MALIBU—On Monday, February 8, the city of Malibu announced that they have received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to fund the City’s proposed outdoor emergency siren system.
“Wildfire has always been Malibu’s number-one public safety threat, but the size, duration and severity of the Woolsey Fire was unprecedented, and showed us the dangerous new normal of drought, climate change and California mega-fires,” said Mayor Mikke Pierson. “I am proud of the progress we have made in developing strategies to be even more prepared for disasters, including this siren system, which could be a powerful step toward community-wide preparedness.”
The FEMA grant will cover costs associated with the design, permitting, and environmental compliance of the outdoor warning siren system. The design and environmental phase of the project are estimated to cost up to $951,633. The grant will cover 75 percent of the total cost, which is approximately $713,724.75. Local funding will cover the remaining cost, which is approximately $237,908.
The outdoor siren system is part of the City’s Zero Power Plan, which was developed following the Woolsey Fire when power and cell phone service was lost citywide. An outdoor siren system would be one of several tools for communicating when systems are down, including Emergency Information Stations and Wireless Emergency Alerts. The sirens could also be used when other communications systems are functioning.
