Encinitas emergency manager tells seniors to prepare now for year‑round hazards

Marie Jones Kirk, the City of Encinitas emergency manager, urged members of the Senior Citizen Commission on Jan. 21 to treat emergency preparedness as a year‑round responsibility and to make concrete plans for evacuation, communications and basic needs.

Kirk told commissioners the region faces multiple hazards — wildland fire, severe storms and earthquakes — and said residents should know their likely hazards, identify evacuation routes, and assemble a go‑kit that includes medicines and hard copies of important documents. "You don't have to wait for an evacuation order to evacuate," Kirk said, adding that early personal decisions can reduce panic and stranded vehicles during fast‑moving incidents.

Kirk summarized tools and notifications available to residents: daily alerts and maps from SDG&E showing fire‑danger areas, the county's Alert San Diego system (for which residents must opt in by registering phones and email addresses), and the county app and the mass‑notification application Genasys Protect that shows evacuation warning and order layers. She recommended that people "register your cell phones with the Alert San Diego system" and download Genasys Protect to monitor warnings for up to five addresses.

Kirk said evacuations in Encinitas would be coordinated between the Fire Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which evaluates the scope of an incident before issuing evacuation orders. "Evacuations are the responsibility of the sheriff's department," she said. She also said the city can stand up emergency shelters at the community senior center with Red Cross support and that the city works with the fairgrounds to accommodate large animals.

During questions, Commissioner Stern asked, "Do the cell towers still work, or do they go out?" Kirk replied that cell towers typically remain functional because of backup generation, though they can fail if directly damaged by fire. On specific concerns for older residents, Kirk advised building neighbor networks, documenting mobility or medical needs in advance, and keeping essential items (including shoes and flashlights) next to the bed to speed evacuation.

Kirk noted that assisted‑living facilities are licensed by the state and are required to maintain emergency plans and drill them regularly; she suggested that residents still keep personal go‑kits even if their facility conducts drills. She also recommended that pet owners pack a separate go‑kit for their animals and said sheltering plans now generally allow for pets, which reduces the chance that people will refuse to evacuate because they cannot bring animals.

Kirk closed by urging repeated practice of plans and keeping at least 72 hours of supplies at home, including medication and hard copies of prescriptions and identity documents. "You are anointed emergency managers," she told commissioners, asking them to spread the message in their neighborhoods.

Ending

Commissioners thanked Kirk for the presentation and discussed distributing printed preparedness guides to high‑risk neighborhoods; Kirk offered to coordinate follow‑up materials and links with city staff.