Local preparedness nonprofit urges broader community training and partnership with city
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Summary
Carla Sullivan Dilley of the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network urged Palm Desert to expand CERT and community preparedness training; she described free volunteer training programs that have trained thousands and requested staff partnership to increase outreach ahead of major events and disasters.
The Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network (CVDPN) presented to the Palm Desert City Council Jan. 8, urging the city to expand preparedness training for residents, businesses and visitors.
Carla Sullivan Dilley, past president of CVDPN and a long-time Palm Desert resident, described the nonprofit as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) that provides free disaster-preparedness education, noting the organization has trained more than 15,000 Valley residents over 10 years and delivered more than 5,000 trainings in the most recent reporting period. She emphasized the need to plan for the area’s 14.5 million annual visitors and requested a meeting with appropriate staff and council to formalize partnership and wider outreach.
CVDPN highlighted collaboration with city emergency services coordinator Daniel Hurtado and other partners (Sheriff’s Department, Edison) and asked the council to consider expanding CERT offerings and public messaging. Council thanked the presenters and staff for the briefing.
