"The report - compiled by the McChrystal Group and released more than eight months after the fires - found that county practices around issuing emergency alerts, specifically evacuations, are "outdated, unclear and contradictory." That, coupled with confusion about who has what authority around evacuation decision-making, "led to inconsistencies in preparedness strategies across the county and a lack of clear documentation and communication processes," the report said."
"In addition, the report said, first responders using a variety of unconnected platforms and inconsistent practices struggled to share information in real-time. "The extreme and rapidly moving fire conditions challenged the situational awareness of fire and law enforcement first responders," the report said, "making it difficult to communicate the fire's location to the public. This was especially prevalent during the Eaton Fire, when wind conditions grounded aerial resources, including surveillance, almost immediately after the fire started.""
County emergency alert and evacuation practices were outdated, unclear and contradictory, producing inconsistent evacuation strategies and confused authority over evacuation decision-making. First responders relied on multiple unconnected platforms and inconsistent practices, which impeded real-time information sharing. Extreme, rapidly moving fire conditions and high winds challenged situational awareness and grounded aerial surveillance, complicating communication of the fire’s location to the public. Recommendations include restructuring and increasing staffing at the Office of Emergency Management, updating training and policies, upgrading obsolete systems, investing in public emergency education, and exploring new incident management systems.
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