Sierra Madre Council extends local emergency, empowers city manager to act as emergency director amid rain forecasts

The Sierra Madre City Council on Feb. 11 voted unanimously to continue the local emergency declared after the Eaton Fire and to authorize the city manager to act as the city's director of emergency services, a move city leaders said is needed to respond faster to an incoming rain event that could trigger mud and debris flows.

The action extends the council's January emergency declaration and, by ordinance, reestablishes the city manager's authority to adopt emergency executive orders without waiting for a council meeting. City Attorney Gargosian said the city manager made the request "in light of the rains that are going to begin on Wednesday and continue" and that continuing the proclamation allows staff to place an emergency discussion item on the agenda immediately.

The council and staff described operational preparations already under way. Public works crews have staged K-rails and filled sandbags at higher-risk locations; Director Yunez reported distribution of approximately 52 K-rails, more than 550 unfilled sandbags for distribution, and over 1,000 filled sandbags placed in the north part of town. Public works and fire personnel said they have been coordinating daily with Los Angeles County task forces and consulting hydrologic maps and a state watershed emergency response report to place best-management practices.

Sierra Madre police and fire officials warned residents to sign up for the city's emergency notification tools and to be ready to evacuate. Fire Chief Barrientos said multiple meetings at the Emergency Operations Center have prepared teams and added: "If an evacuation order is issued, please do not hesitate. Follow the direction to evacuate." Fire personnel and search-and-rescue volunteers emphasized that, during an active debris flow, rescuers will not enter hazardous areas and asked residents to heed evacuation orders to avoid putting first responders at risk.

Staff said the City's Genesis Protect mapping and Nixle/Smart911 notifications will be used to issue advisories, warnings, and evacuation orders; officials said Genesis Protect will show refined A/B/C zones for mud-and-debris risk and urged residents to "zoom in" on the app to confirm whether their address is in a higher-risk subzone. City staff also noted that sandbags are available from the public works yard with proof of residence and that Victory Park (a county location) can provide supplies to Sierra Madre residents.

Council members asked staff to return to the next meeting with a formal, on-the-record resolution that explicitly references mud and debris flows and extends the 60-day review period provided by Government Code section 8630. The council then voted to continue the proclamation of the local emergency to cover the Eaton Fire and any subsequent potential debris flows.

The ordinance that the council adopted at the same meeting (Ordinance 14-78) reestablished the city manager as director of emergency services and clarified that the city manager may appoint and remove the city clerk (an administrative change). Council amended the draft to let the city manager set the order of succession for the director role rather than requiring advance council approval of that succession list.

The council's actions are meant to allow the manager, acting as emergency director, to adopt immediate measures such as parking restrictions and evacuation rules needed to protect life and critical infrastructure during the expected storm window.

Officials emphasized that any executive orders adopted by the manager during the declared emergency must be ratified by council within the statutory time frame, and that the public will be notified through the city's emergency channels and social media.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to continue proclamation of local emergency (Eaton Fire and potential debris flows): passed unanimously (4-0; one member excused). - Ordinance 14-78 (designating city manager as director of emergency services, with administrative edits): passed as amended unanimously (4-0; one member excused).