Disasters can leave people injured or displaced, and in some cases cause death. They also cause significant damage to our homes, communities, businesses, public infrastructure, and our environment; and cost tremendous amounts in terms of response, recovery dollars, and economic loss. While we cannot prevent disasters from happening, we can help reduce or eliminate their effects through preparedness and mitigation.
City personnel prepare for disaster situations by conducting training and disaster drills using the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS). Both SEMS and NIMS are emergency management systems that provide a consistent template for all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of their cause, size, location, or complexity.
Upland is a participant on the San Bernardino County Operational Area Coordinating Council (OACC). This Council was established on September 19, 1995, by the County Board of Supervisors. The OACC consists of one primary representative from each jurisdiction within the Operational Area. This Council works along with local governments, the County of San Bernardino Office of Emergency Services, the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to better prepare and plan for potential disasters within California. Exchanging critical preparedness information and discussing resources are functions of the Council that better prepare our City, County, and State for man-made and natural disasters.
The City encourages all residents to be prepared for disasters. Some of the things you can do to prepare are develop an emergency plan, build an emergency supply kit, be informed about the hazards that affect the areas you frequent, and get involved with local organizations that promote disaster preparedness programs.
We hope that the information provided on this website is beneficial to you. If you require additional information, please contact .
The Upland Emergency Management Program plans for disasters specific to our community and assists our residents and businesses to prepare before, during and after a disaster strikes. ReadyUpland encompasses several preparedness and training programs designed to give you the tools necessary to effectively mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from community disasters such as fire, flood, windstorm and earthquake.
The following are common goals of emergency management:
- Saving lives
- Stabilizing a situation
- Limiting damage to structures and the environment
- Caring for the public
- Restoring daily activities to normal as soon as possible
The four phases of comprehensive emergency management are listed below:
- Mitigation
- Mitigation efforts occur both before and following disaster events. Post-disaster mitigation is part of the recovery process. Eliminating or reducing the impact of hazards that exist within the City and are a threat to life and property are part of the mitigation efforts.
- Preparedness
- The preparedness phase involves activities taken in advance of an emergency. These activities develop operational capabilities and effective responses to a disaster. These actions might include mitigation activities, disaster planning, training and exercises, and public education.
- Response
- The response phase involves actions taken to address the effects of an emergency or disaster. During this phase, emphasis is placed on saving lives and property, controlling the situation, and minimizing the effects of the emergency or disaster.
- Recovery
- The recovery phase involves actions taken to restore the affected area. During this phase, Local Assistance Centers (LAC) may be established and are normally staffed and supported by local, state, and federal agencies, as well as non-profit and voluntary organizations. These centers will provide a single facility at which individuals, families, and businesses can access available disaster assistance programs and services.
The City of Upland keeps up to date plans for the following:
- Emergency Operations Plan: for all major disasters
- Hazard Mitigation Plan
- City General Plan
The Community Emergency Response Team Program's concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985. The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs. As a result, the LAFD created this program to train citizens and private and government employees.
Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. Download FEMA Family Emergency Plan to start planning!
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/FamEmePlan_2012.pdf
One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for emergencies is to develop an Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to sit down together now and decide what you will do in an emergency. Your emergency plan should, at a minimum, contain the following information:
How you will contact each other after a disaster occurs
- Identify an emergency contact for each family member.
- Write down the address, phone number, and evacuation location for each of the places where your family spends most of its time (work, school, or other places you frequent).
Out-of-town contact
- After a disaster, it may be difficult to make local phone calls. Designate an out-of-town contact to receive calls from your family members if you get separated. Because long distance phone service should be restored sooner than local service, this contact person will be able to relay your family’s well-being.
Meeting places
- Identify two meeting places: one neighborhood meeting place and one regional meeting place. By identifying two meeting places, you increase your ability to reunite with your family regardless of the size of the emergency. If there was a fire isolated to your home, your family could meet at your neighborhood meeting place. If the emergency was a major earthquake that affected the region you live in, it might be necessary to reunite at your regional meeting place. Remember to be specific when identifying your meeting places!
Personal and medical information for each family member
- Record the date of birth, social security number, and important medical information for each family member.
- List the names, phone numbers, and policy numbers for your doctor, pharmacist, medical insurance carrier, homeowners/rental insurance carrier, and veterinarian.
Floor plan of your home with escape routes
- Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
- For additional information and tools that will assist you in developing your emergency plan, please visit the following websites:
- http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
- http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/step2.html
- When you complete your emergency plan, store a copy in your emergency supply kit or another place where you can access it in the event of a disaster.
Wildfire Action Plan
Do you live in an “urban interface zone?” The area where houses meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation are at a much greater risk of catastrophic wildfire. Now is the time to plan and create a defensible space! For more information on how you can prepare, please view the “Ready! Set! Go! Personal Wildfire Action Plan” from the San Bernardino Fire Department at the link below.
https://www.sbcfire.org/portals/58/Documents/Programs/20090806_sbcfire_ready_set_go_flyer.pdf
After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Download FEMA’s Emergency Supply Checklist to get started!
In addition to developing an Emergency Plan, it is important for older Americans to consider how an emergency might affect their individual needs.
Personal Support Network
- If you think you might need assistance during a disaster, talk to your neighbors, relatives, friends, and co-workers about creating a personal support network. Share and practice your emergency plan with these people. Make sure that someone in your support network has an extra key to your home and knows where you keep your emergency supplies.
Medications
- If you take medicine or use a medical treatment on a daily basis, be sure you have what you need to make it on your own for at least a week. Make a list of your prescriptions including dosage, treatment, and allergy information. Teach people in your support network how to administer your medications. If it is not possible to have a week-long supply of medicines, keep as much as possible on hand and talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what else you should do to prepare.
Medical Equipment
- If you use medical equipment in your home, make sure the people in your support network know how to operate it. If your medical equipment requires electricity, talk to your health care provider about what you can do to prepare for power outages.
Other Personal Items
- In addition to your basic emergency supply kit, consider including other personal items that you might need such as eyeglasses (and a copy of your prescription), hearing aids (and extra batteries), wheelchair batteries, oxygen, and denture needs.
- For additional information, visit http://www.ready.gov/seniors. This website features an instructional video that will demonstrate three simple steps older Americans can take to be better prepared for an emergency. Also, be sure to download a copy of the "Preparing Make Sense for Older Americans" brochure for quick reference.
How might a disaster affect you? Could you make it on your own for at least three days? After a disaster you may not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore. It’s crucial to plan for your regular needs and know what you would do if they become limited or unavailable. Check out FEMA’s website to get tips on the following:
- Tips for People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- Tips for People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision
- Tips for People with Speech Disability
- Tips for People with a Mobility Disability
- Tips for Individuals with Sensory Disabilities (including autism spectrum disorder)
Disasters can leave children and teens feeling frightened, confused and insecure. Their responses can be quite varied. It's important to not only recognize these reactions, but also help children cope with their emotions.
Please click the link to get additional information on how to help children cope after a disaster:
Also here are fun games to help children prepare for disasters
Pets depend on their owners for safety and protection. When developing your emergency plan, remember to include your pets. Listed below are some steps you can take to prepare your pets for emergencies:
- Keep in mind that some public shelters do not allow animals; identify evacuation locations that take pets (pet friendly hotels, kennels, veterinary hospital, etc.).
- Develop a "buddy system" with your neighbors, family, and friends, so that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets in your absence.
- Build an animal evacuation kit (talk to your veterinarian about what supplies to include):
- At least a three-day supply of food and water for your pet
- First-aid supplies
- Medicines and medical records
- Crate or pet carrier
- Extra leash or harness
- Sanitation supplies
- A picture of you and your pet together
- Proof of ownership
- Familiar items (toys, treats, blanket, etc.)
- Familiarize your animals with evacuation procedures and cages/carriers.
- Be sure that your animals have identification (collar tag, microchip, etc.); this may help reunite you with your animal(s) if you are separated.
- Gather contact information for emergency animal treatment.
- Additional sources of information on pet preparedness:
- FEMA’s Ready Campaign
- The Humane Society of the United States
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
FEMA’s Ready Business Program provides leaders with the tools to plan, take action, and become a Ready Business. The program addresses several key parts of getting ready, including Staff, Surroundings, Physical space, Building Construction, Systems, and Service. These videos briefly explain each concept.
In an effort to quickly communicate information on impending dangers, the San Bernardino County Sheriff and Fire Departments send high-speed mass notifications via telephone and text messages. This system is known as the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS).
The County uses a database of landline telephone numbers, which is updated every six months, to send emergency messages to landline phones only. By signing up below, residents can also receive emergency text messages on their cell phones, add voice over internet phone numbers (V.O.I.P.), and manage their own account using a valid email address. Those without internet connections can sign up by calling 211 or (909) 980-2857 for assistance in registering.
TENS alerts do not generally go out to the entire County but instead are targeted to affected areas. You must enter a valid San Bernardino County address. This is the address for which you will receive alerts.
The County of San Bernardino utilizes multiple ways to notify residents of impending danger, but residents should not wait for or rely exclusively on any single notification system. If you are concerned about your safety and welfare, please evacuate.
Many kinds of emergencies can cause you to have to evacuate. In some cases, you may have a day or two to prepare while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning is vital to making sure that you can evacuate quickly and safely no matter what the circumstances. Here are a few tips:
Plan Ahead
- Learn the types of disasters that are likely in your community and the local emergency, evacuation and shelter plans for each specific disaster.
Build a Kit
- A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Be Financially Prepared
- Gather financial and critical personal, household and medical information.
- Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis.
Get Tech Ready
- Make sure you keep extra electronic chargers in your emergency kit
- Download the FEMA app
- Make sure you follow the cities social media pages for real time updates
- Use text messaging and social media to connect with family, phone lines may be jammed.
- Register with American Red Cross’ Safe & Well site to let family and friends know you’re okay.
- Store electronic copies of important documents on a thumb drive or the cloud.