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Palo Alto audit finds strong wildfire preparedness but urges clearer outreach, plan updates
Summary
City auditorfound Palo Alto has robust wildfire prevention and response programs but recommended improvements on outreach, tracking inspections and formalizing agreements; committee approved audit and management largely agreed with recommendations.
The Policy & Services Committee on April 8 considered the Office of the City AuditorEmergency Preparedness: Wildfire Audit and voted to forward the audit to the full City Council with staff responses.
The audit, presented remotely by City Auditor Kate Murdock, examined whether the city is working to prevent wildfires and is adequately prepared to respond as part of its emergency management plan. Murdock said the audit assessed the city's efforts against guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and CAL FIRE.
Murdock said the review found that Palo Alto has "made significant investments" in prevention and mitigation, noting work begun in 2021 to underground distribution lines in high-risk Foothills wildland-urban interface areas and investments such as forward-looking infrared cameras and localized weather stations. She said the audit focused on prevention, protection and response and recommended improvements in several areas, including community outreach and follow-up on property inspection…
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