wildfire costs the government.  Ironically, years ago, the Fire Department recommended that people plant Eucalyptus trees, to help reduce winds.  They later recommended that people take them out, because they are a fire hazard. However, they didn’t mandate it, because of the expense imposed on people.  These non-native fire hazards are a public safety hazard.  They have to go.

10. LA County Should Provide or Pay For Toxin Tests for Every Home in Every Neighborhood Affected by the Woolsey Fire. Just as LA County Pays for Toxin Testing and Debris Removal from Destroyed Homes, They Should Pay for Toxin Testing of Homes That Were Inundated With Toxic Smoke and Ash From the Fire.

The County will not let homeowners who have lost their homes go back on their properties until they are tested and cleared for toxins.  Yet, many people whose homes still stand, have houses that were permeated by the same toxic smoke and covered with toxic ash from the homes that burned.   People living in homes that have not been adequately remediated for smoke and ash are living at risk of serious health consequences.  Insurance companies often will not cover such tests, but it is the only way to tell if a house is safe to live in.  Especially where as here, the fire started at a site with a history of toxic waste, and the LA County Fire Department chose not to protect property in Malibu, the government should ensure that all homes affected are tested, and safe to live in.

11. The County and City Must Ensure That Enough Water to Fight Blazes Is Available in Every Neighborhood in Malibu.

Some neighborhoods burned, and were indefensible, because they ran out of water with which to defend the homes.   In some cases, when electricity was lost, the water could no longer be pumped in.  Back-up generators would have solved this problem.  Spare water storage tanks were also not available.  The solution for this problem will have to be specific to each neighborhood, but the problems are solvable, and must be implemented for every neighborhood in Malibu.

12. Effective Disaster Communications Must Be Implemented Both Between Malibu and Its Citizens, and Between All Jurisdictions Involved.

All governments and agencies involved with the Woolsey Fire have mentioned inter-agency communications problems.  Malibu City has also already identified communications difficulties, with their citizens and other agencies.  The technology exists to solve both problems.  They just need to be implemented.  The MDC endorses the Malibu City Council’s re-establishment of a Telecommunications Commission to help address the problem.

13. The City and County’s Recovery Plan for Any Community Affected by a Disaster Should Include Both Community and Individual Counseling to Help the Community Cope With the Psychological and Emotional Impact of Such a Traumatic Event.

Such programs are routine after mass shootings or terrorist events.  They should be part and parcel of County and City response after a natural disaster as well.  They should be offered in each neighborhood of Malibu, not simply at one place in the city. The LA County Department of Mental Health might be able to help Malibu City provide both community and individual counseling support.

14. Better Evacuation Procedures Must Be Put in Place. 

Because of the Woolsey Fire, we now know, in real life, how long it takes to evacuate Malibu via PCH.  The answer is 4-8 hours – and that was on a winter weekday where there were not millions of people at the beaches.  While there was sufficient advance notice with the Woolsey Fire to allow people to evacuate without being overrun by the fire, this would not have been the case with a fast-moving fire that started closer to Malibu.  If the stalled traffic on PCH had been overrun by fire, the loss of life would have been staggering.  Malibu is a challenge because of its relatively limited routes for egress, but more effective plans must be devised for disaster evacuation.