Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 2.A
Meeting Date: May 13, 2026
From: Michael Contreras, Fire Chief
Title: Presentation and Update from the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network (CVDPN)
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file the informational presentation from the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network (CVDPN) regarding disaster preparedness resources and services available to Cathedral City residents.
BACKGROUND:
Executive Summary:
At the request of the City Council, representatives from the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network (CVDPN) will provide an overview of the organization's mission, programs, and resources available to Cathedral City residents, businesses, homeowners associations (HOAs), and houses of worship.
Over the past three years, CVDPN has partnered with Cathedral City Fire & EMS (CCFE) to deliver community-based disaster preparedness education to a wide range of resident groups throughout the City. CVDPN is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer nonprofit organization that has served the Coachella Valley since 2017 and provides its training programs free of charge in both English and Spanish. The presentation is informational in nature; no formal Council action is required.
Background:
Cathedral City and the broader Coachella Valley face a wide range of natural and human- caused hazards. The City's location in proximity to the San Andreas Fault places it among the highest seismic-risk communities in California. In addition, residents are exposed to extreme heat events, wildland-urban interface fire risk, flash flooding, prolonged power outages, severe windstorms, and infrastructure disruptions.The City of Cathedral City 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Update identifies these threats and emphasizes the importance of community-based preparedness as a core component of community resilience.
Cathedral City Fire & EMS has long recognized that the first 72 hours following a major disaster are the most critical period for resident self-sufficiency, and that residents who are personally prepared significantly reduce the burden on first responders. To advance this goal, CCFE has, over the past three years, partnered with the Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network to deliver targeted preparedness presentations to community groups, neighborhoods, mobile home parks, senior populations, and residential communities throughout Cathedral City.
During this period, the Fire Department has hosted and supported CVDPN-led presentations and outreach activities throughout Cathedral City.
At the City Council's request, CVDPN representatives will present an overview of services that the organization can continue to provide to Cathedral City residents, businesses, and community organizations.
DISCUSSION:
CVDPN is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in its current form in 2017. The organization's predecessor, the Coachella Valley Emergency Readiness Group (CVERG), was originally formed in 2014 as a partner of the Riverside County Emergency Management Department (EMD). Following county-wide budget reductions in 2017, the Board of Directors voted to incorporate as an independent nonprofit to sustain its mission and pursue charitable funding. CVDPN serves all nine cities of the Coachella Valley, plus unincorporated county areas, with a combined population of approximately 500,000 residents.
CVDPN's stated mission is to provide all citizens of the Coachella Valley with training, education, and networking opportunities to be prepared for all disasters. The organization operates under the guiding principle of “No Community Left Behind,” delivering inclusive, all- hazards preparedness training in both English and Spanish. CVDPN is explicit that it is an educator, not a first-responding agency, and its programs are designed to support and complement the work of CCFE, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, and other public safety partners.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City. The Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides all its training and educational services free of charge to Coachella Valley residents and community organizations.
Any continued staff coordination by CCFE is performed within existing budgeted resources.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal E-4 – Safety, Strengthen the City’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters by reviewing and updating the City’s Emergency Operations Plans through annual training sessions and tabletop exercises.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network – Organizational Overview CVDPN Presentation