Police and fire chiefs walk through evacuation zones, alert systems and a 2026 smart‑signal traffic project

Police and fire leaders at the Moraga emergency preparedness meeting described how the town will warn residents, how evacuation zones are used, and infrastructure projects intended to improve evacuation movement.

Police Chief King said the town is divided into 21 evacuation zones with detailed zone plans that list estimated population, potential traffic‑control points and suggested routes. He said emergency notifications will primarily come through the Community Warning System (CWS), and officials maintain draft messages that include the “what, who, where, when and how.” He noted the wireless emergency alert system is used for more widespread, imminent threats and that officers will use public‑address systems and door knocks as needed. "When the order comes, it's time to go," King said. "It's not time to spend 15 or 20 minutes gathering stuff. It's time to get the heck out of Dodge now."

King described routine drills — including a Campolindo neighborhood exercise — and said the town practices both neighborhood evacuations and command‑post management drills to test decision‑making behind the scenes. He emphasized unified command between fire and police on incidents: "We call it a unified command," he said. "… if we see fire starting to move, the fire chief, the police chief, or the incident commander on both the fire and the police side will make a decision about what we need to do."

On communications and technology, King highlighted the Genesis (ZoneHaven) mapping product that shows evacuation zones throughout the region and the town’s use of CWS, Nixle/Everbridge, PulsePoint and other tools. He urged all residents to register for CWS and said camp‑ and neighborhood‑level exercises have revealed issues (for example, a traffic signal problem at Campolindo and Moraga Road noted during a recent drill) that the town is addressing with public works.

Town and public‑works leaders also described a smart‑signal program, funded in part by a congressional earmark secured by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, that will link regional signals so outbound evacuation traffic can be prioritized. The project is planned for 2026. King and public‑works staff also discussed a concept for a multiuse trail along Moraga Way that could function as an additional lane for evacuations if funding is secured. Chief Isaacs and the police chief said the town will continue evacuation rehearsals and cautioned that every incident is different; officials recommended residents know multiple routes from their home and practice a family evacuation plan.