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Lake Havasu City chiefs outline emergency plans, training, and equipment upgrades
Summary
Fire and police chiefs described the city's emergency operations plan, training programs, deployable barriers, emergency operations center, intelligence-sharing, radio upgrades and other investments intended to maintain public safety during large events and unusual incidents.
Lake Havasu City’s fire and police chiefs gave residents an overview of the city’s emergency planning, training and recent equipment upgrades at the Feb. 7 “Coffee with the Mayor.”
Fire Chief Pete (identified in the session as the fire chief and emergency manager) and Police Chief Troy Sterling summarized the city's emergency operations plan, mutual-aid relationships, special-event planning, training programs and technical investments intended to reduce risk and speed response.
The chiefs said the city maintains an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) adjacent to dispatch that can be opened for large incidents; they described regular joint planning with county, state and regional partners and monthly law-enforcement coordination. The police chief said the city also routinely plans for the “big three” holiday weekends with staffing adjustments and dedicated medical squads in the channel area.
“People come out here to enjoy paradise,” the fire chief said, adding that Lake Havasu City has limited resources and would call in outside support early if needed. The chief noted some wildland risk in vegetation pockets but said most of the city is low-density rock and desert that reduces wildfire risk.
Barrier systems and crowd safety The chiefs discussed temporary and permanent measures to protect downtown and special-event crowds. The police department has acquired deployable barriers for McCulloch Boulevard and is seeking grant funding for a permanent or enhanced portable system to protect main-event corridors and side streets.
Intelligence, mutual aid and the EOC Police Chief Sterling described intelligence sharing through a state fusion / active center and regular contact with regional law-enforcement partners including Yuma, La Paz, San Bernardino County, Kingman and Bullhead. He said license-plate-reader cameras at key ingress/egress points have helped investigations of stolen vehicles, robbery and other major crimes.
Emergency communications and infrastructure Both chiefs described ongoing upgrades to the city’s radio and communications systems. The police chief said the current radio system is approaching 10 years of age and that next-generation handsets will be needed; the department is exploring solutions that can seamlessly switch to LTE (cellular) when radio frequencies are unavailable. The fire chief noted agreements with new cellular towers that allow the city to colocate public-safety equipment on those towers at little or no cost.
Prevention and school safety The city’s fire prevention bureau performs inspections and public-education programs at schools and community venues. The police department described its NOVA youth program (a prevention and civic-education program for fifth graders with follow-up into ninth grade) and said school resource officers and classroom visits build relationships that can produce early intelligence and safer campuses.
Community volunteers and specialized teams Officials highlighted volunteer and specialty assets: a strong Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) supporting events; a county hazmat team with technician-level personnel funded largely by grants; a technical rescue team and drone capability for search and rescue; and Knox Box access for rapid entry on certain residential properties.
Technology and community notifications The city plans to expand its HaveASU Now public app to deliver notifications; officials urged residents to subscribe. The chiefs also discussed mobile command vehicles and the advantages of newer portable systems to maintain dispatch and communications during a major incident.
What they asked of residents Public-safety leaders urged residents to follow basic preparedness guidance, heed trail signage (particularly at Sarah Park during hot weather) and use the city’s reporting tools for suspicious activity and roadside trash. They stressed cooperation across agencies and the value of community volunteers in augmenting response during major events.
Why it matters Lake Havasu City officials said the city is not a high-risk urban target but still plans and trains for worst-case scenarios. The chiefs emphasized coordination, mutual aid, and technology investments as central to maintaining response capability as the city grows and hosts large seasonal events.
