Thousands of families in Los Angeles County have been displaced because of the deadly wildfires and are still trying to figure out how to recover. With the recent rains, many others fear that landslides could affect their homes and rely on emergency system alerts in case they have to evacuate.
Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42) is collaborating with the assigned entities to ensure the proper sharing of future emergency warnings.
On Monday, he and thirteen members of Congress representing Los Angeles County requested answers from critical agencies involved.
This is after the January 9, 2025 incident, in which about 10 million L.A. County residents received false or delayed evacuation warnings; others received the same message multiple times.
The message was intended only for the areas of Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Western Hills in the western part of the San Fernando Valley due to the Kenneth fire.
The message caused confusion and panic among residents who were never in danger. It took more than 20 minutes to issue a correction message. However, later at night and the following day, many residents across Los Angeles County continued to receive the incorrect evacuation warning or received the message multiple times.
The letters were sent to Genasys, Inc., the company that issues wireless emergency alerts,Los Angeles County, theFederal Management Agency (FEMA), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). They state that time and clear emergency alert messages can be the difference between life and death during life-safety emergencies.
“However, unclear messages sent to the wrong locations, multiple times and after the emergency has passed, can lead to alerting fatigue and erosion of public trust,” said the letter signed by the congress members.
Garcia is part of the Oversight Committee, which ensures all government operations are effective and streamlined. He said he is dedicated to cutting the red tape, improving government efficiency and holding federal agencies accountable.
Members of Congress are requesting answers no later than April 1, 2025.
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