EPRC endorses application to add Alert California cameras in Los Altos Hills

The Emergency Preparedness & Response Committee voted to support the technology committee’s effort to apply for Alert California camera additions in Los Altos Hills.

Ameesh Divatia, who led the fire detection and prevention subcommittee presentation, told the committee the group had identified six candidate in-town sites — three high-priority locations and three lower-priority backups — and recommended starting with water-tank and other publicly owned high-elevation sites to maximize line-of-sight coverage. "We have 6 camera sites that we are proposing," Divatia said, and he described site-survey criteria including GPS location, power availability, cellular connectivity and whether the site is publicly owned.

Divatia and others said the current regional Alert California deployment has cameras on surrounding ridges but none inside Los Altos Hills; that terrain and ridge lines limit valley-floor visibility, and in-town cameras would allow earlier detection of ignitions near populated areas. The presenters also explained that Alert California is state-funded and administered through UC San Diego, and that the county or the state controls the network’s cameras and operations.

Following technical discussion about whether existing Alert California cameras are fixed or pan-tilt units and how to confirm power and tower access at proposed locations, a committee member moved that the EPRC endorse the technology committee / wildfire subcommittee in applying to Alert California for camera additions in Los Altos Hills. The motion was seconded and approved in a committee voice roll call; meeting minutes recorded the motion as passed with the members present voting in favor.

Committee members asked the subcommittee to coordinate a live presentation for Deputy Chief Brian Glass and other fire-district and Alert California decision-makers before formal submission, to validate site claims and ensure optimal siting. The subcommittee said next steps are to perform site surveys with town staff and then present the packet to the district and Alert California.

The committee’s endorsement is not an authorization to spend town funds; presenters said Alert California is state-funded and the next actions are site validation and an application process with Alert California. The committee asked that the subcommittee provide addresses and technical details for the proposed sites, and to keep the EPRC informed as county/district meetings with Alert California are scheduled.