” Be Prepared –
    NOT Paranoid “

The Century City Chamber of Commerce provides leadership in public safety and emergency preparedness not just for the business community but also for its residential district.   Members of the Chamber’s  Emergency Preparedness Council have plans to meet with the general manager and security administrator from each of Century City’s residential communities to promote emergency preparedness and communications between all of Century City’s residential communities. 

The low rise residential luxury gated community of Park Place is an outstanding example of a well prepared residential community that is coordinating its preparedness efforts with the Council for the benefit of all its residents at Park Place.  Establishing a coordinated communications plan between the various residential and commercial communities in Century City could well prove to be critical to successful rescue efforts here in the event outside communication networks are down.

To protect its residents the Park Place security team coordinates with the LAPD, LA County Fire, and County emergency personnel.  According to Park Place management, this year one major goal is to identify residents with practical training like doctors, nurses, EMTs, firefighters, former military, law enforcement, and teachers who have experience in leadership, and education.  The plan is to invite these individuals to voluntarily share their organizational and emergency training and experience that can help improve emergency readiness at Park Place.

While every Park Place resident and employee can play a role in supporting public safety, first responders have advised that the understandable expectation of many residents and workers is that they defer to the public safety professionals who are trained and equipped to address safety issues.  However, first responders have advised that people should not rely solely on them as this support will most likely not be immediately available in a major disaster.  

In such a catastrophic event,  first responders will be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of distress calls and may not have immediate physical access to the disaster-stricken area.  Taking steps to become self-reliant in the case of a catastrophic event is critical. 

Park Place management informs us it takes emergency preparedness very seriously. “We have comprehensive plans for addressing fire, earthquake, and other emergencies that include on-site safe evacuation spaces. Also, we organize and train the HOA employees from staff, security, and gardeners to have a support role in maintaining safety for our residents.  We encourage residents to create their own go-bags, first-aid kits, sanitation materials, and food and water supplies and store them in their homes.” 

Park Place management further explains that management regularly communicates with the residents to increase situational awareness and to provide them with information and resources from reputable organizations like the American Red Cross.

Marshall Thompson, the Chamber member since 2017 and co-chair of the Logistics & Inventory Committee with Bess Hochman, says “As a Boy Scout, our motto is ‘Be prepared.’ This phrase has guided me throughout my adult life and has led me into various volunteer roles with the Chamber, the American Red Cross, and CERT – Community Emergency Response Team.  As an optimist in an uncertain world, I think everybody wants to support emergency preparedness.  Organizations like the Red Cross and the Chamber offer people a structure in which to serve the greater community”.