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P.A. fire authorities assure good disaster preparation in face of escalating public anxiety

The Palo Alto city is well prepared for different forms of disasters, and the public should refrain from overreacting and overburdening the local emergency services, fire authorities said.

Since the 9-11 attack, the city's 911 system has received an increasing number of reports that do not have warrant in an emergency response, said Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva.

"We are now responding about ten calls a day to people who see 'suspicious' things that they see everyday of their lives -- a white power that turns out to be peeling from a painting on the wall, or an envelope that doesn't have a return address or has an incorrect postage, a misspelled name, or even a post mark in Florida," said the chief.

"The city is well-equipped. We are well-prepared…This is the time to be vigilant, but this is not the time to be fearful and panic," he added.

To deal with all kinds of disasters, ranging from earthquakes and floods to fires and terrorism attacks, the city has developed an emergency plan to provide coordinated and instant emergency services, said the chief.
Under the plan, the city will activate its emergency operation center, located underground in the city hall, whenever there is a major disaster, he said.

"We opened the emergency operation center during the floods in 1998 when over 400 homes were affected. We exercised it last year before the Y2K, and this year on Sept. 11, even though the attacks were in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania," said Grijalva.

When activated, the emergency center serves as a command post to coordinate activities of all different city departments and take responsibility for communicating with other government authorities, said Mick McDonald, head of the city's emergency services office.

Even in normal days, the city's fire department is in constant communication with its Californian counterparts, with which it has mutual aid plans to share emergency aid resources and to jointly hold exercises, said Grijalva.

With combined supporting resources in the Santa Clara County, the Palo Alto is backed up by hundreds of firefighters, six hazardous materials response teams, and a transportation network for a county-wide multiple casualty incident plan, he said.

"I can get 180 firefighters here within less than an hour. These are not plans that are just sitting on the shelves. These are plans that we exercise regularly," he said.

Larry Hassett, member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force - a local community group that meets monthly to evaluate and make recommendations on the emergency response plans for the Palo Alto city - shared the chief's confidence.

"I think the city has done a tremendous job in being aware of any kind of disaster…Terrorism is something that I don't think on the radar screen of any of us, but we have perhaps the most skilled, well-trained emergency response teams in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and other surrounding communities," he said.

"I feel safe," he said.

But Hassett also urged the government to make a greater effort to enhance the city's communication process - not only during, but also before and after a disaster, he said.

Recommendations made by his group to better achieve the goal include setting up new radio stations, getting better cooperation with local station channels, and improving the public warning system, Hassett said.

The city government has been working closely with the Blue Ribbon Task Force and will take further steps to upgrade its emergency plan, said McDonald.

Details of the city's emergency plan can be found on-line at www.pafd.org, and further information is available at the city's emergency services office at 650-617-3197.

For those who would need the latest update about the city's public safety information after an out-of-town trip, the city public information hotline at 650-329-2420 can be utilized.