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Emergency Preparedness
Emergencies and disasters can strike anywhere and at any time. Emergency preparedness can bring you peace of mind. The resources below will help you and your family prepare, respond and recover from most emergencies and disasters.
Make a Plan!
Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
Step 1: Put a plan together by discussing the questions below with your family, friends or household to start your emergency plan
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
Step 2. Consider specific needs in your household
As you prepare your plan tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some of these factors when developing your plan:
- Different ages of members within your household
- Responsibilities for assisting others
- Locations frequented
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
- Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and religious considerations
- Pets or service animals
- Households with school-aged children
Step 3: Create a Family Emergency Plan
Make a Family Emergency Plan quickly and easily with this fillable form.
Step 4: Practice Your Plan with Your Family/Household
Emergency Alerts
AC Alert
This new service provides a way to quickly alert you in the event of a local emergency and is free to use. These alerts will provide important information you may need to keep you and your family safe.
Sign up for AC Alert through AC Alert – Public – Sign up (everbridge.net)
- Create your profile account as instructed.
- Enter how you want to be contacted, with phone numbers and/or emails.
- Enter your primary address and any additional addresses on which you want to be notified. Emergency alerts are sent based on the locations that you enter.
- In addition, you can subscribe for optional notifications from cities based on where you visit for work, or school, etc.
How AC Alert works
If there is a safety hazard or concern in your area, you will get a notification on whichever phone number or email you entered when you signed up.
Once you confirm that you have received the message, the system will stop trying to reach you. If you don’t confirm, the system will continue to try to reach you using all the contact numbers and emails that you provided.
You can update your information at any time. If you would like to stop receiving notifications, you can opt-out by removing your profile from the system.
Know Your Zone – Evacuation Resources
In the event of a wildfire or an emergency situation, law enforcement and fire agencies issue evacuation warnings or evacuation orders for impacted areas. These notices are issued for a Zone with an evacuation Status.
To check the status of your evacuation zone or turn on your location to get notified about danger wherever you are.
Visit genasys Protect website or download the Mobile App.
Everbridge/Nixel
Everbridge Nixle keeps you up to date with relevant information from local agencies. Get emergency alerts sent straight to your cell phone.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Enroll today!
Text your Zip Code to 888777 or Sign Up Online
Earthquakes
Preparing for earthquakes is crucial in California. The City of Pleasanton wants you to be prepared.
Follow these simple steps before an earthquake occurs:
- Practice DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON at home and work
- Get life-saving seconds to stay safe before the shaking starts by downloading and setting up alerts from California’s Earthquake Early Warning System at www.earthquake.ca.gov
- Secure loose and tall furniture to minimize damage
- Have a Go-Bag and shoes in a place that you find quickly to evacuate.
Knowing what to do during an earthquake happens can save lives. Follow these simple steps during an earthquake:
- If inside, do not rush outside or stand in the doorway
- DROP, COVER and HOLD ON
- If in bed, stay there and COVER your head with a pillow
- If outdoors, move away from anything that can fall, especially power lines, trees, streetlights, and buildings
- If driving, pull over and set the parking brake. Make sure to stop away from trees, bridges, buildings and power lines.
Follow these tips for what to do after an earthquake occurs:
- Be ready for aftershocks over several days or weeks. Whenever you feel shaking, DROP, COVER and HOLD ON
- Visit www.pleasantonca.gov for reliable emergency information
- Check for hazards around you, including gas leaks, downed power lines, and ruptured pipes. If you smell gas, evacuate everyone immediately
- Do not enter damaged buildings. Wait for city staff to say it’s safe.
Extreme Heat/Cooling Centers
In the summer, multiple days and nights of hot weather can be very dangerous. The City of Pleasanton has ways to help you cool down:
- Visit our library during its regular business hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-9pm; Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm
- In extreme heat watch for notices about official cooling center openings in Pleasanton. Check here for other cooling centers in the region.
- Remember to always follow these tips during extreme heat:
- Watch for signs of heat illness
- Keep cool/stay hydrated
- Look out for others.
Power Outages
Unfortunately, during warm weather, Pleasanton can see an increase in power outages. Below are a few tips that can help you stay prepared:
- If you use electronic medical and assistive devices, create a personal disaster plan with family and caregivers for how to meet your needs during a power outage
- Get flashlights or lanterns with extra batteries, and surge protectors for sensitive devices. Do not use candles or oil lanterns for light
- Keep phones and backup batteries fully charged
- Have access to a battery-powered radio for news
- Have freezer packs, ice and cooler ready to keep food and medicine cold
- If you have an electronic garage door, learn how to manually release the lever
- Know where your circuit breakers and fuse back are and how to check them
- Have phone numbers written down in case of an emergency .
During Power Outages:
Extended power outages may impact the whole community.
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed
- Use a generator, but only outdoors and away from windows
- Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home
- Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges
- Have alternative plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices
- Check with local officials about heating and cooling locations open near you
- Report downed power lines to 911 and your utility. Keep pets and people away
- Turn off everything that was on before the outage. Leave one light on that you will see when the power is back
- Unplug sensitive electronic equipment if you do not have surge protectors
- Go to a community location, like the Pleasanton Library
- Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly or medically frail.
For more information visit Ready.gov
Wildfires
Wildfires are unplanned fires that burn in natural areas. These dangerous fires spread quickly and can devastate not only wildlife and natural areas but also communities.
Prepare for Wildfires:
- Sign up for community alerts and be aware of Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which require no sign up
- Make an emergency Plan
- Review important documents and save them in a secure password-protected digital space
- Strengthen your home
- Use fire-resistant materials
- Find an outdoor water source with a hose that can reach your property
- Create a fire-resistant zone that is free of leaves and debris
- Know your evacuation zone and learn your evacuation routes
- Gather supplies.
Stay Safe During a Wildfire:
- Pay attention to emergency alerts and notifications
- Evacuate immediately if you are told to do so
- Use an N95 mask to protect yourself from smoke inhalation
- Call 911 if you need immediate assistance
Returning Home After a Wildfire:
- Do not return home until authorities say it is safe to do so
- Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn or spark another fire
- Wear protective clothing during your cleanup efforts
- Limit your exposure outside as dust particles may be present
- Document property damage with photographs
- Send text messages or use social media to reach out to family. Phone systems are often busy following a disaster.
Winter Storm Preparation
Are you Ready to Weather a Storm?
The weather is unpredictable. Taking the time to prepare in advance of extreme weather, will prepare you to weather a storm.
Before a Storm
- Monitor current weather conditions
- Inspect your roof for any damage or leaks
- Inspect your property, clearing private drains, v-ditches and rain gutters
- Check trees and remove any limbs that look like they could create a safety hazard
- Cover toxic materials with tight-fitting lids and/or store them indoors
- If you have had previous experience with flooding at your home, move valuable belongings to higher areas in the home and prepare sandbags early. The City provides free sand and bags at 3333 Busch Road
- Review your flood insurance policy
- Create a family emergency plan.
During a Storm
- Stay away from storm drain channels and areas subject to sudden flooding
- Stay away from downed power lines
- Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream
- Do not drive through flooded streets.
After the Storm
- Monitor the weather and only leave your home if safe to do so
- Report downed power lines to PG&E
- Inspect your property and take photos of any damage.
For more information on how to prepare visit Ready.gov
Flooding
Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods are the most common disaster in the United States. Failing to evacuate flooded areas or entering flood waters can lead to injury or death.
If you are under a flood warning:
- Find safe shelter immediately
- Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters
- Stay off bridges over fast moving water.
Preparing for a flood:
- Know your risk for floods
- Purchase flood insurance
- Make a plan including your pets
- Keep important documents in waterproof containers
- Declutter drains and gutters
- Consider a sump pump with battery.
Staying safe during a flood:
- Evacuate immediately, if told to evacuate. Never drive around barricades
- Listen to local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions regarding flooding.
Stay safe after a flood:
- Pay attention to authorities for information and instructions. Return home only when authorities say it is safe
- Avoid driving except in emergencies
- Wear heavy work gloves, protective clothing and boots during clean up and use appropriate face coverings or masks if cleaning mold or other debris
- Be aware of the risk of electrocution if near downed wires
- Avoid wading in floodwater, which can be contaminated and contain dangerous debris. Underground or downed power lines can also electrically charge the water.
For more information on how to prepare and stay safe during a flood visit: Ready.gov
Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance
About the Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance Requirement
The City of Pleasanton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes Federally backed flood insurance available for all eligible buildings, whether they are in a floodplain or not. Flood insurance covers direct losses caused by surface flooding, including a river flowing over its banks, a lake or ocean storm and local drainage problems.
The NFIP insures buildings, including mobile homes, with two types of coverage: building and contents. Building coverage is for the walls, floors, insulation, furnace and other items permanently attached to the structure. Contents coverage may be purchased separately, if the contents are in an insurable building.
Mandatory Purchase Requirement: The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, made the purchase of flood insurance mandatory for Federally backed mortgages on buildings located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). It also affects all forms of Federal or Federally related financial assistance for buildings located in SFHAs. The SFHA is the base (100-year) floodplain mapped on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). It is shown as one or more zones that begin with the letter “A” or “V.”
The rule applies to secured mortgage loans from such financial institutions as commercial lenders, savings and loan associations, savings banks and credit unions that are regulated, supervised, or insured by Federal agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of Thrift Supervision. It also applies to all mortgage loans purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in the secondary mortgage market. Federal financial assistance programs affected by the laws include loans and grants from agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, Small Business Administration and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
How it Works: Lenders are required to complete a Standard Flood Hazard Determination (SFHD) form whenever they make, increase, extend or renew a mortgage, home equity, home improvement, commercial, or farm credit loan to determine if the building or manufactured (mobile) home is in an SFHA. It is the Federal agency’s or the lender’s responsibility to check the current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to determine if the building is in an SFHA. Copies of the FIRM are available for review in most local government building or planning departments. Lenders may also have copies, or they may use a flood zone determination company to provide the SFHD form. If the building is in a SFHA, the Federal agency or lender is required by law to require the recipient to purchase a flood insurance policy on the building. Federal regulations require building coverage equal to the amount of the loan (excluding appraised value of the land) or the maximum amount of insurance available from the NFIP, whichever is less. The maximum amount available for a single-family residence is $250,000. Government sponsored enterprises, such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, have stricter requirements.
The mandatory purchase requirement does not affect loans or financial assistance for items that are not covered by a flood insurance policy, such as vehicles, business expenses, landscaping and vacant lots. It does not affect loans for buildings that are not in an SFHA, even though a portion of the lot may be. While not mandated by law, a lender may require a flood insurance policy, as a condition of a loan, for a property in any zone on a FIRM.
If a person feels that a SFHD form incorrectly places the property in the SFHA, he or she may request a Letter of Determination Review from FEMA. This must be submitted within 45 days of the determination.
More information can be found at http://www.fema.gov/plan.
For additional information, contact the City of Pleasanton Engineering Division at (925) 931-5650.
Local Flood Hazard
Less than five percent of the city of Pleasanton is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). The city of Pleasanton has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to eliminate the majority of the city’s special flood hazard areas (100 year flood zone). To find out if your property is in the regulated floodplain by calling the city’s floodplain management office at (925) 931-5649 or go to the Flood Hazard Information section. For additional information and resources, please view our Flood Information Flyer.
To report any flooding or hazards, please contact the following:
During normal business hours (Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.):
Public Works Department
3333 Busch Rd.
(925) 931-5500
Non-Business hours (after 3:30 p.m., weekends and holidays):
Pleasanton Police Department
4833 Bernal Ave.
(925) 931-5100
For downed electrical or power lines:
PG&E
(800) 743-5000
Sandbag Stations
Free bags and sand are available for residents to fill their own sandbags at the Pubic Works Department. Please bring your own shovel!
Public Works Department
3333 Busch Road (just off of Valley Avenue)
Flood Hazard Information
The City of Pleasanton has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to eliminate the majority of the City’s special flood hazard areas (SFHA), also known as the 100-year flood zone. A 100-year flood is a flood event that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year.
Impact of flooding on private and public structures
Some of the programs and activities in which the City participates to ensure everyone’s safety and reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures include:
- National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes federally-backed flood insurance available to property owners
- Community Rating System (CRS), a voluntary program aimed to encourage community floodplain management. All participating property owners benefit from reduced flood insurance rates to reflect the reduced flood risk. Currently, Pleasanton residents within the SFHA receive 15% discount and everyone else receives a 5% discount. Flood insurance covers direct losses caused by surface flooding, including:
- a river flowing over its banks
- a lake or ocean storm
- local drainage problems
Request additional information
As a public service, the City of Pleasanton will also provide the following information upon request:
- Whether a property is in or out of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as shown on the current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) of the City
- Additional flood insurance data for a site, such as the FIRM zone and the base flood elevation or depth, if shown on the FIRM
- The City of Pleasanton maintains elevation certificates (ECs) for new and substantially improved structures in the SFHA since 1993. To find out if the City has an elevation certificate on file for your property click here for a list of ECs on file or you may call (925) 437-4005
- The City of Pleasanton has information regarding the flood insurance purchase requirement that can help people who need a mortgage or loan for a property in the SFHA.
Is your property within the flood zone?
If you would like to find out if your property is within the flood zone, there are several ways to reach us:
- Leave a voicemail at the City’s Floodplain Information Message Center at (925) 931-5649, stating the street address and, if available, the subdivision, lot and block number
- Make a request in person at the City’s Permit Center, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at 200 Old Bernal Ave. For more information, please contact the Engineering Division at (925) 931-5650.
- Fill out the flood determination request form: Flood Request Determination Form
The City maintains copies of Elevation Certificates, to request a copy of ECs please visit the permit center with your request. City of Pleasanton staff will also make site visits to provide one-on-one advice to property owners regarding flooding and drainage issues on private property. We also have site specific information for some parcels within Pleasanton. For more information, please contact the Engineering Division at (925) 931-5650.
Additional Information
Learn how to protect your property from flood damage:
FEMA publication helpful to homeowner:
- Ten Key Facts to Know About Federal Disaster Assistance
- Myths and Facts About the National Flood Insurance Program
- Your Homeowner’s Insurance Doesn’t Cover Floods
- Coping with a Flood, Before, During and After
- Who is at Risk from Flooding?
- Things You Should Know About Flood Insurance
- Flood: Are You Protected from the Next Disaster?
- The Benefits of Flood Insurance versus Disaster Assistance
- Top Ten Facts for Consumers
Flood Warning System
Should an evacuation be advised, local officials will notify residents through radio cable TV and the City of Pleasanton’s Operations Services Center, which will disseminate an evacuation notice door to door with bulletins denoting “What To Do, When To Do It and Where to Go.”Flood Safety
If a hurricane warning is issued, citizens could be asked to evacuate. Before leaving, be sure to:- lock all doors and windows and make sure windows are boarded and taped up
- turn off the electricity at the main breaker terminal and gas system at outside source (the earlier the better if you know how)
- be alert for gas leaks—use flashlight to inspect for damage
- do not smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open flames unless you know that the gas has been turned off and the area has been ventilated
- unplug small appliances
- towels or rugs should be put around openings to reduce seepage
- move lightweight or easily damaged items to the highest location possible, securing them and covering with plastic
- secure outdoor furniture and potted plants
- place dangerous chemicals, insecticides, herbicides or gasoline in water tight containers and in a high spot
- If you cannot take pets with you, put out food & water. Watch for animals, including snakes. Small animals that have been flooded out of their homes may seek shelter in yours.
Emergency Kit
Have an emergency kit packed with the following items: water, portable radio, flash light, batteries, blankets, extra clothing, baby products, non-perishable food, manual can opener, medicines, toilet articles, important papers, some cash on hand and valuables. Keep children away from flood waters, ditches, culverts and drains. Watch out for dangling electrical wires and flooded low spots. Report downed power lines to the power company.- Zone 7 Zone Central Realtime Stream Gauges: click here.
- Download our PDF: What to do before, during and after a flood.
Livermore-Pleasanton
Fire Department
More information on how to be prepared in an emergency, CERT and Volunteer Opportunities can be accessed here:
Disaster Preparedness | Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department