During and after a disaster, communication is king. When you can get updates on what is happening in your area, you’ll make better decisions and be less likely to panic. It’s helpful to have several alternate ways of getting updates in case one or more channels are down.
TCEP volunteers post verified information updates to our Emergency Status page during incidents such as fires, earthquakes, floods and Southern California Edison Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Information includes timestamped incident status updates, electrical circuits on the PSPS watch list and circuits that have been shut off, evacuation orders by Zone, major road closures, school closures and shelter locations, as applicable.
Other websites to bookmark include:
This mass notification telephone system calls LA County residents and plays a recorded message during emergencies. You must register all phones, including landlines and cell phones, plus emails and texts.
During smaller incidents, call our telephone Hotline (310-455-3000) to hear updated recorded messages that mirror information on the Emergency Status Page. When our Emergency Operations Center is activated in larger incidents, the Hotline will be answered by trained operators.
The PulsePoint app is tied to the LA County Fire dispatch system and can notify you of nearby vegetation and structure fires. Download our step-by-step guide to set up PulsePoint on your phone.
Ready For Wildfire is Cal Fire's notification and incident app. You can get push notifications and text alerts for wildfires within 30 miles of your location and see a map of current fire incidents.
FEMA and the Red Cross offer free apps with disaster safety tips and emergency shelter locations. These apps don’t provide real time disaster updates for Topanga.
Google “How to turn your smartphone into an emergency kit” to find more apps.
If you use social media, then you know it’s a great way to get updates on what’s happening locally and around the world. If you don’t use social accounts, at the very least, consider setting up a Twitter account and making it part of your Disaster Supply Kit. Practice logging on and reading TCEP tweets on your phone.
Follow TCEP on Twitter to get incident updates. Like our Facebook page to get periodic emergency planning tips and resources.
Other Twitter accounts to follow include:
@LACoFD_DivVII (County Fire Division 7 Topanga/Malibu area)
@LACoFDPIO (County Fire Public Information Officer)
@CalTransDist7 (for info on Topanga Canyon Blvd and PCH)
If landline phones, cell phones, TV, cable, and internet communications go down for an extended period of time (Topanga is quite vulnerable to this kind of total communications collapse), ham radio may be the only way to communicate. TCEP's Disaster Radio Team can help you get on the air.
