Save Early for Disaster Costs       

    Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters      

    Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters     

    National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, Manhattan Beach CERT

    Manhattan Beach 'CAERs' 

Are you and your family prepared for the next major earthquake or other natural disasters?

Be prepared by taking the necessary steps to keep yourself, your family, your pets, and your home safe before, during and after a disaster. Discuss what to do before the disaster strikes and make a basic emergency supply kit for your home, car, and workplace. 

An emergency preparedness kit should include:

• One (1) gallon of water per day per person for a minimum of seven (7) days
• Nonperishable food such as canned, freeze-dried, or dehydrated items for three (3) meals a day per person for seven (7) days; include food for your pets
• Camping stove and/or BBQ with paper plates and utensils to prepare your meals
• Extra supply of all prescription medications for all family members
• Sanitation supplies and plastic bags for waste
• First aid kit with bandages and disinfectants
• Emergency lighting with extra batteries for your flashlights
• Small tool kit with a hammer, pry bar, screwdrivers, etc.; include a tool to shut off gas and water meter
• Bedding such as sleeping bags, pillows, and extra blankets
• Battery operated radio
• Specialty items such as diapers, walkers, and other medical supplies as needed (if applicable) in your family

Check out Ready.gov  as a source of what supplies to gather, how to store them and “what to do” when a disaster strikes. The Red Cross and Salvation Army also have information and pamphlets to help in your preparation. Many excellent tips such as having a seven day readiness supply, selecting foods you like, avoiding overly salted food, (increases need for drinking water), family meeting places after an earthquake, out of state relatives that can assist in knowing where family members are and if they are OK, and taking care of your pets are just a few.

Sign-Up for Alerts

The City of Manhattan Beach will be enhancing our emergency communication platform and begin to transition all emergency messaging from NIXLE to Everbridge. Everbridge is a regional integration notification platform with 14 cities in the South Bay that allows you to opt-in to receive notifications via phone calls, text messaging, e-mail, and more based on locations you care about. You can choose to receive notifications about events that may affect your home, workplace, family’s schools, and more. If you are already receiving NIXLE alerts, you will continue to receive those alerts, however, you can update your profile and customize your alerts through Everbridge. Please take a moment and register for alerts by visiting https://member.everbridge.net/311578402488335/login, or by texting AlertSB to 888777. You can also download the app from your app store by searching for AlertSB and then create and customize your profile.

Be Prepared

Before a disaster strikes, there are several things you could do to better prepare. Take a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) class, join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and host a Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) meeting. For a disaster response plan for your family and your block that coordinates a response with the Fire Department, email the MYN Coordinator. 

One of the best things anyone can do is take a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course offered by the Manhattan Beach Fire Department. The training is 22 hours long and covers first aid, fire extinguishers, shutting off utilities and many more needed skills. Sign up for more CERT information. 

Emergency Operations Center

Manhattan Beach conducts disaster training exercises regularly and over the last few years, has focused its training on not only earthquakes, but terrorism. The City has an organized Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as its “Headquarters”  with trained key City workers for their roles in the event of an emergency. No City can stand alone during major disasters and Mutual Aid systems to obtain local, regional, state and federal assistance, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), have already been identified and are in place. Relocation shelters coordinated by the Red Cross will also be activated during a major emergency if needed. One key step that is proven to increase effectiveness of government during a crisis is to identify the potential impacts of a disaster as soon as possible and implement the Mutual Aid system as early as possible. The City of Manhattan Beach is prepared, are you?

Other Useful Links

Federal Emergency Management Agency  (FEMA)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Boy Scouts of America: Emergency Preparedness        

MyHazards What Natural Hazards Impact Your Neighborhood?

Storm Preparedness

Manhattan Beach Storm Preparedness (PDF)

Useful Presentations

Dr. Lucy Jones Earthquake Preparedness Slide Presentation (PDF) Presentation Handout: Emergency Supply Check List (PDF)

Margaret Vinci Earthquake Preparedness Slide Presentation (PDF)