Community Emergency Response Team

In coordination with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the County Office of Emergency Management has prepared a comprehensive guide to emergency preparedness intended to help the residents of Los Angeles County better prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The Emergency Survival Guide has 100 color pages of helpful tips and information for residents to prepare for fires, floods, earthquakes, pandemic flu, terrorism, extreme weather, and tsunamis. There is space to record household emergency plans including out-of-state contacts, family evacuation gathering points, and the location of utility shutoffs. The Emergency Survival Guide also includes checklists for gathering emergency supplies that will help individuals, families, pet owners, businesses and communities survive and recover after a major disaster.

The Emergency Survival Guide is available online at http://lacounty.gov. Additional information on preparing for disasters is also available online. Residents and business owners, including persons with access and functional needs may also call 211 LA County for emergency preparedness information and other referral services. The toll-free 2-1-1 number is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. 211 LA County services can also be accessed by visiting click here.

The West Covina Fire Department has not experienced any incidents in the city with SARS at this time. However, prevention is the key issue with any communicable disease. The following information has been provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is a brief look at SARS, which has captured our attention on the news. For more information you can log on the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars. 

The CDC is currently investigating a new disease called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The disease was first reported among people in Guangdong Province (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China). It has since spread to other countries. As of April 7, more than 100 cases of SARS had been reported in the United States. This fact sheet provides basic information about the disease and what is being done to combat its spread. 

Symptoms of SARS

In general, SARS begins with a fever greater than 100.4° F [greater than 38.0° C]. Other symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of discomfort, and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms. After 2 to 7 days, SARS patients may develop a dry cough and have trouble breathing. 

How SARS Spreads

Public health experts think that SARS is spread by close contact between people. SARS is most likely spread when someone sick with the disease coughs droplets into the air and someone else breathes them in. It is possible that SARS also can spread more broadly through the air or from touching objects that have become contaminated. 

Who is at Risk for SARS

Cases of SARS continue to be reported mainly among people who have had direct close contact with an infected person, such as those sharing a household with a SARS patient and health-care workers who did not use infection control procedures while taking care of a SARS patient. In the United States, there is no indication of community spread at this time. CDC continues to monitor this situation very closely. 

Possible Cause of SARS

Scientists at CDC and other laboratories have detected a previously unrecognized coronavirus in patients with SARS. While the new coronavirus is still the leading hypothesis for the cause of SARS, other viruses are still under investigation as potential causes. 

What you should do to protect yourself

CDC has issued interim guidelines for patients with suspected SARS in the health-care setting and in households. These guidelines may change as we learn more about SARS. If you get sick with the symptoms described above and have been in close contact with someone who might have SARS, see your health-care provider and follow the guidelines below. 

CDC Recommendations 

For individuals considering travel to affected parts of Asia:

CDC advises that people planning elective or nonessential travel to mainland China and Hong Kong, Singapore, and Hanoi may wish to postpone their trips until further notice. Visit the SARS travel advice page for more information about CDC's advice to travelers. 

For individuals who think they might have SARS:

People with symptoms of SARS (fever of more than 100.4° F [greater than 38.0° C] that is accompanied by a cough and/or difficulty breathing) should consult a health-care provider. To help the health-care provider make a diagnosis, tell them about any recent travel to places where SARS has been reported or whether there was contact with someone who had these symptoms.

For family members caring for someone with SARS:

CDC has developed interim infection control recommendations for patients with suspected SARS in the household. These basic precautions should be followed for 10 days after respiratory symptoms and fever are gone. During that time, SARS patients are asked to limit interactions outside the home (not go to work, school, or other public areas). 

For health-care workers:

Transmission of SARS to health-care workers appears to have occurred after close contact with sick people before recommended infection control precautions were put into use. CDC has issued interim infection control recommendations for health-care settings as well as for the management of exposures to SARS in health-care and other institutional settings. 

Again, we are not aware of any cases in West Covina at this time but provide this material as informational only. The CDC web site does provide an extensive amount of additional information on the subject of SARS.

How are threat conditions assessed?

The National Terrorism Threat Level is assigned by the Attorney General in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, based on an ongoing analysis of the threat. There are several factors considered when assigning a specific threat condition. Among them: 

• Is the threat credible?
• Is the threat corroborated?
• Is the threat specific and/or imminent?
• How grave is the threat?

What does the increased levels in the advisory system mean to various community sectors?

In March of 2002, a Presidential Directive created the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS), in an effort to improve coordination and cooperation among all levels of government and the general public in the fight against terrorism. The system was intended to create a common vocabulary -- a common understanding of the meaning behind the changes in threat conditions. 

The office of Homeland Security publishes recommended actions for each community sector based each level or risk. 

How and when is a determination made to open the Emergency Operations Center?

The EOC would normally be activated when: A) An incident occurring in West Covina may be expected to require outside resources for mitigation, or B) An incident has occurred outside of our jurisdiction that bears monitoring in anticipation of affecting our City. The EOC may be opened upon the recommendation of field personnel who determine an incident is sufficient to warrant it or by management personnel who want to stay ahead of a developing scenario. 

Once open, what is the function of the EOC?

The EOC provides support for field operations by locating and allocating additional resource and by anticipating future needs as an incident unfolds while maintaining a continual "situation status". EOC personnel also provide a formal communications link with our community and emergency operations in other communities. EOC personnel also begin the documentation and coordination necessary to insure the recovery of eligible funding reimbursement from the State or FEMA. 

What is the role of our Council during a disaster?

Council role during a disaster is much as it is during normal operations, that is, the Council establishes the policy that guides the rest of the organization. The Council is also the primary avenue of releasing information to the public as well as monitoring and addressing community concern. 

Where and how do we get our information and updates?

Much of the information comes from the Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning Center (TEW). The TEW is made up of FBI, Sheriff, LAPD and the Area Fire Service. The TEW is staffed 24 hours a day and monitors events world wide with an ear to how they may affect Southern California.

Information is also obtained from many other sources including the Office of Homeland Security and other emergency and non-emergency organizations local and nationwide. 

How are we connected to the rest of the system, area wide, statewide and nationally?

Once the EOC is activated, we are in direct communication with the County EOC who has a nationwide communication capability. Additionally, the States mutual aid system operates independently from but in conjunction with the County EOC system. Virtually unlimited resource is available to our community in the event of a disaster by simply asking for it.