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Advocates propose 'safety ambassador' program as part of East Palo Alto safety element
Summary
CRC recommended a safety‑ambassador program to train residents in neighborhood disaster preparedness and response; commissioners welcomed the idea but asked how it would be resourced and integrated with other emergency plans.
Camille Lang described a proposed safety ambassador program included in the draft safety element that would train residents to respond at the neighborhood level, modeled loosely on CERT‑style programs. "We recommended a safety ambassador program that's now, a part of the draft policy," Lang said.
Lang said community members repeatedly told project staff they "don't know what to do" in a disaster and were uncertain where to go or who to contact. The ambassador idea is intended to incorporate that feedback into an actionable program the city and CRC could deliver in partnership.
Commissioners asked how the program would be funded and whether it would duplicate or complement county or mutual‑aid emergency efforts. Staff responded that the general plan identifies policy priorities and that implementation steps — such as funding, zoning or CIP alignment — would follow through separate budget and program decisions. Staff also referenced the city’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan process as related work that the safety element would inform.
