Agenda packet — Pico Rivera City Council, October 28, 2025 (part 1 of 3)

*Commissioners receive a $30.00 stipend per each meeting held and attended. .

Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m.

Pico Rivera Senior Center
9200 Mines Avenue
Next Resolution No. 7445
Next Ordinance No. 1200
Next Agreement No. 25-2503
Successor Agency to PRRA
Next Resolution No. SA-25-33
Next Ordinance No. SA-01
Next Agreement No. S25-006
Housing Assistance Agency
Next Resolution No. HA-112
Next Ordinance No. HA-16
Water Authority
Next Resolution No. WA-25-37
Next Ordinance No. WA-25-01
Next Agreement No. WA-25-80
Public Financing Authority
Next Resolution No. PFA-25-13
ROLL CALL:

Mayor/Chairman/President:

John R. Garcia
Mayor Pro Tempore/Vice Chairman/Vice President:

Gustavo V. Camacho
Councilmembers/Directors/Commissioners:

Andrew C. Lara
Erik Lutz
Dr. Monica Sanchez
INVOCATION:

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

COMMISSIONERS SCHEDULED TO BE PRESENT:

Justin Schmidt, Planning Commission
Daniel Garcia, Veterans Commission
SPECIAL PRESENTATION:
• Certificate of Recognition – City’s Tree Adoption Program Volunteers • Volunteer Recognition Program – Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year: David Torres

PLEASE TURN OFF OR SILENCE CELL PHONES WHILE MEETING IS IN SESSION

AND PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TEXTING DURING THE MEETING
**Any invocation that may be offered before the official start of the Council meeting shall be the voluntary offering of a private citizen, to and for the benefit of the Council. The views or beliefs expressed by the invocation speaker have not been previously reviewed or approved by the Council, and the Council does not endorse the religious beliefs or views of this, or any other invocation speaker.
**************************************************************************************************** In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the City of Pico Rivera is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability. Please call the City Clerk’s office at (562) 801-4389, if special accommodations are necessary and/or if information is needed in an alternative format. Special requests must be made in a reasonable amount of time in order that accommodations can be arranged (within 24 to 48 hours’ notice).

Meeting jointly and regularly with the Pico Rivera Successor Agency to the Pico Rivera Redevelopment Agency (as needed); Pico Rivera *Housing Assistance Agency (as needed); Pico Rivera Water Authority (as needed); and Public Financing Authority (as needed) 10-28-2025 Agenda City Council

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PUBLIC HEARING:

City Council:

1. Public Hearing – Adopt the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. (1000) a) Open public hearing
b) Memo from City Manager
c) Written Communications
d) Oral Communications
e) Close public hearing
f) Recommendation:

1. Approve a resolution adopting the draft 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) and authorize staff to submit the document to the California Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for final approval; and

2. Find the LHMP exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).

Resolution No. ____ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PICO RIVERA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE 2025 LOCAL

HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN (LHMP) AND AUTHORIZE ITS SUBMITTAL

TO THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (CAL OES)

AND THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)

FOR FINAL APPROVAL
PUBLIC COMMENTS:

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY LISTED AGENDA ITEMS OR NONAGENDA ITEMS, PLEASE FILL OUT A GREEN PUBLIC COMMENT REQUEST FORM

AND PROVIDE IT TO THE STAFF MEMBER AT THE BACK TABLE BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS.

When you are called to speak, please come forward and state your name and city of residency for the record. You have three (3) minutes to make your remarks. In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2, members of the City Council may only: 1) respond briefly to statements made or questions posed by the public; 2) ask a question for clarification; 3) provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information; 4) request staff to report to the City Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter raised by the public; and 5) direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.

City Council members cannot comment on items that are not listed on a posted agenda.

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS:

All items listed on the Consent Calendar may be acted on by a single motion without separate discussion. Any motion relating to a Resolution or Ordinance shall also waive the reading of the titles in full and include its adoption as appropriate. If discussion or separate vote on any item is desired by a Councilmember or staff, that item may be pulled from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration.

CONSENT CALENDAR:
10-28-2025 Agenda City Council

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City Council:

2. Minutes:
• City Council regular meeting October 14, 2025
Recommendation: Approve

3. 5th Warrant Register of the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year. (700) Check Numbers: 298736-298849
Special Check Numbers: 17454
Recommendation: Approve

4. Resolution Updating the Job Descriptions for the Full-Time Equipment Mechanic I, II, and III/Lead. (200)
Recommendation:

1. Approve a resolution updating the job descriptions for the full-time Equipment Mechanic I, II and III/Lead positions.

Resolution No. ____ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF PICO RIVERA, CALIFORNIA, UPDATING THE JOB

DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE FULL-TIME POSITIONS OF EQUIPMENT

MECHANIC I, II, AND III/CREW LEADER

5. Consideration and Approval of Hardship Waiver – Leba, Inc. (500) Recommendation:

1. Approve a Hardship Waiver for LEBA, Inc. for the fiscal year 2025-26 1st and 2nd quarters.

6. First Quarter Treasurer’s Report and the Monthly Investment Transaction Report as of September 30, 2025 – Fiscal Year 2025-2026. (700) Recommendation:

1. Receive and file the Treasurer’s Report for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, which represents balances and activities for the first quarter (July through September) of the 2025-26 fiscal year; and

2. Receive and file the Treasurer’s Monthly Investment Transaction Report as of September 30, 2025.

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS PULLED FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
REGULAR AGENDA:

City Council:

7. First Reading and Introduction of an Ordinance of the 2025 California Building Codes, Title 24, Parts 1-12, and a Resolution for Required Amendments to Title 15, Building and Construction, of the Pico Rivera Municipal Code. (1300)
Recommendation:
10-28-2025 Agenda City Council

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1. Introduce and waive the first reading of an ordinance adopting the 2025 California Building Code, Title 24, Parts 1 through 12, and the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code;

2. Approve a resolution amending Title 15, Building and Construction, of the Pico Rivera Municipal Code; and

3. Set November 12, 2025, as the date for the public hearing of objections hereto.

Ordinance No. ____ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF PICO RIVERA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SPECIFIED
CHAPTERS OF TITLE 15 OF THE PICO RIVERA MUNICIPAL CODE
ADOPTING BY REFERENCE PARTS 1 THROUGH 12 OF TITLE 24 OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS AND THE 2024

INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE (FIRST READING

AND INTRODUCTION)
Resolution No. ____ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF PICO RIVERA, CALIFORNIA, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS FOR REQUIRED AMENDMENTS TO THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING

STANDARDS CODES RELATIVE TO LOCAL CLIMATIC, TOPOGRAPHIC

AND GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS

8. Citywide Artificial Intelligence Policy. (100)
Recommendation:

1. Approve an Artificial Intelligence Policy; and

2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to implement the policy and make minor administrative updates as needed.

CITY MANAGER/STAFF REPORTS
GOOD OF THE ORDER (INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGENCY MEETINGS, AB 1234

REPORTS, NEW BUSINESS, OLD BUSINESS)
CLOSED SESSION:
a. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.7
Property: Smith Park
Agency Negotiator Parties: Steve Carmona, City Manager
Negotiating Parties: El Rancho Unified School District
Under Negotiation: Terms of Joint Use/Cooperative Agreement ADJOURNMENT:
10-28-2025 Agenda City Council

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AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
I, Cynthia Ayala, City Clerk, for the City of Pico Rivera, DO HEREBY CERTIFY, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California, that the foregoing notice was posted at the Pico Rivera City Hall bulletin board, Pico Rivera website www.picorivera.org, Pico Rivera Post Office and Parks: Smith, Pico and Rivera which are available for the public to view on this 23rd, day of October 2025.

Dated 23rd, day of October 2025
Cynthia Ayala, CMC
City Clerk
SB343 NOTICE
In compliance with and pursuant to the provisions of SB343 any public writing distributed by the City Clerk to at least a majority of the City Council Members regarding any item on this regular meeting agenda will be available on the City’s website.

STATEMENT REGARDING DECORUM AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
If you wish to speak at the time set aside for public comments, the City Council has established the following standards and Rules of Decorum as allowed by State law. • Public comments are limited to those portions of the meeting referred to as Public Comments. These portions are intended for members of the public to address the City Council, Successor Agency, Housing Assistance Agency or Water Authority on matters related to agendas or any other items under the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council or Agencies. To submit a written comment, you may do so in advance by email to the City Clerk’s office at [email protected] prior to 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. For in-person comments, please fill out the desired color-coded card prior to the start of the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Once the meeting has begun, no further cards will be accepted.
• A yellow Public Hearing Comment Request card must be completed to speak during a Public Hearing.
• A green Public Comment Request – Card is for those wishing to address the Council/Agency on agenda items or any other items under the subject jurisdiction of the City Council/Agency.
• Citizens may address the Council, Successor Agency or Housing Assistance Agency once for a maximum of three minutes. After each speaker returns to his/her seat, the Mayor shall determine the time and manner of response, but typically if answers are available, they will be given after all speakers have had an opportunity to address the City Council.
• Members of the audience are asked to refrain from clapping or otherwise speaking from their seats. Those not meeting the standards for decorum may be escorted from the meeting.

RULES OF DECORUM CAN BE FOUND IN THE PICO RIVERA MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION

2.08.050 AS ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE 783 ADOPTED ON AUGUST 20, 1990 AND AMENDED BY ORDINANCES 822 (SEPTEMBER 21, 1992) AND 1020 (MARCH 21, 2006).

To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Manager
Meeting Date: October 28, 2025
Subject: PUBLIC HEARING – ADOPT 2025 LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
Recommendation:

2. Find the LHMP exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).

Strategic Priority:
4 - Health, Wellness & Safety - Create a safe and thriving City with low crime and high standards for health and wellness
Strategy:

4.5 Enhance Emergency Operations Center to ensure effective response in times of crisis.

Fiscal Impact:

There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund associated with a resolution to adopt a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Background:

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA-2000) requires local government agencies to develop and maintain a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) in order to be eligible for federal disaster relief and hazard mitigation funding.
1 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT – MEETING OF OCTOBER 28, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING – ADOPT 2025 LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

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The City of Pico Rivera’s (City) most recent LHMP was adopted in 2012 and is due for an update. The updated 2025 LHMP was developed over a twelve-month period with consultant assistance, extensive interdepartmental coordination, and robust community engagement, including public workshops, stakeholder meetings, and an online survey.

On July 29, 2024, the City contracted with Atlas Planning Solutions to prepare an LHMP that complies with the DMA-2000 and the FEMA 2025 Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide. The consultant team assisted City staff in reviewing hazards risks, updating vulnerability assessments, and identifying mitigation strategies tailored to the local risk profile.

On August 5, 2025, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) approved the draft LHMP. On August 11, 2025, FEMA deemed the draft LHMP approvable pending City Council adoption.

Discussion:

The draft LHMP includes the following components:

1. Documentation of the Planning Process: A detailed account of how the plan was developed, including stakeholder involvement, meeting schedules, data collection methods, and public outreach efforts.

2. Risk Assessment and Recommendations: An analysis that identifies and evaluates the hazards, along with recommended actions to reduce/eliminate risks.

3. Description of Natural Hazards: An overview of hazards (e.g., earthquakes & floods) that could potentially impact the community.

4. Vulnerability Assessment: A detailed assessment of the City’s vulnerability to identified hazards, including impacts to residents, buildings, critical facilities, and infrastructure.

5. Land Use and Loss Estimates: A description of current and future land uses, combined with estimates of potential losses, both human and economic, should a disaster occur.

6. Mitigation Strategy: A comprehensive strategy outlining goals, objectives, and specific mitigation actions aimed at protecting the City’s residents, property, and public assets.

7. Plan Maintenance Process: A framework to review, update, and evaluate the plan to ensure it remains current and effective over time.

8. State Review: Confirmation that the plan has been reviewed and approved by the State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) prior to FEMA submission.

9. Formal Adoption: A Resolution that the LHMP has been adopted by City Council.

The draft plan was made available for public review from on the City’s website and at City Hall for a 30-day period from May 14, until June 13, 2025.

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT – MEETING OF OCTOBER 28, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING – ADOPT 2025 LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

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Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
To guide the update process, the City formed a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) in July 2024. The HMPC served as the steering body for the plan and included representatives from:
• City departments (Public Works, Planning, Finance, Emergency Management) • Contract Agencies (Fire, Sheriff)
• The local school district
• The Chamber of Commerce and business community
• Utility companies (electric, water, gas)
• Community-based organizations and nonprofit representatives The HMPC met twice throughout the planning process to:
• Review hazard data and risk assessments.
• Develop and refine mitigation goals and strategies.
• Identify critical facilities and vulnerable populations. • Oversee community outreach efforts and incorporate public feedback into the plan.

The committee played a key role in ensuring that the LHMP is both technically sound and reflective of the community’s needs and priorities.

Community Outreach
A core component of the LHMP update was public participation, consistent with FEMA and Cal OES requirements. Public notification of the draft LHMP was disseminated through email announcements to 8,300 residents, the City’s website, and social media. • Outreach activities included:
o Public Workshop - Pico Rivera Senior Center (December 2024): Introduced the LHMP process, reviewed historic hazard events, and gathered community input on priority hazards.
o Stakeholder Meeting - On May 15, 2025, staff held a meeting with the administrators of Pico Rivera Gardens, an assisted living facility. This discussion informed strategies on emergency communications, vulnerable populations, and continuity of operations.
• Online Survey
• An online survey was available from January to April 2025 on the City’s Emergency Management Division’s webpage and publicized through social media. • A total of 40 residents responded, highlighting:
o Seismic hazards: 92.5% of respondents
o Flooding: 60% of respondents
o Adverse weather: 55% of respondents
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT – MEETING OF OCTOBER 28, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING – ADOPT 2025 LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

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• Respondents also identified community priorities, including:
o Emergency notification system
o Community outreach regarding emergency preparedness
o Training/education for residents and business owners
Public involvement played a key role in the planning process, with the goal of gathering input from residents and stakeholders. One concern raised by the public in a meeting held at the Senior Center was the City's ability to effectively evacuate areas of Pico Rivera in the event of an emergency. Community members emphasized the importance of having a clear, well-communicated evacuation plan in place to ensure public safety. As a result, an evacuation plan is currently under development and will be included as an annex in the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.

The consensus from the public was that the City should prioritize addressing Pico Rivera’s hazardous vulnerabilities and develop appropriate contingency plans to reduce potential impacts on the community and infrastructure. All feedback was considered and incorporated into the draft LHMP where applicable, ensuring that mitigation priorities reflect both technical analysis and community needs.

Environmental Analysis:

Approval of the LHMP is not subject to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) as this approval is not considered a "project" subject to CEQA but an administrative activity that will not approve a specific development project or result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.

Conclusion:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the draft 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and authorize staff to submit the document to the California Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for final approval.

Steve Carmona
SC:AB:HH:ca
Enclosure(s): 1) Resolution – Adopting 2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan 2) CEQA – Notice of Exemption
3) Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
4) FEMA Letter of Conditional Approval
RESOLUTION NO. ____

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PICO
RIVERA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING THE 2025 LOCAL HAZARD

MITIGATION PLAN (LHMP) AND AUTHORIZE ITS SUBMITTAL TO THE

CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (CAL OES) AND

THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) FOR

FINAL APPROVAL
WHEREAS, the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires local government agencies to develop and maintain a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) in order to be eligible for federal disaster relief and hazard mitigation funding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pico Rivera last adopted its LHMP in 2012, and FEMA requires that such plans be updated and readopted every five (5) years (44 C.F.R.§ 201.6(d)(3)); and
WHEREAS, the City initiated the 2025 LHMP Update to evaluate hazard risks, assess vulnerabilities, and develop updated mitigation goals and strategies; and WHEREAS, the City formed a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee comprised of City departments, community stakeholders, and representatives from neighboring jurisdictions to guide the planning process and ensure broad representation; and WHEREAS, the City conducted an extensive public outreach process, including public workshops, stakeholder meetings, and online surveys, to engage residents and stakeholders in identifying priority hazards and evaluating mitigation strategies; and WHEREAS, on August 5, 2025, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services approved the draft LHMP, and on August 11, 2025, FEMA deemed the draft LHMP approvable pending City Council adoption; and
WHEREAS, on October 6, 2025, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public meeting and voted to recommend adoption of the LHMP by the City Council; and WHEREAS, adoption by the City Council demonstrates the City’s commitment of fulfilling the mitigation goals and objectives outlined in the LHMP; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Pico Rivera as follows:

SECTION 1. The City Council finds that the above recitals are true and correct.

SECTION 2. The City Council finds that the approval of the LHMP is not subject to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to CEQA Enclosure 1
1a
RESOLUTION NO. ____

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Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) as this approval is not considered a "project" subject to CEQA but an administrative activity that will not approve a specific development project or result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.

SECTION 3. The City Council finds that the draft LHMP is consistent with the City’s General Plan goals and policies, including but not limited to:
• Safety Element
Goal 9.4: Collaborative community preparation, response and recovery in the event of disasters and emergencies.
o Policy 9.4-1 Emergency Management Division. Continue to support the efforts of the City’s Emergency Management Division to prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies.

SECTION 4. The City Council, pursuant to the findings set forth above, does hereby adopt a resolution to approve the LHMP and authorize staff to submit the adopted LHMP to the California Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for final review and approval.

SECTION 5. In the event that any portion of this Resolution is deemed invalid or is unenforceable, such provision shall be severable from the remainder and that the remainder of the Resolution shall be given full force and effect.

SECTION 6. In the event that any portion of this Resolution is deemed invalid or is unenforceable, such provision shall be severable from the remainder and that the remainder of the Resolution shall be given full force and effect.

SECTION 7. The City Clerk shall attest to the passage and approval of this resolution, and it shall thereupon be in full force and effect.

APPROVED AND PASSED this 28th day of October, 2025.
___________________________
John R. Garcia, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

Cynthia Ayala, CMC, City Clerk Arnold M. Alvarez-Glasman, City Attorney AYES:

NOES:

Statutory Exemptions. State code number:

_______________________________________________
Print Form
Notice of Exemption Appendix E
To: Office of Planning and Research From: (Public Agency): ____________________________ P.O. Box 3044, Room 113 _______________________________________________ Sacramento, CA 95812-3044 County Clerk
(Address)
___________________________
___________________________
County of: __________________
Project Title: ____________________________________________________________________________ Project Applicant: ________________________________________________________________________ Project Location - Specific:

Project Location - City: ______________________ Project Location - County:

Description of Nature, Purpose and Beneficiaries of Project:
_____________________
Name of Public Agency Approving Project: _____________________________________________________ Name of Person or Agency Carrying Out Project: ________________________________________________ Exempt Status: (check one):

Ministerial (Sec. 21080(b)(1); 15268);
Declared Emergency (Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a));
Emergency Project (Sec. 21080(b)(4); 15269(b)(c));
Reasons why project is exempt:

Lead Agency
Contact Person: ____________________________ Area Code/Telephone/Extension: _______________ If filed by applicant:

1. Attach certified document of exemption finding.

2. Has a Notice of Exemption been filed by the public agency approving the project? Yes No Signature: ____________________________ Date:

Signed by Lead Agency Signed by Applicant
Authority cited: Sections 21083 and 21110, Public Resources Code. Date Received for filing at OPR:

Reference: Sections 21108, 21152, and 21152.1, Public Resources Code. _______________
Categorical Exemption. State type and section number: ____________________________________ ______________________________________________
______________ Title: _______________________
Revised 2011
Enclosure 2
1b
City of Pico Rivera
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Cal OES/FEMA Review Draft, June 2025
Enclosure 3
1c

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION.................................................1 Plan Purpose and Authority...............................................................................................1 Plan Organization and Use................................................................................................3 Plan Goals ........................................................................................................................4 Planning Process ..............................................................................................................5 Public Engagement...........................................................................................................6 Plan Revision and Adoption...............................................................................................9 Plan Resources ................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 2 – COMMUNITY PROFILE....................................13 Setting and Location ....................................................................................................... 13 History ............................................................................................................................ 14 Demographics................................................................................................................. 15 Disabilities, Access, and Functional Needs...................................................................... 17 Homelessness ................................................................................................................ 18 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 19 Economy......................................................................................................................... 19 Development Profile........................................................................................................ 21 Infrastructure .................................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 3 – RISK ASSESSMENT.........................................27 Hazard Identification ....................................................................................................... 27 Hazard Profiles ............................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 4 – THREAT AND VULNERABILITY .......................95 Threat Assessment Process............................................................................................ 95 Threat Profiles ................................................................................................................ 99 CHAPTER 5 – HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGY................ 129 Strategy Development Process ..................................................................................... 129 Hazard Mitigation Strategies ......................................................................................... 146 2025 Mitigation Actions Plan ......................................................................................... 149 National Flood Insurance Program ................................................................................ 165 ii
CHAPTER 6 – PLAN MAINTENANCE.................................... 167 Coordinating Body ........................................................................................................ 167 Plan Implementation ..................................................................................................... 168 Plan Maintenance Process............................................................................................ 168 APPENDIX A – HMPC Meeting Materials ............................... A-1 APPENDIX B – Outreach Engagement Materials ................... B-1 APPENDIX C – Resolution of adoption................................... C-1 APPENDIX D – List of Key Facilities....................................... D-1 APPENDIX E – Hazard Mitigation Implementation Handbook E-1 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
1 CHAPTER 1 –

INTRODUCTION
Plan Purpose and Authority
Hazard events are emergencies due to a natural or human-caused event that has the potential to cause harm. These events can lead to injuries or death, affect the overall health and safety of a community, damage or destroy public and private property, harm ecosystems, and disrupt key services. Although the hazard event often gets the most attention, it is only part of a larger emergency management cycle.

Emergency planners and responders can take steps during the cycle's response, recovery, mitigation, and
preparedness phases to minimize the harm caused by a
disaster. The City of Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan (LHMP) focuses on optimizing the
mitigation phase of the process.

Hazard mitigation is “any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural or human-caused hazards and their effects.”1 This mitigation involves making a community more resilient so that when hazard events do ultimately occur, the
community suffers minor damage and can recover quickly
and effectively. Mitigation differs from preparedness, which involves advanced planning for how best to respond when a disaster occurs or is imminent. For example, a policy to make homes structurally stronger so they suffer minor
damage during an earthquake is a mitigation action, while fully equipping emergency shelters to accommodate
people who lose their homes in an earthquake is a
preparedness action. Some activities may qualify as both.2 Like other communities, the City of Pico Rivera (City) could suffer severe harm from hazard events. Although large disasters may cause widespread devastation, minor disasters can have more substantial effects. The City cannot make itself completely immune to hazard events, but this LHMP can help make the community a safer place to live, work, and play. This LHMP provides a comprehensive assessment of the city’s threats from natural and human-caused hazard events and a coordinated strategy to reduce these threats. It identifies resources and information to help community members, City staff, and local officials understand local threats and make informed decisions. The LHMP can also support increased coordination and 1 California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. 2017. State of California Emergency Plan. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/wpcontent/uploads/Preparedness/Documents/California_State_Emergency_Plan_2017.pdf 2 Rodin, J. 2014. The Resilience Dividend: Managing Disruption, Avoiding Disaster, and Growing Stronger in an Unpredictable World. New York: Public Affairs.

The Emergency Management
Cycle
Resiliency is the “capacity of any
entity—an individual, a community,
an organization, or a natural
system—to prepare for disruptions,
to recover from shocks and
stresses, and to adapt and grow
from a disruptive experience.”2
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
2 collaboration between the City, other public agencies, local employers, service providers, community members, and other key stakeholders.

FEDERAL AUTHORITY
The City is not required to prepare an LHMP, but
state and federal regulations encourage it. The
federal Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Act, amended by the Disaster
Management Act of 2000, creates a federal
framework for local hazard mitigation planning. It
states that jurisdictions that wish to be eligible for
federal hazard mitigation grant funding must
prepare a hazard mitigation plan that meets a
particular set of guidelines and submit this plan to
the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) for review and approval. These guidelines
are outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 44, Part 201, and discussed in greater detail
in FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool.

STATE AUTHORITY
California Government Code
Sections 8685.9 and 65302.6
California Government Code Section 8685.9 (also
known as Assembly Bill 2140) limits the State of
California's share of disaster relief funds paid out to local governments to 75 percent of the funds not paid for by federal disaster relief efforts unless the jurisdiction has adopted a valid hazard mitigation plan consistent with the Disaster Management Act of 2000 and has incorporated the hazard mitigation plan into the jurisdiction's general plan. The State may cover over 75 percent of the remaining disaster relief costs in these cases.

All cities and counties in California must prepare a general plan, including a safety element that addresses various hazard conditions and other public safety issues. The safety element may be a stand-alone chapter or incorporated into another section, as the community wishes.

California Government Code Section 65302.6 indicates that a community may adopt an LHMP into its safety element if the LHMP meets applicable state requirements. This allows communities to use the LHMP to satisfy state requirements for safety elements. As the General Plan is an overarching long-term plan for community growth and development, incorporating the LHMP into it creates a stronger mechanism for implementing the LHMP.

California Government Code Section 65302 (g)(4)
California Government Code Section 65302 (g)(4), also known as Senate Bill (SB) 379, requires that the safety element of a community's general plan address the hazards created or exacerbated by climate change. The safety element must identify how climate change is FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Policy
Guide
This guide provides the official policy and
interpretation of the applicable statutes and
mitigation planning regulation in 44 Code of
Federal Regulations.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
3 expected to affect hazard conditions in the community and include measures to adapt and be more resilient to these anticipated changes.

Because the LHMP can be incorporated into the safety element, including these items in the LHMP can satisfy the state requirement. SB 379 requires that climate change be addressed in the safety element when the LHMP is updated after January 1, 2017, for communities that already have an LHMP or by January 1, 2022, for communities without an LHMP.

This LHMP is consistent with current standards and regulations, as outlined by the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA. It uses the best available science, and its mitigation actions/strategies reflect best practices and community values. It meets the requirements of current state and federal guidelines and makes the City eligible for all appropriate benefits under state and federal law and practices. Note that while FEMA is responsible for reviewing and certifying this LHMP, and Cal OES is responsible for conducting a preliminary review, it does not grant FEMA or Cal OES an increased role in the governance of the City or authorize either agency to take any specific action in the community.

Plan Organization and Use
The Pico Rivera LHMP is both a reference document and an action plan. It has information and resources to educate readers and decision-makers about hazard events and related issues and a comprehensive strategy that the City and community members can follow to improve resilience in the city. It is divided into the following chapters:
• Chapter 1: Introduction. This chapter describes the Plan's background, its goals and objectives, and the process used in its development.
• Chapter 2: Community Profile. This chapter discusses Pico Rivera’s history, physical setting, land use, demographics, and other important community characteristics. • Chapter 3: Hazard Assessment. This chapter identifies and describes the hazards that threaten Pico Rivera and discusses past and future events and the effects of climate change.
• Chapter 4: Vulnerability Assessment. This chapter describes each hazard's threat to Pico Rivera’s key facilities and community members, including socially vulnerable individuals.
• Chapter 5: Mitigation Strategy. This chapter lists the mitigation actions to reduce Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to hazard events and provides an overview of the community's existing capabilities to improve hazard resilience.
• Chapter 6: Plan Maintenance. This chapter summarizes implementing, monitoring, and updating the LHMP and opportunities for continued public involvement.

PREVIOUS PICO RIVERA LHMP
This is an update to the City of Pico Rivera’s 2019 LHMP, which will reinstate the City’s eligibility, once approved and adopted by the City Council, to apply for FEMA grants for hazard mitigation projects and monetary relief during emergency situations. The content from the previous plan has been included in this document and updated accordingly. Key modifications in this plan 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
4 focus on expanding the risk assessment (understanding potential losses and vulnerable populations) within Chapter 4 and modified mitigation strategies and actions within Chapter 5.

Key updated elements from the previous Pico Rivera LHMP include the following:
• Updated Plan Goals to better reflect the City’s current priorities. • Incorporation of updated demographics and development trends into the Community Profile.
• Integration of the General Plan, Housing Element, Safety Element, into the Community Profile, Hazards Assessment, and Vulnerability Assessment chapters of the plan. • Updated hazard profiles with additional historic events information. • Updated Capabilities Assessment to meet new FEMA requirements and guidance. • Updated Mitigation Actions and Strategies, which include progress on previous actions.

PREVIOUS PLAN INTEGRATION
As this is an update to Pico Rivera’s LHMP, the City will be looking to integrate this document into other planning reports and processes. To ensure this future integration occurs, Chapter 6 of this plan includes additional guidance on how to best integrate the LHMP into the General Plan Safety Element, Emergency Operations Plan, and other planning mechanisms used by the City.

Plan Goals
This Plan was developed to increase resilience in Pico Rivera broadly, which best reflect the current priorities in Pico Rivera. This included modifying several goals and the addition of two new goals. These revised goals for the 2025 LHMP update are:
• GOAL-1: Prevent and minimize loss of life and injuries where feasible. • GOAL-2: Minimize damage to structures and property and reduce interruptions to essential services.
• GOAL-3: Protect and enhance environmental resources (parks, rivers, and open spaces).
• GOAL-4: Enhance Pico Rivera through integration of hazard mitigation within public policy and standard business practices.
• GOAL-5: Promote integration and coordination of hazard mitigation strategies into the climate mitigation and adaptation plans, programs, and policies. • GOAL-6: Understand the economic concerns associated with hazards and disasters. • GOAL-7: Seek funding sources that help to promote mitigation and minimize future hazards.
• GOAL-8: Prepare for long-term changes in hazard conditions.

These goals shall continue as the foundation for all subsequent versions of this plan as it is updated every five years to remain in force to maintain FEMA grant eligibility and maintain alignment with the City and its residents’ focus. These newly modified goals and priorities are 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
5 anticipated to help inform and ensure greater consistency with the City's General Plan Safety Element over the next five years.

Planning Process
State and federal guidance for LHMPs does not require that jurisdictions follow a standardized planning process. FEMA encourages communities to create a planning process that reflects local values, goals, and characteristics. FEMA does suggest a general planning process that follows the steps identified below:

HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE
The City established a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (hereafter referred to as the HMPC). The HMPC comprises representatives from key city departments and planning consultants. Table 1-1 identifies the members who were invited and/or attended HMPC meetings.

TABLE 1-1: PICO RIVERA HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE (HMPC) Name Title Department
Alvie Betancourt Director Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Julia Gonzalez Deputy Director Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Hector Hernandez Senior Planner Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Noe Negrete Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Gene Edwards Deputy Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Pam Yugar Director Pico Rivera Parks & Recreation
Identify the
planning and the
resources it
contains
Build the planning
team
Create an outreach
team
Identify the risks
and threats to the
community
Review the
community's
capabilities
Develop a hazard
mitigation strategy
Review and adopt
the plan
Implement the plan
to create a safe and
resilient community
Keep the plan
current
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
6 Narek Katabayan Senior Analyst Pico Rivera Human Resources Jane Guo Director Pico Rivera Administrative Services
Aaron Pfannenstiel LHMP Project Manager Atlas Planning Solutions Crystal Stueve LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
Robert Jackson LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
The HMPC held two meetings throughout the plan development process to lay out the methods and approach for the Plan, draft and review content, make revisions, and engage members of the public.
• HMPC Meeting #1 (October 10, 2024): The HMPC members confirmed the project goals and responsibilities. Members revised the community engagement and outreach strategy, confirmed and prioritized the hazards included in the Plan, and identified critical threat assessment facilities.
• HMPC Meeting #2 (December 12, 2024): Members held a detailed discussion about hazard prioritization, results of the hazards assessment and mapping, and the risk assessment that showed the areas, populations, and assets facing elevated risk and vulnerability. The HMPC discussed and reviewed mitigation actions and strategies, made revisions, and assigned priorities.

Invitations and materials for meetings were provided via email. Appendix A contains copies of invitations, meeting agendas, sign-in sheets, and other relevant materials distributed for these meetings.

Public Engagement
Under FEMA guidelines, local hazard mitigation planning processes should create opportunities for the public to be involved in plan development—at a minimum, during the initial drafting stage and plan approval. Due to the policy changes in the post-COVID-19 pandemic world, in-person public workshops and meetings were replaced with virtual workshops, meetings, and discussion groups for health and safety reasons. Several key activities of the LHMP include the following.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
As part of the plan update process, the City invited stakeholders to participate in the planning process and review and comment on the Public Review Draft of the LHMP. These stakeholders included neighboring jurisdictions, utility providers, local school districts, energy producers, water districts, and County agencies. Information regarding this engagement opportunity can also be located in Appendix B of the document. All jurisdictions and stakeholders were invited via email and/or direct communication via telephone from the Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development Department, Senior Planner. The following is a list of those stakeholders invited to participate in the plan development process and review. • Pico Water District
• Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce
• Los Angeles County Sanitation
Districts
• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department (LASD)
• Army Corps of Engineers
• City of Los Angeles DWP
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
7 • Los Angeles County Public Works
Department
• Los Angeles County Fire
Department
• Los Angeles County Office of
Emergency Management
• El Rancho Unified School District
• Area E DMAC
• American Red Cross
• San Gabriel Valley Water District
• Southern California Gas
• Southern California Edison
• California Highway Patrol
• Caltrans
• BNSF Railroad
• Union Pacific Railroad
• City of Whittier
• City of Santa Fe Springs
• City of Commerce
• City of Downey
• City of Montebello
During the planning process, the City conducted two stakeholder meetings inviting these participants. These meetings were held on December 10, 2024, and February 5, 2025. Invitees from several of the organizations listed above were in attendance at one or both of these meetings.

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OUTREACH
During the planning process, the City conducted outreach to several stakeholders that support vulnerable populations within the City. The following are key outreach opportunities that conducted as part of the LHMP update:

El Rancho Unified School District – City staff coordinated with El Rancho USD staff during the LHMP planning process. This coordination involved sharing information regarding the plan, providing outreach information that could be distributed to students, staff, and parents within the district, and sharing plan updates as the plan was released for public review.

Pico Rivera Gardens – City staff coordinated with staff from Pico Rivera Gardens (an assisted living facility of 170 residents within the City ). Understanding that some residents of the facility may not engage in online activities (social media, surveys, etc.…), the City opted to provide staff at the facility with information that could be incorporated into materials typically shared with residents (newsletters, etc.). Residents and staff meet once a month to discuss important issues; this monthly meeting could be used for staff to inform residents of the LHMP.

FUTURE OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
Recognizing that other vulnerable populations do exist in the City, this update focused on those of greatest concern. For the next update, the City intends to focus on expanding outreach to daily workers employed within in Pico Rivera who do not live in the City to better inform them of the risks and challenges that could impact their lives.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The City regularly conducts community meetings and events intended to provide useful information to participants/attendees. In-person engagement opportunities were a central component of the City's engagement efforts. These meetings allowed members of the public to learn about the hazards of concern identified in the HMPC during this update. Atlas Planning 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
8 Solutions and City staff presented the LHMP planning process and relevant information at two public engagement meetings early on in the process. Additionally, City staff advertised the public survey at various public events and through handouts shared throughout the city. • November 12, 2024 – Pico Rivera City Council – where the City introduced the hazard mitigation planning process to City Council and members of the public. • December 12, 2024 – the City conducted a presentation at the Pico Rivera Senior Center. The meeting was conducted during the social hour leading up to the lunch program that regularly occurs Monday through Thursday every week. During the presentation information was shared in both English and Spanish, and then staff sat down at each table and discussed concerns regarding community safety and resilience.
• April 9, 2025 – a presentation to the Pico Rivera City Council was conducted allowing an opportunity for public feedback and opportunities to answer questions from elected officials.

Appendix B includes a copy of the materials shared at the outreach meetings.

ONLINE ENGAGEMENT
The City promoted the planning process through the following online methods.

LHMP Project Webpage
The City created a page on the its website dedicated to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan development to reach a broad audience and increase public engagement and participation. The webpage is a simple, one-stop location where community members can learn about the LHMP.

The webpage explains what an LHMP is, why the City should have one, how it is developed, and how the public can participate in the planning process. It also includes a link to the LHMP survey described in the next section. The webpage can be found at https://www.ci.Pico Rivera.ca.us/1760/Local-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan.

Online Survey
The City released an online survey to community members to gather feedback on the planning process and hazards of concern. The City received 33 responses from community members and stakeholders during the survey period. Responses were received from all areas within Pico Rivera, ensuring that the entire City was represented geographically. Based on these responses, the following information was shared with the City:
• About 80% of respondents live in Pico Rivera, while approximately 9% of respondents live and work in Pico Rivera.
• According to respondents, the top (3) hazards of concern for the City are Seismic Hazards (Seismic Shaking, Fault Rupture, and Liquefaction), Flooding, and Adverse Weather (Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold, Severe Wind, and Tornados). • Approximately 88% of respondents are concerned about how climate change may create new hazardous situations in the City or could make existing natural hazards worse. • Approximately 46% of respondents believe climate change already threatens their health, property, livelihood, and overall well-being.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
9 • Approximately 27% of respondents are familiar with the special needs of their neighbors in the event of a disaster situation (special needs may include limited mobility, severe medical conditions, or memory impairment)
As part of the outreach strategy, a QR code was created for promotional materials and handouts at fairs and booths used by City staff at community events. This QR Code provided quick access to the City's Online Survey.

The results from the survey were provided to the HMPC. The data was then analyzed, reviewed, and incorporated by the HMPC within the LHMP content.

The data provided by the survey presented unique local insight into hazard concerns and assessed the public's overall opinion and perception of the hazards that affect Pico Rivera. The survey results are also provided in Appendix B of the LHMP, including the survey questions and answers.

Social Media Outreach
The City promoted and provided information on both the Hazard Mitigation Survey and the LHMP Public Review Draft on multiple social media platforms. • The City of Pico Rivera – Pico Rivera Profile Newsletter provided information on multiple occasions (18,090 recipients).
• City of Pico Rivera's Instagram account (19,700 followers). • City of Pico Rivera – Pico Rivera City Hall Facebook account (14,000 followers). • City of Pico Rivera X (formerly known as Twitter) account (2,657 followers). • City of Pico Rivera YouTube account (684 subscribers).

PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT
On May 14, 2025, the City released a draft copy of the LHMP for public review and comment.

The document was posted electronically on the City’s LHMP project website and shared on the City social media accounts. A physical copy of the LHMP was placed at the City Hall public counter, and copies were emailed to stakeholders previously listed in the plan. The public review period extended from May 14, 2025 through June 13, 2025.

Plan Revision and Adoption
After completion of the public review period this section will be updated to include additional information from the relevant comments received by the City.

Plan Resources
The City referred to several plans, studies, technical reports, datasets, and other resources to prepare the Plan's hazard assessment, mapping, threat assessment, and other components.

Table 1-2 provides some of the HMPC's primary resources to prepare this Plan. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
10 TABLE 1-2: KEY RESOURCES FOR PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Section Key Resources Reviewed Data Incorporated from
Resource
Multiple • Cal-Adapt
• California Department of Conservation
• California Geological Survey
• California Office of Emergency Services
• California State Hazard Mitigation Plan
• City of Pico Rivera General Plan
• FEMA Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Guidance
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
• National Weather Service
• US Geological Survey
• US Census Bureau 2019-2023 American
Community Survey
• Science and background
information on different
hazard conditions
• Records of past disaster
events in and around
Pico Rivera
• Current and anticipated
climate conditions in and
around Pico Rivera
• Projections of future
seismic conditions and
events
Community Profile • US Census Bureau 2019-2023 American Community Survey
• California Energy Commission
• Demographic information
for Pico Rivera and Los
Angeles County
• History of the region
• Economic trends in Pico
Rivera
• Commute patterns in
Pico Rivera
• Local land-use patterns
• Background information
on utilities serving Pico
Rivera
• Current Climate
information in Pico
Rivera
Hazard Assessment
Flood Hazards
(Dam Failure,
Levee Failure)
• FEMA Map Service Center
• Los Angeles County Flood Control District
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California
• US Army Corps of Engineers
• California Department of Water Resources
• Records of past flood
events in and around
Pico Rivera
• Locations of flood-prone
areas in Pico Rivera
• Mapping of dam failure
inundation areas
• Profiles and conditions of
dams in and around Pico
Rivera
Human-Caused
Hazards
(Hazardous
Materials Release)
• Department of Toxic Substances and
Control
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Cal OES Spill Reporting Database
• Location and dates of
past hazardous materials
release
• Effects of hazardous
materials release
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
11 TABLE 1-2: KEY RESOURCES FOR PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Section Key Resources Reviewed Data Incorporated from
Resource
Seismic Hazards • Southern California Earthquake Data
Center
• The Third California Earthquake Rupture
Forecast (UCERF3)
• California Geological Survey
• Location of fault zones
• Records of past
earthquakes
• Probability of future
earthquake events
• Location of seismically
vulnerable areas
Adverse Weather
Hazards
• Cal Adapt
• California Department of Water Resources
• US Drought Monitor
• Western Regional Climate Center
• Historic drought
information
• Current drought
conditions
• Science and background
information on extreme
weather events
• Historical record of
extreme weather events
in and around Pico
Rivera
Note: Sections not individually identified in this table relied primarily on sources identified in multiple sections. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
12 PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
13 CHAPTER 2 –

COMMUNITY PROFILE
The Community Profile section of the LHMP describes Pico Rivera, including information about the community's physical setting, history, economy and demographics, current and future land uses, and key infrastructure. The Community Profile helps establish the baseline conditions in Pico Rivera, which informs the development of the hazard mitigation strategies and actions in Chapter 5.

Setting and Location
Pico Rivera is a general law municipality in Los Angeles County, California, approximately 13 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The cities of Montebello, Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Downey, and Commerce surround the city. Pico Rivera’s total land area is 8.9 square miles.

Source: Pico Rivera General Plan, Chapter 4, 2014-2021 Housing Element. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
14 History
The Awignas were first Native Americans to settle the
Pico Rivera region. They belonged to the Tongva group
of indigenous peoples, who were among the wealthiest
and most influential Native Americans in southern
California. They lived in the greater Los Angeles basin, in the watershed areas north to the Santa Monica
mountains, west to San Clemente, between Aliso and
Topanga creeks. The Awignas lived along the banks of
San Jose Creek in villages of conical dwellings made of reeds, tule, and willows. Hunting and gathering brought in the local ducks, geese, rabbits, berries, black honey, seeds, and nuts that nourished the tribe.

This wealth and bounty didn’t survive first contact with Europeans. The first Spanish settlers arrived on
January 18, 1770, on an expedition looking for
Monterey Bay. On September 8, 1771, European
priests and soldiers arrived to colonize the land. They established Mission San Gabriel and renamed the
Awignas the Gabrielinos. The Native Americans
became laborers and died in large numbers from
European diseases.

In the 1870s, the Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe and Union
Pacific railroads completed rail lines throughout the
area. Farmers planted large groves of citrus, avocado,
and walnut trees in the fertile land lying between the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers. Over time, a collection of small towns and villages consolidated in two communities – Pico and Rivera – that slowly grew for decades.

After World War II, developers flocked to the area to
satisfy the booming demand for housing. Throughout
the 1950s and 1960s, the farmland became tract
homes, schools, churches, and businesses.

Industrial enterprises also set up operations in the
surrounding areas. This drew the communities of
Pico and Rivera closer together. In an election held
on January 7, 1958, 56 percent of voters chose to
incorporate as one municipality and confirmed the
name “Pico Rivera” for the new city. Pico Rivera
became Los Angeles County’s 61st city on January
29, 1958.

A Mission Indian (Gabrieleño) woman
filling a granary, c. 1898. (Wikipedia)
Intersection of Slauson and Serapis
avenues in Rivera, 1913. (Pico Rivera
History and Heritage Society Museum)
Pico Rivera’s first City Hall, 1958. (Pico
Rivera History and Heritage Society
Museum)
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
15 Demographics
This section paints a portrait of Pico Rivera through data. The data comes from the most comprehensive American Community Survey 2018–2023 (ACS), administered by the United States Census Bureau (U.S. Census) completed in 2023, and the California Department of Finance (CDOF).

Table 2-1 identifies the basic demographics for Pico Rivera and Los Angeles County. Pico Rivera’s population is 0.617% of Los Angeles County’s total population. Its households are

0.496% of the County’s total households.

TABLE 2-1: BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS—PICO RIVERA & LOS ANGELES COUNTY Demographic Pico Rivera Los Angeles County
Total Population 60,821 9,848,406
Percent of children who are less than 10 years old 10.7% 10.9% Percent of residents who are senior citizens (65+) 16.2% 14.7% Median Age 39.2 37.9
Total households 16,804 3,390,254
Median household income $86,956 $87,760
Percent of rental households 72.2% 80.7%
Source: American Community Survey, ACS 2023 5-Year Projections The City’s residents tend to be on average a bit older than the county’s population as a whole (median age 39.2 years vs. 37.9 years for the county). Figure 2-1 shows a distribution of the City’s population into five age brackets.

Figure 2-1: Age Distribution of Residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
16 Latinos form a larger percentage of Pico Rivera’s population than for the county as a whole.

Conversely, Asians are far less represented in the City. Figure 2-2 breaks down the City’s population into five categories.

Figure 2-2: Racial Composition of Residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal. In this dataset, “Latino/Hispanic” is not included as a race.

Survey respondents may use “Some Other Race Alone” as an analog for “Latino/Hispanic.” Over 96 percent of the City’s residents speak either Spanish or English at home, two-thirds of them speaking Spanish. Figure 2-3 details language usage in the City.

Figure 2-3: Languages Spoken at Home
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
17 Nearly three-quarters of City residents have achieved at least a high school diploma; however, this trails the county as a whole. Over 22 percent hold some level of college degree. Figure 2- 4 shows educational attainment details for the City’s residents.

Figure 2-4: Educational Attainment of Residents Aged 25+ Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). Percentage values are rounded to the nearest tenth decimal.

Disabilities, Access, and Functional Needs
No two disasters are ever the same. However, virtually all incidents disproportionately affect individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs (DAFN). This term refers to individuals who are or have:
• Physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities • Chronic conditions or injuries
• Limited English proficiency
• Older adults
• Children
• Pregnant women
• Low income, people experiencing homelessness, and/or transportation-disadvantaged (i.e., dependent on public transit)
These are often the most overlooked parts of our populations; city and emergency planners may not even know the size of these communities or where they live or work. The data presented in Table 2-2 is meant to provide a general overview of the prevalence of DAFN communities in Pico Rivera, enabling the city to find ways to engage them during mitigation planning and implementation.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
18 TABLE 2-2: DAFN COMMUNITIES IN PICO RIVERA
Demographic Number Percentage
Residents below 15 years of age 10,601 17.4%
Residents over 65 years of age 9,870 16.2%
Residents 65+ years living alone 1,504 2.4%
Residents with incomes below the poverty level in
the past 12 months 2,200 3.6%
Total residents with a disability* 11,305 18.6%
• Under 18 with a disability 669 1.1%
• 65+ with a disability 6,569 10.8%
Residents who speak English less than very well 21,440 35.3% Residents 16+ who depend on public transportation 693 2.4% Households that have no access to a vehicle 1,144 6.8%** Households with no telephone service 41 0.24%**
Households with no internet access 1,514 9.1%**
Source: American Community Survey, ACS 2023 5-Year Projections * Defined by U.S. Census Bureau as vision difficulty, hearing difficulty, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, selfcare difficulty, or independent living difficulty. ** Percentage of households.

Homelessness
As with the rest of California and Los Angeles County, Pico Rivera has a population of people experiencing homelessness and living in the city. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), in 2024 Los Angeles County had approximately 28,418 people experiencing homelessness (16,701 staying in temporary shelters and 11,717 unsheltered people not in a dwelling), and approximately 1,561 people in the unincorporated areas of the county, for a total of 29,979 individuals throughout the entire county. Table 2-3 depicts the information for Pico Rivera, neighboring cities, and Los Angeles County as well. Pico Rivera has a small population of approximately 95 people experiencing homelessness.

TABLE 2-3: HOMELESS POPULATION IN PICO RIVERA, NEIGHBORING CITIES, AND

LA COUNTY (INCORPORATED AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS)
Jurisdiction Sheltered Persons in
Temporary Shelter
Unsheltered Persons Total
Los Angeles County 16,701 11,717 29,979
Pico Rivera 0 95 95
Downey 0 82 82
Whittier 48 41 89
Montebello 28 132 160
Santa Fe Springs 161 98 259
Source: Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, 2024
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
19 Climate
Like much of Southern California, Pico Rivera enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with mild, dry summers and cool winters. The warmest month of the year is August, with an average maximum temperature of 88º F; the coldest month of the year is December, with an average minimum temperature of 43º F. Temperatures vary up to 24º F between daytime and nighttime in summer, and about 22º F in winter. The annual average precipitation is 15.08 inches.

Precipitation occurs from December through March. It usually occurs as localized cloudbursts, mostly in the mountains and deserts after summer, and light-to-moderate rains in winter.

Precipitation during the summer is infrequent, and rainless periods of several months are common. The wettest month is January, with an average rainfall of 3.28 inches, and the driest is June, with an average of 0.01 inches.

Table 2-4 lists the historical monthly averages for Pico Rivera for low temperature, high temperature, and average precipitation for the past 25 years.

TABLE 2-4: PICO RIVERA HISTORIC WEATHER AVERAGES AND RECORDS Month Avg. Low Temp Avg. High Temp Avg. Precipitation
January 43.5 66.7 3.28”
February 44.4 66.5 4.1”
March 47.9 69.9 2.57”
April 50.7 73.3 0.66”
May 55.4 76.5 0.34”
June 60 81.5 0.01”
July 64.8 86.9 0.02”
August 65.3 88.1 0.4”
September 63.4 86.5 0.14”
October 57.1 80.1 0.7”
November 49.6 72.8 0.77”
December 43.3 65.5 2.09”
Source: Temps: Climate-Data.org; Precipitation: National Weather Service, NOAA Online Weather Data (2024) Economy
Pico Rivera’s economic base is largely centered on retail and wholesale trade, warehousing and manufacturing, and educational services.

Pico Rivera’s local employment base declined between 1990 and 2010, largely due to the closure of the City’s largest employer in 2000, the Northrop Grumman Corporation B-2 Division.

The City has largely weathered the economic downturn caused by the plant closure through redevelopment of the 157-acre facility with industrial, research and development, office and retail uses.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
20 The U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimate for 2018-2023 says 47.8% of Pico Rivera residents 16 years and older are employed in a range of industry sectors, as shown in Table 2-

5. The City’s median household income has also increased faster than the county’s median household income over time. However, the City’s per capita income is significantly lower than both the county and the state, attributable in part to Pico Rivera’s larger-than-average household size. Table 2-6 shows the distribution of household income over the past twelve months.

The City’s top ten private-sector employers are concentrated in wholesale and logistics, as shown in Table 2-7.

Similar to many communities in Southern California, the majority of local resident’s commute outside the City to work. Pico Rivera experiences a net outflow of over 6,300 workers during the daily going-to-work commute (20,832 outbound vs. 14,508 inbound).

TABLE 2-5: EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY IN PICO RIVERA
Industry Number of Jobs
Percentage of
Total City
Employment
Educational services, health care, and social assistance 6,174 21.2% Manufacturing 3,715 12.8%
Retail trade 3,430 11.8%
Professional, scientific, and management, and
administrative and waste management services 2,957 10.2% Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 2,805 9.6% Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and
food services 2,776 9.5%
Construction 2,099 7.2%
Public administration 1,522 5.2%
Other services, except public administration 1,146 3.9% Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and
leasing 1,140 3.9%
Wholesale trade 916 3.1%
Information 285 1.0%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 131 0.5% Total 29,096 99.9%
Source: American Community Survey, ACS 2023 5-Year Projections 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
21 TABLE 2-6: DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME, PAST 12 MONTHS (2023 DOLLARS) Income Range
Number of
Households Percent
Less than $10,000 667 4.0%
$10,000 to $14,999 607 3.6%
$15,000 to $24,999 1,069 6.4%
$25,000 to $34,999 1,014 6.0%
$35,000 to $49,999 1,359 8.1%
$50,000 to $74,999 2,661 15.8%
$75,000 to $99,999 2,099 12.5%
$100,000 to $149,999 3,308 19.7%
$150,000+ 4,020 23.9%
Total 16,804 100.0%
Source: American Community Survey, ACS 2023 5-Year Projections TABLE 2-7: TOP 10 PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS (2022-2023)
Employer Type of Business # Employees
% of Total City
Employment*
Walmart Supercenter Department store 250 0.90%
Feit Electric Company Warehouse for distribution 199 0.72% Target Department store 191 0.69%
Parts Authority Wholesale 191 0.69%
Riviera Nursing &
Convalescent
Healthcare & hospitals 173 0.62%
Vesta Home Home furnishing & appliances 142 0.51%
Manning Beef Meat – miscellaneous 125 0.45%
American Meat Companies Meat – wholesale 120 0.43%
El Super Grocery store 104 0.37%
Unisource Solutions Wholesale business 103 0.37%
Total 1,598 5.75%
Source: HDL Companies. Reproduced from the Pico Rivera FY 2024-25 Adopted Biennial Budget, Appendix 8. * Total City private-sector employment is 27,800.

Development Profile
The city is located on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin on the southern edge of the San Gabriel Valley. It is built within old floodplains from the two nearby rivers. The topography is relatively flat, ranging from approximately 200 feet above sea level in the northern portion of the city to 140 feet above sea level in the southern portion. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
22 HOUSING
Like most Southern California communities, Pico Rivera’s housing stock is dominated by singlefamily detached homes. According to the 2021-2029 Pico Rivera Housing Element, this type of development is one of the greatest contributors to the city’s current housing shortage and its attendant high prices and homelessness. However, the wood-frame, single-family detached house is one of the most seismically resilient building types in our cities, though its performance during urban conflagrations leaves much to be desired. Table 2-8 shows the details.

COMMERCIAL
Most of the commercial development in the city is located along the major roadways including Whittier Boulevard, Washington Boulevard, Slauson Avenue and Telegraph Road, with smaller concentrations along Beverly Boulevard, Rosemead Boulevard, and Durfee Avenue. Many of the city’s existing commercial and industrial sites have older design standards that do not meet current market needs and are located along congested roadways. The city’s industrial spaces are typically defined by smaller “floorplates” that are most suitable for local and regional companies.

TABLE 2-8: HOUSEHOLD TENURE BY NUMBER OF UNITS IN STRUCTURE Unit Type
Number of
Households Percent
Owner-occupied units
1 unit, attached/detached 11,372 67.7%
2-4 units 36 0.2%
5 or more units 110 0.7%
Mobile homes 270 1.6%
Renter-occupied units
1 unit, attached/detached 2,203 13.1%
2-4 units 428 2.5%
5 or more units 2,256 13.4%
Mobile homes 129 0.8%
Total households 16,804 100.0%
Source: American Community Survey, ACS 2023 5-Year Projections

DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
The City’s General Plan governs land use decision and policymaking. This Hazard Mitigation Plan will work together with the General Plan to support wise land use in the future by providing vital information on the risk associated with hazards within the city. The City of Pico Rivera will incorporate by reference the Hazard Mitigation Plan in its General Plan Safety Element. This will allow future trends in development to be established with the benefits of the information on risk and vulnerability to hazards identified in this Plan.

Throughout much of the planning area, the overall land-use pattern is well established and is not intended to change over time. Future development will primarily consist of infill projects, 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
23 expansion of existing uses, and improvements to existing buildings. Within the northern portion of the city, the City plans to transition some older, existing general industrial development to higher employment-generating light-industrial uses. Higher-density housing will be introduced in strategic locations, including mixed-use development.

Incompatible land uses sit side-by-side in some parts of the city. For example, within the northern portion of the city, certain residential neighborhoods are located adjacent to industrial uses, including along Kruse Road and in the area north of Whittier Boulevard east of Durfee Avenue. The General Plan proposes land-use changes and includes appropriate policies to address land-use transitions and to create buffers to address these incompatibilities.

Vacant land in the city totals 53 acres—less than 1 percent of the total area. Vacant parcels exist in areas where land uses are underused, or older structures have been demolished and removed. Pico Rivera lacks large undeveloped sites, which are generally easier to develop than smaller sites or sites with existing development.

Most remaining vacant parcels in the City are relatively small or constrained by access issues or surrounding development. Future Pico Rivera growth will primarily require redevelopment of already developed properties. The General Plan identifies 16 opportunity areas where the potential exists for economic development and community enhancement. Many of the development opportunity areas are characterized by multiple landownerships and smaller lots.

Lot consolidation is just one of the obvious challenges for future redevelopment in these areas.

In addition, the City experienced a population decline from 2000 to 2010 as reported by the U.S.

Census. Due to the constraints on developable land and the recent decline in population, it can be reasonably assumed that Pico Rivera will experience a slower growth rate moving forward.

The Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan states that future development “will primarily consist of infill projects, expansion of existing uses, and improvements to existing buildings.” As the City plans for future housing activity, it is important to note that 87 percent of the City’s housing stock is more than 30 years old and may be in need of repair or rehabilitation. The City currently has two adopted specific plans: Specific Plan 301 and Specific Plan 400.4. Both provide guidance for the development of underutilized sites in the City with residential and commercial uses that will contribute to City revitalization and economic development.

OPEN SPACE
Three major open-space areas form three of the city’s boundaries: the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers, which form the community’s western and eastern boundaries, and the 4,145- acre Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, located north of the city in Los Angeles County between the two rivers, above the Whittier Narrows Dam. This open space is in the floodplains and drainage watercourses, which typically have been designated as public parkland, recreational, or flood control uses, consistent with state law.

The City maintains a comprehensive system of parks and recreational facilities, including athletic fields, gymnasiums, community centers, a nine-hole executive golf course, and aquatic facilities.

HISTORICAL RESOURCES
The 2014 General Plan Land Use Element identifies 13 buildings and sites with potentially historical significance. Only one—the La Mano building on Whittier Boulevard—is a California- 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
24 registered historical building. None of the other sites are currently listed in federal or state registers, but the City is committed to acknowledging, protecting, and enhancing them as historic resources. General Plan goals and policies support this commitment by recommending protection of these sites subject to further study of their historical significance.

Infrastructure
Infrastructure plays a vital role in mitigating the effects of hazard events. When infrastructure fails, it can exacerbate the effects of a hazard event or create complications for rescue workers trying to reach victims. For example, fallen utility poles resulting from strong winds or seismic activity can obstruct roadways and prevent emergency vehicles from reaching affected areas.

ELECTRIC POWER
Southern California Edison (SCE) provides electricity to Pico Rivera residents. SCE’s service area includes portions of 15 counties and hundreds of cities and communities in a 50,000- square-mile service area within central, coastal, and Southern California. It operates the electrical transmission lines across Pico Rivera as well as the substations and switching yards in the distribution system that supply the community with power.

Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy (PRIME) is another energy option that provides the benefits of clean, renewable electricity exclusively in the City of Pico Rivera. Residents and businesses can choose an energy plan that best fits their needs as well as select more sustainable options for the benefit of the community. As the City’s municipal energy provider, PRIME purchases power on behalf of its customers while Southern California Edison (SCE) delivers it. PRIME provides customers with the choice of higher renewable energy content at affordable prices by offering PRIME Power, a 50% renewable energy product, and PRIME Future, a 100% renewable energy product. The City is working towards creating options for energy independence for its residents and businesses; however, the generation of electricity is still in the hands of SCE and other power producers in the state. Therefore, the City cannot control instances of energy shortage.

NATURAL GAS
SoCalGas is the natural gas service provider for most of Southern California, including Pico Rivera. In addition to providing natural gas services, it owns and operates the natural gas infrastructure in and around the city. Natural gas pipelines run throughout the City; therefore, the potential for natural gas accidents due to construction activities does exist. However, there are existing code requirements and procedures in place to ensure community safety during construction activities.

WATER
The City’s Water Operations Division provides drinking water through approximately 9,400 water service connections. The water system includes more than 90 miles of pipeline, 10 active wells, 10 pump stations, 9 booster pumps, 3 reservoirs, and 875 fire hydrants. The system can provide more than 12,500 gallons of water per minute. The Water Operations Division staff is responsible for the distribution and treatment of water to its customers. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
25 The Pico Water District provides water service to its customers in central Pico Rivera through the use of five active wells ranging in water production from 700 to 2,800 gallons per minute, and one 1.25-million-gallon reinforced concrete reservoir. The District pumps all of its water from the Central Basin underground aquifer, which is an adjudicated water basin. The District delivers water to residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers.

The San Gabriel Valley Water Company (SGVWC) provides to the eastern and northern portions of the city. The SGVWC has a diverse mix of water supplies produced from groundwater from 31 wells located in the Main San Gabriel Groundwater Basin and from 4 wells located in the Central Groundwater Basin. The company also has the ability to deliver imported water through a connection with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, as well as emergency interconnections with several surrounding water agencies to ensure the reliability of its water supply.3

WASTEWATER / STORMWATER
The City’s Sewer Division is responsible for the collection of wastewaters within the city limits and delivery to the trunk sewer mains of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District (LACSD).

The City’s sewer system consists of 110 miles of sewer, 2,516 manholes, and provides service to approximately 13,930 parcels.

LACSD is responsible for all regional trunk sewer lines and sewage treatment, while the City is responsible for the operation and maintenance of sewer mains and lift stations within the city limits and all capital improvements.

Los Angeles County Flood Control District—part of the county’s Department of Public Works— provides flood protection, water conservation, recreation, and aesthetic enhancement within its boundaries. The LAC FCD encompasses more than 2,700 square miles and approximately 2.1 million land parcels within 6 major watersheds. It includes drainage infrastructure within 86 incorporated cities as well as the unincorporated county areas. This includes 14 major dams and reservoirs, 483 miles of open channel, 27 spreading grounds, 3,330 miles of underground storm drains, 47 pump plants, 172 debris basins, 27 sediment placement sites, 3 seawater intrusion barriers, and an estimated 82,000 catch basins.

TRANSPORTATION
Three major freeways flank Pico Rivera: CA-60, I-5, and I-605. Rosemead Boulevard, which runs the city’s length, is also a state highway (CA-19). Whittier Boulevard runs across the city’s midsection, becoming CA-72 upon reaching West Whittier. The regional surface street grid continues largely without interruption through the city.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) provides long-distance intercity bus transportation throughout the city. Metro is also studying the possibility of extending its Gold Line light rail from East Los Angeles through the cities of Commerce, Montebello, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier (the Eastside Transit Corridor). 3 San Gabriel Valley Water Company. Water Sources. https://www.sgvwater.com/water-quality-supply/water-sources/ 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
26 Pico Rivera Transit operates the city’s senior/disabled Dial-A-Ride Program. This free-to-rider system provides transportation to seniors and residents with mobility impairments throughout the city on a call-for-service basis.

Union Pacific Railroad owns two east-west railway lines running through Pico Rivera: one south of Slauson Ave. (including spur lines), and one mostly north of Whittier Blvd. The southern rightof-way also hosts Amtrak and Metrolink passenger trains. BNSF Railroad owns an east-west track north of Slauson Ave.

While Amtrak and Metrolink’s Orange County and 91/Perris Valley lines run through Pico Rivera, the city currently does not have a train station to facilitate passenger stops. Metrolink is evaluating opportunities to add a new commuter rail station in the city to improve access to the regional rail network in the Gateway Cities region.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
AT&T and Frontier Communications provide a landline phone and data service to a steadily dwindling number of customers in Pico Rivera. The two major wireless communications companies operate cell sites in the city.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
27 CHAPTER 3 –

RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk assessment is the process of measuring the potential impact to life, property, and the economy resulting from natural hazards. The intent of the risk assessment is to identify—as much as practicable, given existing, available data—the qualitative and quantitative vulnerabilities of a community. The results of the risk assessment provide a foundation on which to develop and prioritize mitigation actions to reduce damage from natural hazards through improved preparedness and response times and better allocation of resources to areas of greatest vulnerability.

This risk assessment section evaluates the potential loss from each hazard by assessing the vulnerability of buildings, infrastructure, and people to its effects. It identifies the characteristics and potential consequences of hazards, how much of the community a hazard could affect, and its impact on the community’s population and assets. The risk assessment approach consists of two components:
• Hazard Identification: Identification and screening of hazards. • Hazard Profiles: Review of historical occurrences and assessment of the potential for future events.

Hazard Identification

HAZARD SCREENING CRITERIA
FEMA guidance identifies several hazards that communities should consider addressing in their hazard mitigation plans. The California Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP) contains additional hazards that may be worth including. Regional hazard plans and records of past disasters are other potential sources for hazards to consider. The Planning Team reviewed an extensive list of hazards before deciding which ones to include in this LHMP. Table 3-1 shows the hazards considered by the Planning Team, and why they were or were not included. The table also shows what source proposed the hazard for consideration, and whether it has been the subject of a disaster declaration in Los Angeles County.

For context, this table also shows if a hazard is recommended for consideration by FEMA if it is included in the 2023 California State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP) and if it is included in the Los Angeles County Hazard Mitigation Plan (LA County HMP). This table does not include all potential impacts; the table is based upon FEMA and State guidance and the most probable impacts within Pico Rivera. As a result, some hazards like war or foreign invasion are better addressed at the Federal level.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
28 TABLE 3-1: HAZARD EVALUATION FOR PICO RIVERA LHMP
Hazard Source of
Recommendation
Included
in LHMP?
Reason for Inclusion or Exclusion
Agricultural
Pests
SHMP No Pico Rivera has minimal agricultural uses within the city that contribute to the economy.

Concerns regarding agricultural pests are not a
significant concern citywide.

Air Pollution SHMP No Air pollution is a state and regional issue addressed through plans and regulations
administered by the South Coast Air Quality
Management District and/or California Air
Resources Board. Since the City has little
control over regulating air quality, this hazard
was not included.

Aircraft
Incident
SHMP No The City is located approximately 24 miles from John Wayne Airport and approximately 16 miles
from Long Beach Airport. Given the distance
and lack of history associated with this hazard
in the city, it was determined that this hazard
should not be included in the plan.

Aquatic
Invasive
Species
SHMP No There are no major bodies of water within the
City, which would create a concern regarding
aquatic invasive species. This was not deemed
a concern by the City.

Avalanche FEMA guidance
SHMP
No There is no potential for avalanches to occur
within the City.

Civil
Disturbance or
Riot
SHMP No The city does not have any major tourist
destinations or facilities that allow large crowds
of people to gather. This is not a concern for the
City.

Climate
Change
SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes Climate change is a concern identified by the
HMPC and has been included within each
hazard profile where relevant.

Coastal
Flooding and
Storm
FEMA guidance
SHMP
No Based on its distance from the coast, coastal
flooding and storms are not a concern for the
city.

Cyber Threats SHMP Yes The growing threat of cyber security and data breaches has increasingly become a potential
hazard of concern for cities. Cyber threat is
addressed in the Terrorism hazard profile.

Dam Failure FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes There are several dams and reservoirs that
could affect the city in the event of failure. The
HMPC identified dam failure as a potential
hazard of concern.

Drought SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes Droughts are a recurring hazard in Pico Rivera
and Southern California and can affect city
water supplies. Pico Water Districts’ Water
Operations Division, the SGVWC, and the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California are responsible for water distribution
to Pico Rivera residents.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
29 TABLE 3-1: HAZARD EVALUATION FOR PICO RIVERA LHMP
Hazard Source of
Recommendation
Included
in LHMP?
Reason for Inclusion or Exclusion
Energy
Shortage
SHMP No Pico Rivera’s electrical power is provided by
Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy
(PRIME), which has a long history of reliability,
and therefore the HMPC decided that this is not
a concern for the City.

Epidemic,
Pandemic,
Vector-Borne
Disease
SHMP Yes After the threat and effects of the Covid-19
pandemic, the city felt that this is a hazard of
concern that should be addressed in the plan.

Erosion FEMA guidance
SHMP
No The City has not experienced many major
cases of erosion; the HMPC decided it was not
a concern for the City.

Expansive Soil FEMA guidance No The City does not experience a significant issue with expansive soils.

Extreme Cold FEMA guidance
SHMP
No Temperatures in Pico Rivera rarely fall to a level
that would be considered a danger to public
safety. This was not identified as a hazard of
concern in the City.

Extreme Heat FEMA guidance
SHMP
Yes Extreme heat conditions have occurred in the
city and are expected to be a future recurring
issue. The City identified this as a concern.

Fault Rupture FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
No There are no known active faults located within
the city, because of this fault rupture is not a
hazard of concern to the city.

Flooding FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes The City experiences periods of heavy rainfall
between October and April and is a recurring
concern in the City.

Fracking SHMP No Fracking does not occur in Pico Rivera.

Hail FEMA guidance No Hail that is severe enough to pose a threat to people and property is not a concern identified
by the HMPC.

Hazardous
Materials
release
SHMP Yes The threat posed by hazardous materials
release incidents occurring is low, given the
presence of commercial centers and
businesses however, the potential does exist.

This is a hazard of concern for the City.

Hurricane FEMA guidance
SHMP
No Hurricanes do not occur in Pico Rivera.

Infrastructure
Failure
SHMP Yes Infrastructure failure poses a threat to people and property in Pico Rivera. As a result, the
HMPC identified this as a hazard of concern
within the plan.

Landslide FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
No There are no identified areas where landslides
occur in Pico Rivera.

Levee Failure SHMP Yes Sections of the San Gabriel River 1 Levee System owned and operated by the US Army
Corps of Engineers exist in and near Pico
Rivera.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
30 TABLE 3-1: HAZARD EVALUATION FOR PICO RIVERA LHMP
Hazard Source of
Recommendation
Included
in LHMP?
Reason for Inclusion or Exclusion
Lightning FEMA guidance No Although lightning occasionally occurs in Pico Rivera, it does not pose a significant threat to
people or property.

Liquefaction FEMA guidance
SHMP
Yes According to the California Geological Survey,
portions of the city are located within
liquefaction-prone areas. Based on this
mapping, the HMPC identified liquefaction as a
hazard of concern.

Methanecontaining
Soils
No There are no identified areas in the City where
methane containing soils exist.

Natural Gas
Pipeline
Hazards
SHMP No Natural gas transmission pipelines are located
within the city and could pose a danger to
people and property if they breach and release
their contents into the community. However, the
HMPC did not identify this as a hazard of
concern to the city.

Oil Spills SHMP No There are no active oil wells located within the City.

Power Failure SHMP Yes Pico Rivera’s electrical power is provided by Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy
(PRIME) which has a long history of reliability,
however due to the potential of failure, the
HMPC decided that this is a concern for the city.

Radiological
Accidents
SHMP No There are no known major radiation sources in
Pico Rivera or the immediate surrounding area
that could seriously threaten the community.

Sea-level Rise FEMA guidance
SHMP
No Pico Rivera is not located within close proximity
to the ocean.

Seiche FEMA guidance
SHMP
No There are large bodies of water in Pico Rivera
that could be subjected to seiche though they
are not identified as a concern by the HMPC.

Seismic
Shaking
FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes Pico Rivera is in a seismically active area where
shaking can be severe enough to damage
property or cause loss of life. For this reason,
the HMPC determined it should be addressed in
this plan.

Severe Wind FEMA guidance Yes Windstorms are a common occurrence within the city and Southern California. This hazard is
included in the Severe Weather profile, referred
to as windstorms. Windstorms events typically
occur during Santa Ana wind conditions.

Severe
Weather and
Storms
FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
Yes Severe Weather includes discussions regarding
severe wind (windstorms), extreme heat, and
winter storm, which are weather-related hazards
that are most common in Pico Rivera.

Storm Surge FEMA guidance No The HMPC did not identify this as a hazard of concern since the city is not located near the
California coastline.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
31 TABLE 3-1: HAZARD EVALUATION FOR PICO RIVERA LHMP
Hazard Source of
Recommendation
Included
in LHMP?
Reason for Inclusion or Exclusion
Subsidence FEMA guidance No The HMPC did not identify subsidence as a hazard of concern for the city.

Mass-Casualty
Incident
(Terrorism)
SHMP Yes The HMPC identified mass casualty/active
shooter incidents/terrorism as potential threats
of concern. This hazard is addressed in the
Human-Caused Hazards section.

Thunderstorm SHMP No Thunderstorms that cause damage and endanger public safety are rare in the Southern
California region.

Tornadoes FEMA guidance
SHMP
Yes Tornadoes in Pico Rivera have occurred as the
result of a severe storm; Tornadoes that have
affected the city are discussed in the adverse
weather profile.

Transportation
Accidents
SHMP No With the lack of major transportation routes
through the city, the HMPC did not identify this
hazard as a concern for this plan.

Tree Mortality SHMP No While the city’s tree inventory is a significant asset at risk, it was not identified as a hazard of
concern by the HMPC.

Tsunami FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
No The HMPC did not identify tsunamis as a
hazard of concern since the city is not located
near the California coastline.

Urban Fire SHMP Yes The HMPC identified urban fires as a risk to property and life in Pico Rivera and therefore
was included in this plan as a part of the wildfire
hazard discussion.

Volcano SHMP No There are no volcanoes near Pico Rivera to pose a reasonable threat.

Wildfire FEMA guidance
SHMP
LA County HMP
No The HMPC did not identify wildfire as a hazard
of concern for the City.

After hazard evaluation and the organizational changes were made by the HMPC, this Plan discusses eight broad hazard types with their respective sub-categories (Table 3-2), including climate change, which is discussed in each hazard profile.

TABLE 3-2: HAZARD CATEGORIES AND SUB-CATEGORIES
Hazard Category Sub-Categories
Adverse Weather Drought, Extreme Heat, Severe Wind, Severe Winter Storm, Tornado Seismic Hazards Seismic Shaking, Liquefaction
Epidemic
Flood Dam/Levee Failure
Human-Caused Hazards Urban Fire, Infrastructure Failure, Hazardous Materials Release, Power Outage, Transportation Accidents, Terrorism
Climate Change (Discussed in each relevant Hazard Profile) 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
32 HAZARD SCORING AND PRIORITIZATION
The HMPC followed FEMA guidance for hazard mitigation plans and prioritized each of the eight hazards and their respective subcategories. In the initial step, a score of 1 to 4 was assigned for each of the hazards for the following criteria:
• Probability: The likelihood that the hazard will occur in Pico Rivera in the future. • Magnitude/Severity: The severity of the direct damage of the hazard to Pico Rivera. • Warning Time: The time the city has before a disaster event/hazard impacts Pico Rivera.
• Duration: The time that the disaster event will affect Pico Rivera.

The HMPC assigned a weighting value to each criterion, giving higher weight to the criteria deemed more important and multiplied the score for each criterion by weighing the factor in determining the overall score for each criterion. FEMA recommended these weighting values:
• Probability: 45%
• Magnitude/Severity: 30%
• Warning Time: 15%
• Duration: 10%
After calculating the total impact score for each hazard (sum of the probability, magnitude/severity, warning time, and duration). FEMA guidance recommends multiplying the total impact score by the overall probability to determine the final score for each hazard. A final score between 4.0 (High Threat) and 0.0 (No Threat) is calculated using the weighted scale provided in Table 3-3 to determine each hazard's overall threat level to Pico Rivera. Any hazard ranked from 4.0 to 3.0 is considered a high threat to the city, 2.9 to 2.0 is considered a medium threat, 1.9 to 1.0 is considered a low threat, and a score of 0.9 to 0.0 is considered an extremely low/negligible threat to the city.

In compliance with the Disaster Mitigation Act (and as further specified by Interim Final Rule 44 CFR Section 206.401(c)(2)(i)), this LHMP addresses, in substantial detail, the primary hazards facing the city. Lower-priority hazards are addressed at a lesser level of detail due to their relatively reduced impacts, as identified in the hazard assessment discussion. Table 3-4 shows each hazard's criterion scores, final score, and threat level based on the above prioritization process.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
33 TABLE 3-3: CRITERION SCORING
CPRI
Category
Degree of Risk Chart Assigned
Weight
Level ID Description Factor Index
Probability
Unlikely
• Extremely rare with no documented history of occurrences or events.
• Annual probability of less than 0.001
1 45%
Possible
• Extremely rare with no documented history of occurrences or events.
• Annual probability of between 0.01 and 0.001
2 Likely
• Occasional occurrence with at least two or more documented historic events.
• Annual probability of between 0.1 and 0.01
3 Highly Likely • Frequent events with a well-documented history of occurrence. • Annual probability of greater than 0.1 4
Magnitude/Severity
Negligible
• Negligible property damages (less than 5% of critical and noncritical facilities and infrastructure) • Injuries or illnesses are treatable with first aid and there are no deaths
• Negligible quality of life lost
• Shut down of critical facilities for less than 24 hours 1 30%
Limited
• Slight property damages (greater than 5% and less than 25% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructures) • Injuries and illnesses do not result in permanent disability and there are no deaths
• Moderate quality of life lost
• Shut down of critical facilities for more than 1 day and less than 1 week
2 Critical
• Moderate property damages (greater than 25% and less than 50% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructures) • Injuries or illnesses result in permanent disability and at least one death
• Shut down of critical facilities for more than 1 week and less than 1 month
3 Catastrophic
• Severe property damages (greater than 50% of critical and non-critical facilities and infrastructure)
• Injuries or illnesses result in permanent disability and multiple deaths
• Shutting down of critical facilities for more than 1 month 4 Warning Time
Less than 6
hours
Population will receive less than 6 hours of warning 4
15%
6 to 12 hours Population will receive between 6-12 hours of warning 3 12 to 24
hours
Population will receive between 12-24 hours of warning 2 More than 24
hours
Population will receive greater than 24 hours of warning 1 Duration
Less than 6
hours
Disaster event will last less than 6 hours 1
10%
Less than 24
hours
Disaster event will last between 6-24 hours 2
Less than
one week
The disaster event will last between 24 hours and 1 week 3 More than
one week
Disaster event will last more than 1 week 4
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
34 TABLE 3-4: PICO RIVERA HAZARD SCORES AND THREAT LEVELS Hazard Type
Probability
(1-4)
Severity
(1-4)
Warning
Time
(1-4)
Duration
(1-4)
Priority
Ranking
(1-4)
Earthquake Hazards:

Seismic Shaking
4 4 4 4 4.0
(High)
Adverse Weather:

Extreme Heat
4 3 2 3 3.3
High
Adverse Weather:

Drought
4 2 1 4 2.95
Medium
Adverse Weather:

Severe Wind
4 2 2 2 2.90
Medium
Adverse Weather:

Severe Winter Storm
3 2 4 3 2.85
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Urban Fire
3 2 4 2 2.75
Medium
Flood 3 2 3 3 2.70
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Hazardous Materials
Release
3 2 2 2 2.45
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Transportation
Incidents
3 2 2 2 2.45
Medium
Epidemic 2 3 1 4 2.35
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Power outage
2 2 4 2 2.3
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Infrastructure Failure
2 2 4 2 2.3
Medium
Dam/Levee Failure 1 3 4 2 2.15
Medium
Earthquake Hazards:

Liquefaction
2 2 2 3 2.10
Medium
Human Caused
Hazards:

Terrorism
1 2 2 2 1.55
Low
Adverse Weather:

Tornado
1 2 2 2 1.55
Low
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
35 DISASTER DECLARATION CONNECTIONS
Since 2019, the FEMA issued the following major disasters, emergency declarations, and fire management events (Table 3-5). Past events identified in this plan have been identified in connection with these events in the “Past Events” sections within each Hazard Profile.

TABLE 3-5: DISASTER DECLARATION –LOS ANGELES COUNTY (2019-2025) Year
Declaration
Number Declaration Title
Incident
Type
Affected
the City
Activated
EOC or
Requested
PA
2025 N/A N/A Tornado Yes Yes
2025 FM-5551-CA Hurst Fire Fire No No
2025 FM-5550-CA Eaton Fire Fire No No
2025 FM-5549-CA Palisades Fire Fire No No
2025 DR-4856-CA Wildfires and Straightline Winds Fire No No 2024 FM-5537-CA Bridge Fire Fire No No
2024 DR-4769-CA
Severe Winter Storms,
Tornadoes, Flooding,
Landslides and
Mudslides
Flood
No No
2023 EM-3591-CA
Severe Winter Storms,
Flooding, and
Mudslides
Flood
No No
2023 DR-4750-CA Hurricane Hilary Flood No No
2023 DR-4699-CA
Severe Winter Storms.

Straight-line Winds,
Flooding, Landslides,
and Mudslides
Flood
No No
2023 EM-3592-CA
Severe Winter Storms,
Flooding, Landslides,
and Mudslides
Flood
No No
2020
FM-5363-CA
FM-5374-CA Slater and Bobcat Fires Fire No No
2020 EM-3428-CA Covid-19 Biological Yes Yes
2020 DR-4482-CA Covid-19 Pandemic Biological Yes Yes
2019
FM-5296-CA
FM-5295-CA Kincade and Tick Fires Fire No No
2019 FM-5293-CA Saddleridge Fire Fire No No
DR = Major Disaster
EM = Emergency Declaration
FM = Fire Management
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
36 Hazard Profiles

ADVERSE WEATHER
Description
Drought
A drought is a long period with substantially less precipitation than usual. The primary direct impact of a drought is the reduction of available water supplies. This is particularly concerning in agricultural areas and natural environments but can also affect urban areas. Droughts can harm landscapes because plants do not get the water they need to survive. In severe cases, droughts may lead to a human health risk if available water supplies are insufficient to meet basic needs.

Indirectly, drought causes soils to dry out, making them harder and less able to absorb water.

When precipitation returns, the soil absorbs less water, increasing runoff, which can lead to flooding. Dry soils are more susceptible to erosion, especially if plants have died or no longer provide stability due to loss of roots and soil composition changes. Drought causes many plants in natural areas to dry out, making them more susceptible to pests/diseases and increasing the risk of wildfires.

Extreme Heat
Extreme heat is a period when temperatures are abnormally high relative to the normal temperature range. There are generally three types of extreme heat events:
1) Extreme Heat Days: A day during which the maximum temperature surpasses 98 percent of all historic high temperatures for the area, using the time between April and October from 1950 to 2005 as the baseline.
2) Warm Nights: A day between April and October when the minimum temperature exceeds 98 percent of all historic minimum daytime temperatures observed between 1950 and 2005.
3) Extreme Heat Waves: A successive series of extreme heat days and warm nights where extreme temperatures do not abate; while no universally accepted minimum length of time for a heatwave event exists, Cal-Adapt considers four successive extreme heat days and warm nights to be the minimum threshold for an extreme heatwave.

Severe Wind
Severe wind events pose a risk to life and property in the region by creating conditions that disrupt essential systems such as public utilities, telecommunications, and transportation routes. High winds can and do occasionally cause tornado-like damage to local homes and businesses. Severe windstorms can present a very destabilizing effect on the dry brush that covers local hillsides and urban-wildland interface areas. High winds can have destructive impacts, especially on trees, power lines, and other utility services. In Pico Rivera, severe weather patterns, such as Santa Ana Wind conditions, are recognized as hazards. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
37 Wind is simply the movement of air
caused by differences in atmospheric
temperature. High-pressure air will
naturally move to areas of low
pressure. Usually, the distance
between these high- and lowpressure zones is far; however, these low- and high-pressure zones may
occasionally be near one another.

When this happens, air will flow
powerfully, creating high-speed
winds. The most common wind
events in Southern California are the “Santa Ana” wind conditions that typically occur in the fall and winter.

When winds are fast enough, they can cause property damage to homes, public facilities, utilities, and other infrastructure. They can also uproot or topple mature trees or pick up debris and send it careening through the air. This debris can injure or even kill bystanders who may find themselves stranded outside. High-speed winds can deposit this debris in the middle of rights-of-way, such as roads, freeways, and railways, blocking exit routes for would-be evacuees or impeding access to first responders trying to reach wounded people.

Severe Winter Storm
A winter storm is also known as a thunderstorm. A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually producing gusty winds, heavy rain, and sometimes hail. A typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter and lasts an average of 30 minutes. A thunderstorm is formed from a combination of moisture, rapidly rising warm air, and a force capable of lifting air, such as a warm and cold front, a sea breeze, or a mountain. During severe weather events such as thunderstorms, rain can fall at such a high rate that it cannot drain away fast enough. The resulting heavy rain can cause flooding, leading to inundation and potential damage to buildings, road networks, public areas, utilities, and other critical pieces of infrastructure. In California, heavy rainfall events are often short, intense bursts of rain, but in some cases, heavy rain can persist for multiple days.

All thunderstorms are dangerous. About 10% of the thunderstorms that occur each year in the United States are classified as severe (a thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 3/4 inch in diameter, winds 58mph or greater, or tornadoes.) Heavy rain from thunderstorms can lead to flash flooding (which is the number one thunderstorm killer.) Strong winds, hail, and tornadoes are also dangers associated with some thunderstorms.

Tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a cloud to the surface of the earth.

Tornadoes are often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud. On a local-scale, tornadoes are the most intense of all atmospheric circulations and can reach destructive wind speeds of more than 300 mph. A tornado’s vortex is typically a few hundred meters in diameter, and damage paths can be up to 1 mile wide and 50 miles long. Tornadoes can occur throughout the year at any time of day but are most frequent in the spring during the late afternoon.

Santa Ana Wind event
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
38 Location and Extent
Drought
Droughts are somewhat frequent in California and typically occur when precipitation is limited for an extended period. Rain arrives in California via atmospheric rivers (channels of moist air located high in the atmosphere) and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle (a regional meteorological phenomenon in the southern Pacific Ocean). This cycle typically gives rise to two distinct phases: El Niño, the warm and wet phase, and La Niña, the dry and cold phase.

When California experiences a drought, it is typically the result of fewer atmospheric rivers or an active La Niña phase, resulting in lower-than-average precipitation levels. Drought may also occur when conditions in areas where water sources are located experience drought conditions, even though the local region does not. Table 3-6 identifies the drought classifications used by the US Drought Monitor program. This classification system synthesizes multiple different scales into a descriptive index.

Communities that rely on water supplies from other parts of the State versus communities that source their water supplies locally may experience drought differently. The three water suppliers for the city are fortunate to sit on top of the Central Groundwater Basin, a large underground body of sand and gravel that holds billions of gallons of fresh groundwater that is naturally filtered as it slowly moves through these sediments. Because of this, Pico Water District uses wells to pump out this groundwater to meet 100% of the city’s water supply needs.4

Droughts are regional events, so all parts of Pico Rivera face the same drought risk. However, urban areas will likely experience different effects than open-space areas. It is also possible for communities to experience a “long-distance drought” since many urban areas in California receive water supplies from great distances. If these distant areas experience drought, it may cause water shortages in the urban areas that rely on them, even if these areas are experiencing normal precipitation levels.
4 https://www.picowaterdistrict.net/your-water/#water-supply TABLE 3-6: US DROUGHT MONITOR CLASSIFICATION SCHEME
Category Description Possible Impacts
D0* Abnormally Dry Slower growth of crops and pastures
D1 Moderate
Drought
Some damage to crops and pastures. Water bodies and wells are low.

Some water shortages may occur or may be imminent. Voluntary water use restrictions can be requested.

D2 Severe
Drought
Likely crop and pasture losses. Water shortages are common, and water restrictions can be imposed.

D3 Extreme
Drought
Major crop and pasture losses. Widespread water shortages and restrictions.

D4 Exceptional
Drought
Exceptional and widespread crop and pasture losses. Emergency water shortages develop.

Source: US Drought Monitor
* D0 areas are those under “drought watch,” but not technically in a drought. They are potentially heading into drought conditions or recovering from drought but are not yet back to normal. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
39 Extreme Heat
Extreme heat events will differ from region to region since different areas have historically high temperatures. For example, an extreme heat day on the coast will feel different than an extreme heat day in the High Desert. The reason for this is how humidity affects the perceived heat that people feel. Humid conditions will make a day feel hotter than non-humid conditions, even though the temperature may be the same. The difference between the perceived and actual temperatures is known as the “heat index.” To illustrate the effect of the heat index, a 90-degree day with 50 percent humidity feels like 95°F, whereas a 90°F Day with 90 percent humidity feels like 122°F. Figure 3-1 illustrates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service Heat Index.

Extreme heat events are not limited to any part of the city. They occur with the same intensity and duration at the same time across all locations in Pico Rivera. For Pico Rivera, an extreme heat day involves a temperature that exceeds 100.4°F, and a warm night involves a temperature that exceeds 70.2°F.5 These thresholds are based on a 2% probability event.

Figure 3-1: NOAA’s National Weather Service Heat Index
Severe Wind
In Southern California, the most common type of windstorm event is called the Santa Ana winds.

During the fall and winter months, high pressure over Nevada and Utah forces air currents down from the high desert toward the ocean. As the winds descend, they heat up and increase in speed, sometimes carrying particulate matter and aggravating the respiratory health of those with allergies.6
5 https://cal-adapt.org/tools/local-climate-change-snapshot 6 Means, Tiffany. “What Are the Santa Ana Winds?” Farmers’ Almanac - Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life., June 5, 2024. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/what-are-the-santa-ana-winds 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
40 Pico Rivera is often affected by Santa Ana winds blowing through the city from the regional mountains and foothills. Usually, they cause minimal damage; however, severe storms can cause massive damage to the City and personal property. Santa Ana winds can damage the electrical distribution infrastructure, creating wildfire ignitions due to arcing or downed power lines. Santa Ana winds can also result in rapid fire spread from ordinarily contained or small fires such as vehicle fires or fires caused by discarded smoking materials. Depending on the severity of the wind event, any part of the city can be affected by severe wind events. Santa Ana winds are a leading cause of wildfires in California.

Generally, winds are measured using the Beaufort scale, developed in 1805, categorizing wind events on a force scale from 0 to 12 using their speed and impacts. Any wind classified as force nine or above is generally considered a windstorm event. Table 3-7 details how the Beaufort scale classifies wind events.

TABLE 3-7: BEAUFORT SCALE
Force Speed (mph) Description
1 0 to 1 Calm: Smoke rises vertically, and the sea is flat 2 1 to 3 Light air: The direction of wind is shown by smoke drift, but not wind vanes
3 4 to 7 Light breeze: Wind is felt on the face, leaves rustle, and wind vanes are moved. Small wavelets appear on the ocean, but do not break 4 8 to 12 Gentle breeze: Leaves and small twigs are in motion, and light flags are extended. Large wavelets appear on the ocean, and crests begin to break
5 13 to 18 Moderate breeze: Dust and loose paper become airborne, and small branches are moved. Small waves appear on the ocean
6 19 to 24 Fresh breeze: Small trees begin to sway and moderate waves form 7 25 to 31 Strong breeze: Large branches are in motion, and using an umbrella becomes difficult. Large waves begin to form
8 32 to 38 Near gale: Whole trees are in motion and walking against the wind can be hard. Foam from breaking waves is blown in streaks
9 39 to 46 Gale: Walking is difficult, and twigs break off trees 10 47 to 54 Severe gale: Slight structural damage. Crests of waves begin to topple 11 55 to 63 Storm: Trees are uprooted and there is considerable damage to structures. Very high waves form in long, overhanging crests 12 63 to 72 Violent storm: Widespread damage. Exceptionally high waves form, and the ocean is completely covered in foam
Source: https://www.weather.gov/mfl/beaufort
Severe Winter Storm
The location and size of a rain event vary depending on regional geography and regional and global weather events. For example, small precipitation events may occur in only one section of Pico Rivera. In contrast, a large rain event could inundate most of Los Angeles County and other parts of Southern California. Understanding this, any part of the City could become inundated by rain, and there isn’t one part of the City that is more susceptible to rainfall than another.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
41 California’s precipitation varies yearly, depending on how much moisture the state receives from atmospheric rivers. Atmospheric rivers are corridors in which wet air travels from the tropics to continents. When the moisture arrives in California, it may precipitate as rain or snow. One of California's most known atmospheric rivers is the “Pineapple Express,” which brings moist air from the ocean surrounding Hawaii to California. An immense amount of moisture may be transported along the atmospheric rivers that cross over California during certain years, leading to severe rains.7

Another weather phenomenon influencing rainfall in Southern California is “El Niño,” officially referred to as the “Southern Oscillation” or “El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).” ENSO can cause increased rainfall, particularly during the winter months, caused by the warming of the surface of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, leading to the evaporation of warm, moist air into the atmosphere. Winds bring this moisture to the eastern Pacific and the American continents, where it falls as rain. ENSO does not always lead to increased rainfall by default, but in general, it can increase the chances of winter with higher-than-usual precipitation. 8,9
Rain events are usually measured by the amount of precipitation that falls.10 Table 3-8 categorizes rain events by the amount of precipitation per hour.

TABLE 3-8: RAIN EVENTS CATEGORIZED BY PRECIPITATION PER HOUR Rain Type Description
Heavy Rain More than 4 mm per hour but less than 8 mm per hour Very Heavy Rain Greater than 8 mm per hour
Moderate Shower Greater than 2 mm, but less than 10 mm per hour Heavy Shower Greater than 10 mm per hour, but less than 50 mm per hour Violent Shower Greater than 50 mm per hour
Source: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/activity-howmuchrain-metric.html mm = millimeter
Tornado
The Fujita scale (F scale), based solely on the damage caused by a tornado, is no longer used to estimate tornadic wind speeds because of weaknesses in its estimations: it does not recognize differences in construction; it is difficult to apply if no buildings were struck; it is subject to bias; it is based on the worst damage (even if it is one building or house); and it overestimates wind speeds greater than F3.

In 2007, NWS began rating tornadoes using the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-scale) which enhances the description of damage with examples and photos, includes vegetation as well as structures, and assigns damage based on more than one structure if available. The EF-scale still is a set of wind estimates (not measurements) based on damage, but it uses 3-second gusts 7 NOAA. 2023. “Atmospheric Rivers: What are they and how does NOAA study them?” https://research.noaa.gov/2023/01/11/atmospheric-rivers-what-are-they-and-how-does-noaa-study-them/ 8 NOAA. 2014. “What Is the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in a Nutshell? https://www.climate.gov/newsfeatures/blogs/enso/what-el-ni%C3%B1o%E2%80%93southern-oscillation-enso-nutshell 9 NOAA. 2016. “El Niño and La Niña: Frequently Asked Questions.” https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understandingclimate/el-ni%C3%B1o-and-la-ni%C3%B1a-frequently-asked-questions/ 10 NOAA. 2024. “El Niño & La Niña (El Niño – Southern Oscillation) https://www.climate.gov/enso 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
42 estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of eight levels of damage to 28 indicators. These estimates vary with height and exposure. Standard measurements are taken by weather stations in openly exposed areas. Table 3-9 and Table 3-10 describe the EF-scale ratings and damage indicators used to measure the severity.11 TABLE 3-9: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE (EF)
EF Number 3-second gusts (mph)
0 65-85
1 86-110
2 111-135
3 136-165
4 166-200
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Enhanced Fujita Scale https://www.weather.gov/oun/efscale
TABLE 3-10: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE DAMAGE INDICATORS

1. Small barns, farm outbuildings 15. School – 1-story elementary (interior or exterior halls)

2. One- or two-family residences 16. School – Jr. or sr. high school

3. Single-wide mobile home 17. Low-rise (1-4 story) building

4. Double-wide mobile home 18. Mid-rise (5-20 story) building

5. Apt, condo, townhouse (3 stories or less) 19. High-rise (over 20 stories)

6. Motel 20. Institutional building (hospital, govt. or university)

7. Masonry apt. or motel 21. Metal building system

8. Small retail building 7-4 (fast food) 22. Service station canopy

9. Small professional building (doctor office,
branch bank)

23. Warehouse (tilt-up walls or heavy timber)

10. Strip mall 24. Transmission line tower

11. Large shopping mall 25. Free-standing tower

12. Large, isolated (“big box”) retail 26. Free standing pole (light, flag, luminary)

13. Automobile showroom 27. Tree – hardwood

14. Automotive service building 28. Tree – softwood
Past Events
Drought
Droughts are a regular feature of California’s climate, although with varying lengths, intensities, and frequencies. They have occurred many times in the state’s recorded history and frequently lead to changes to California’s economy, infrastructure, or policies. 11 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Enhanced Fujita Scale https://www.weather.gov/oun/efscale 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
43 • One of the earliest recorded droughts, the “Great Drought” of 1863–1864, followed the largest flood in California’s recorded history and devastated the state’s cattle industry, finishing off the rancho system in Southern California. • Another series of droughts from 1928 to 1935, known as the “Dust Bowl Droughts,” caused significant harm to California’s agriculture and led to the creation of the federal Central Valley Project to enable a reliable source of water for Central Valley farmers. • Further droughts from 1947 to 1950 and from 1959 to 1960 helped encourage the creation of the State Water Project, which imports water from the Sierra Nevada to communities throughout the state, including Pico Rivera. • A drought from 1976 to 1977 created emergency-level conditions across most of California and resulted in strong water conservation practices that continue to this day. • A drought from 1987 to 1992 caused significant statewide impacts, particularly to small rural communities and the timber industry, and led to stronger water conservation landscape standards.
• The statewide 2007 to 2009 drought caused further impacts and helped spur regulation for groundwater basins.12
The most severe drought in California’s recorded history (and considered the most severe in the past 1,200 years) occurred from 2012 to 2017.13 At its peak, virtually all of California experienced D2 (severe drought) conditions, and close to 60 percent of California was classified in D4 (exceptional drought) conditions.14 The majority of Pico Rivera experienced a D4 (exceptional drought) conditions from July 2014 to January of 2017. Governor Brown declared a statewide emergency, and water conservation standards were strengthened throughout the state. The drought ended with the wet winter of 2016–2017, although a number of water conservation policies enacted during the drought remained in force. Although the winter of 2016–2017 officially ended California’s most recent significant drought, a single wet year was not enough to make up for five dry years. The 2017–2018 winter also saw less precipitation than normal across the state.15 This moderate drought was again abated in late 2018 and early 2019 in the winter season when heavy rains ended any existing drought conditions.

By the end of 2020, however, California was once again experiencing drought throughout the state, with the majority of the state in D2 (Severe Drought) and D3 (Extreme Drought) conditions, with some areas even falling into the D4 (Exceptional Drought) category. A series of atmospheric rivers that swept through California from December 2022 to March 2023, bringing more than 78 trillion gallons of water, eliminated the drought for most of the state (Rice, Doyle 2023). As of February 2025, about half of California is experiencing some category of drought conditions. The majority of Los Angeles County is experiencing D2 (Severe Drought) even D3 (Extreme Drought) conditions in the central portion of the County. Figure 3-2 identifies recent 12 Cal OES 2013; Kotin and Marion 2014; DWR 2015 “A History of Drought: Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future.” http://calclimateag.org/a-history-of-drought-learning-from-the-past-looking-to-the-future/. 13 Griffin and Anchukaitis 2014 “How unusual is the 2012-2014 California drought?” Geophysical Research Letters, 41(24). Pp 9017-9023.
14 US Drought Monitor 2014
15 NOAA 2018a 2018. “Storm Events Database.” https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
44 drought conditions throughout California. The drought conditions in California including Los Angeles County and Pico Rivera as of February 20, 2025.

Figure 3-2: California Drought Monitor
Extreme Heat
Based on Cal Adapts historical information (1950 through 2005), the city experiences four extreme heat days yearly. The city experienced a 4-day heatwave during this same period, approximately every four years. In 2022, California experienced one of the worst heatwaves it has ever experienced. From September 1st through September 9th, 2022, temperature records for September were shattered across the western portion of the United States, including Pico Rivera, where temperatures were reported as reaching 99° F. Prior to this, a heat wave in 1997 affected Southern California, causing 5 deaths. Temperatures in Pico Rivera reached 95° F during this event.

Severe Wind
Los Angeles County has experienced both high wind and thunderstorm wind events. The strongest winds are Santa Ana winds in winter. The following are some of the recent examples of severe wind events in the region and Pico Rivera:
• November 30, 2011: A major windstorm in the region left 300,000 customers without power, some over one week.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
45 • November 8, 2020: Strong winds hit the city, ripping a large and heavy tent into the air narrowly missing a boy who dove out of the way. The tent was thrown into and damaged multiple vehicles in the area.
• March 2, 2023: A downburst (powerful winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread out quickly once they hit the ground), struck the city causing damage to trees and property throughout the city, tossing debris all over a neighborhood in Pico Rivera, hurling a trampoline into the air over homes. One homeowner’s roof was ripped off and scattered around the area, some witnesses described the event as a tornado. • January 7, 2025: A destructive and life-threatening windstorm batters Southern California for multiple days, in the midst of the massive wildfires in Los Angeles County.

Red Flag warnings were issued throughout the region including the San Gabriel Valley.

The San Gabriel mountains and the foothills of the San Gabriel/San Fernando Valleys will likely see wind gusts between 80 and 100 mph, National Weather Service (NWS) warned. Health officials advised people to remain inside with windows and doors closed, as the smoke conditions from the wildfires were dangerous.

Severe Winter Storm
Pico Rivera and Los Angeles County as a region are no strangers to severe weather and thunderstorms. The following lists some recent major storm events in the surrounding communities and Los Angeles County.
• May 23, 2019: A rare May storm swept through Southern California on May 22 and 23, 2019, bringing heavy rain, hail and even snow to parts of the region. Hail was reported in the San Gabriel Valley and parts of northeastern Los Angeles County where numerous lightning strikes forced officials to close beaches from Malibu to Dockweiler. • Jun 22, 2022: A major thunderstorm strikes dumping rain throughout the region.

Lightning struck and killed a 52-year-old woman and her two dogs walking along the San Gabriel River in Pico Rivera.
• February 25, 2023: An historic winter storm lashed the Los Angeles County area with heavy rain, snow and high winds. The storm caused temperatures to plummet in the area with record lows recorded at LAX International Airport. Temperatures even prompted a blizzard warning in Los Angeles County, the first since 1989. Several inches of rain and flooding were reported throughout the San Gabriel Valley. • August 20, 2023: Once a Category 4 hurricane, Tropical Storm Hilary tore through Southern California with historic rainfall, flooding roads and knocking out power throughout the region. Over 2.6” of rain fell in Pico Rivera; no injuries or serious damage were reported.
• February 14, 2025: The first major winter storm hits Southern California, and the Los Angeles County region, the downpour dumped multiple inches of water in some areas, in a single day. The downpour caused multiple mudslides and flooding throughout the region. A reported 6 inches of rain hit the San Gabriel Mountains, and downtown Los Angeles received almost 3 inches of rain.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
46 Tornado
The following are some of the instances where a tornado or serious wind event occurred within the city and the larger Los Angeles region.
• November 9, 1982: Seven tornadoes touched down in the Los Angeles basin. Three began as waterspouts at Point Mugu, Malibu and Long Beach. A waterspout in Long Beach moved 10 miles inland and became an F2 tornado. Another tornado reached F2 strength in Van Nuys. Property damage was sustained especially in Long Beach • March 1, 1983: Two tornadoes categorized as F2 and F0 touched down in the Los Angeles basin. Thirty people were injured, and 100 homes were damaged. An F2 tornado damaged seven businesses and 50 homes in South Central Los Angeles. The tornado caused 30 injuries and stopped just about a mile before reaching the Los Angeles civic center area. The F0 tornado injured a motorist when his vehicle was lifted 15 feet off the ground and carried across a highway.
• January 16, 1990: An EF-0 tornado touched down at two different locations in Pico Rivera in Los Angeles County, causing damage to nine houses plus several trees. • January 9, 1998: A waterspout developed 3 miles off Laguna Beach and turned into a tornado that impacted Long Beach. Property damage was sustained in Long Beach. • November 1, 2003: Large waterspouts were reported between Laguna Beach and Santa Catalina Island.
• December 28, 2004: Tornadoes caused minor damage to trees and roofs in Long Beach, Inglewood and neighboring Whittier.
• March 2, 2023: A downburst (powerful winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread out quickly once they hit the ground), struck the city causing damage to trees and property throughout the city, tossing debris all over a neighborhood in Pico Rivera, hurling a trampoline into the air over homes. One homeowner’s roof was ripped off and scattered around the area, some witnesses described the event as a tornado. • March 23, 2023: An EF-1 tornado struck Montebello with winds reaching speeds over 110mph, damaged 17 buildings, red tagging 11 of them, uprooted a tree, snapped a power pole, and injured one person. It was the strongest tornado to hit the Los Angeles area since 1983.
• March 13, 2025: An EF-0 tornado strikes Pico Rivera in the early morning hours. The event lasted for about two minutes and winds reached 85 miles per hour. It happened during a winter storm which brought heavy rains and winds across Southern California.

At least a dozen trees were uprooted, toppling onto cars and lawns, several power lines were downturned as well. No injuries were reported.

Risk of Future Events
Drought
Drought will continue to be a foreseeable event in the future of California, including Pico Rivera.

Droughts in the area are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Droughts that result from infrastructure failure are equally impossible to predict since the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
47 circumstances that lead to infrastructure failure are unique to each situation. As discussed in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, a “ highly likely” probability indicates an annual probability of greater than a ten percent chance of droughts occurring annually.

Extreme Heat
As temperatures rise throughout California, the number of extreme heat days will also increase.

According to Cal-Adapt data, which relies on NOAA data sources, Pico Rivera experiences extreme heat days. The city historically (1950-2005) experienced, on average, four extreme heat days annually based on this historic period. That number of days increased to 13 days annually from 2035-2064. According to Cal-Adapt, the city is projected to experience an annual average of 19 extreme heat days by 2100. These numbers are based off of Cal Adapts RCP 4.5 emissions scenario (a mitigation scenario where greenhouse gas emissions peak by 2040 and then decline). These numbers increase under Cal Adapts RCP 8.5 emissions scenario (a nomitigation scenario where global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century), with the total number of extreme heat days rising to 35 days per year by 2100.16 As discussed in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, a “highly likely” probability indicates a greater than ten percent chance of extreme heat days occurring annually.

Severe Wind
Given the region’s history of windstorm events in nearby cities, it is very likely that wind events will continue to impact the city. The most probable source of wind events in the future will likely originate from the Santa Ana winds or extreme storms. All expectations are that the probability of windstorm events occurring again in the future is highly likely. As discussed in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, a “ highly likely” probability indicates an annual probability of greater than a ten percent chance of windstorms occurring annually.

Severe Winter Storm
There is no indication that rainfall or severe rain hazards will abate either in Pico Rivera or the greater region of Southern California in the future. While Pico Rivera may experience prolonged periods of dry or wet years, all expectations are that the probability they will occur again in the future is highly likely. As identified in Tables 3-2 and Table 3-3, a “likely” probability indicates an annual probability of between a ten percent and a one percent chance of severe winter storms occurring annually.

Tornado
Given the region’s history of severe wind events and thunderstorms, it is possible that tornadoes, waterspouts, downbursts, etc. will remain a possibility for the city. Tornadoes may occur in any month and at any hour of the day, but they occur with the greatest frequency from November through March. As discussed in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, a “unlikely” probability indicates an annual probability of less than a 0.001% percent chance of tornados occurring annually.

Climate Change Considerations
Drought
Climate change is anticipated to abate drought in certain situations but, on the other hand, could also intensify and exacerbate it in other cases. In some cases, climate change-intensified weather patterns, like ENSO, may bring more rain to California and Pico Rivera, which would 16 Cal Adapt. https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-heat
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
48 abate drought conditions for the State’s affected parts. In other cases, climate change may also prolong the La Niña phase of ENSO, leading to longer dry periods with no precipitation in California.

Due to climate change, droughts are expected to become more frequent and intense in Los Angeles County and, more broadly, throughout California by mid-century. Scientific studies indicate:
• Climate change is projected to drive more frequent historically warm temperatures, reduced precipitation and snowpack, abnormally dry soils, and, in turn, drought conditions.
• Modeling studies attribute more frequent coincident warm and dry years and more severe drought conditions in Southern California due to climate change. • The incidence of extremely dry years (those occurring in 1 out of every 100 years over the historical period) could triple by the end of the century. • The likelihood of long-duration droughts in Los Angeles County would increase significantly, with some studies showing a more than 80% chance of multidecadal drought by the end of the century.17
Climate change is also expected to increase the average temperature and cause more frequent and prolonged heat waves in California and Pico Rivera. During these events, water supplies may be diverted for cooling functions in the City. Hotter temperatures may also lead to increased surface water evaporation, which could contribute to greater water consumption. If a drought were to occur during a future heatwave, it could place water supplies under strain.

From a regional perspective, warmer overall temperatures in California are anticipated to reduce statewide water supplies. Much of California’s water comes from melted snow in the High Sierra, where mountain snowpack acts as a natural reservoir. As the average temperature grows warmer with climate change, the amount of precipitation that falls as snow is expected to shift towards rain. Precipitation as rain will not flow into reservoirs and aqueducts the same way snowmelt does. The natural water reservoirs created by the snowpack stay intact as the initial snowpack runoff begins in the early spring and ends in early to late summer, depending on the level of the snowpack.18 The runoff from the snowpack can be managed due to the slow pace at which the snow melts; however, when rain occurs in place of snowfall, there is no significant way to collect the water and retain it because it falls much faster. As less snow falls, the amount of melted water from the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada will decrease, reducing the water flowing into the reservoirs and aqueducts that supply Southern California. If regional and local water agencies, including the Pico Water District (which draws its water from the local Central Groundwater Basin), do not account for increased groundwater withdrawal, Pico Rivera and the Los Angeles County region could experience greater dependence on imported water. 17 Los Angeles County Vulnerability Assessment. chromeextension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ceo.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/LA-County-ClimateVulnerability-Assessment-1.pdf 18 NASA. “World of Change: Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.” https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/SierraNevada 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
49 Extreme Heat
The primary effect of climate change is warmer average temperatures. The hottest years on record have occurred since 2000, with 2016 and 2020 being tied.19 As climate change accelerates in the 21st century, extreme heat events are anticipated to become more frequent and intense in the city. The projection is that extreme heat days could increase between 13 and 31 days annually by 2100, and the city can expect a shift in residential and business needs for cooling and addressing heat-related issues.

Severe Wind
It is anticipated that the atmospheric rivers that deliver storms to Southern California may intensify because of climate change. While the average number of storms in Southern California will remain the same, storms are expected to increase in intensity between 10 and 20 percent.20 This increase in storm intensity may also bring more intense winds to the Southern California region, including Pico Rivera.

Studies indicate that climate change may affect Santa Ana wind events in varying ways, but it is unknown whether the frequency and intensity of events may be some of those ways.

According to one study that examined two global climate models, there is a projected increase in future Santa Ana events. However, other studies have found that the number of Santa Ana events may decrease by about 20% in the future.21 Given the anticipated increases in temperatures throughout the region, future events are expected to become more severe in some cases, even if the number of events decreases.

Severe Winter Storm
Climate change is expected to alter rainfall patterns in Southern California, including Pico Rivera. As the climate warms, rain events are predicted to become more intense. Pico Rivera will likely experience more rain inundation events that can lead to flooding and erosion and increase the threat of dam/levee failure, landslides, and other potential hazards within the community and surrounding area.

Tornado
Climate change is likely to increase the frequency and intensity of tornadoes in California, as warmer air holds more moisture, creating more favorable conditions for severe thunderstorms which can produce tornadoes; however, the exact impact is still being researched and California is not traditionally considered a high tornado risk area, so the increase may still be relatively small compared to other regions.22
19 Rebecca Hersher and Lauren Sommer. 2020. “2020 May be the Hottest Year on Record. Here’s the Damage it did.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2020/12/18/943219856/2020-may-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-heres-the-damage-it-did 20 Oskin, B. (2014). Atmospheric Rivers to Soak California as Climate Warms. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/49225- atmospheric-rivers-double-climate-change.html
21 Hall, Alex, Neil Berg, Katharine Reich. (University of California, Los Angeles). 2018. Los Angeles Summary Report.

California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg%20Report- %20SUM-CCCA4-2018-007%20LosAngeles_ADA.pdf
22 Zhou, Li, 2023. “Yes, there was just a tornado near Los Angeles. Is climate change to blame?” https://www.vox.com/science/2023/3/23/23653712/los-angeles-tornado-montebello-california 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
50 EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
Description
An earthquake is a sudden motion or trembling caused by a release of strain accumulated within or along the edge of the Earth's tectonic plates. The effects of an earthquake can be felt far beyond the site of its occurrence. They usually occur without warning and can cause massive damage and extensive casualties after just a few seconds. Common effects of earthquakes are ground motion and shaking, surface fault ruptures, and ground failure. Ground motion is the vibration or shaking of the ground during an earthquake. When a fault ruptures, seismic waves radiate, causing the ground to vibrate. The severity of the vibration increases with the amount of energy released and decreases with distance from the causative fault or epicenter. This sudden discharge of energy into the crust can lead to rupturing of land that sits on top of fault lines, liquefaction in areas with wet soil, or landslides in hilly or mountainous areas.

California is seismically active because of movement of the North American Plate, on which everything east of the San Andreas Fault sits, and the Pacific Plate, which includes coastal communities west of the fault. The planning area is on the Pacific Plate, which is constantly moving northwest past the North American Plate, at a relative rate of movement of about 2 inches per year.

Seismic Shaking
Seismic shaking is the motion felt on the earth’s surface caused by an earthquake. In most cases, earthquakes are not powerful enough to feel the shaking. However, particularly powerful earthquakes can generate significant shaking, causing widespread destruction and property damage.

Liquefaction
Occurs when seismic energy is released within an area with low-density, fine-grain soil, like sand or silt, which is saturated with water. Liquefaction occurs when loosely packed, waterlogged sediments at or near the ground surface lose their strength in response to strong ground shaking.23 During liquefaction events, the liquified soil can lose most of its stability, which can cause damage to buildings and infrastructure built upon it. In severe cases, some buildings may completely collapse. Pipelines or other utility lines running through a liquefaction zone can be breached during a liquefaction event, leading to flooding or the release of hazardous materials.

Location and Extent
Seismic Shaking
Southern California, including Pico Rivera, is a highly seismic area due to the major faults that run through the region and are subject to seismic shaking. The intensity of seismic shaking is usually measured with the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, which is based on the amount of observed damage. The MMI scale has replaced the Richter scale, which is no longer used since it loses effectiveness when measuring larger earthquakes. Since the degree of shaking, and consequently damage, generally decreases as the seismic energy travels further away from the fault rupture’s point of origin, different sections of a city or region can report different MMI measurements in different locations. The MMI scale uses Roman numerals on a 12-point scale 23 USGS Definition of Liquefaction
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
51 to measure each degree of shaking intensity. Table 3-11 shows the MMI scale, while Table 3- 12 lists the earthquake faults that can impact the City.

TABLE 3-11: MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY SCALE
Intensity Description Description
I Instrumental Felt only by very few people under especially favorable conditions.

II Feeble Felt only by a few people at rest, especially on the upper floors of buildings.

III Slight Noticeable by people indoors, especially on upper floors, but not always recognized as an earthquake.

IV Moderate Felt by many indoors and by some outdoors. Sleeping people may be awakened. Dishes, windows, and doors are disturbed.

V Slightly strong Felt by nearly everyone, and many sleeping people are awakened.

Some dishes and windows broken, and unstable objects overturned.

VI Strong Felt by everyone. Some heavy furniture is moved, and there is slight damage.

VII Very strong Negligible damage in well-built buildings, slight to moderate damage in ordinary buildings, and considerable damage in poorly built buildings.

VIII Destructive
Slight damage in well-built buildings, considerable damage and partial collapse in ordinary buildings, and great damage in poorly built buildings.

IX Ruinous
Considerable damage in specially designed structures. Great damage and partial collapse in substantial buildings, and buildings are shifted off foundations.

X Disastrous Most foundations and buildings with masonry or frames are destroyed, along with some well-built wood structures. Rail lines are bent.

XI Very
disastrous
Most or all masonry structures are destroyed, along with bridges. Rail lines are greatly bent.

XII Catastrophic Damage is total. The lines of sight are distorted, and objects are thrown into the air.

Source: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/modified-mercalli-intensity-mmi-scale-assigns-intensities TABLE 3-12: EARTHQUAKE FAULTS THAT IMPACT THE CITY OF PICO RIVERA Fault Name Magnitude
Modified
Mercalli
Ranking
Perceived
Shaking
Potential
Damage Threat Issues
San Andreas 8.5 VIII Destructive Moderate to
Heavy
Major
Threat
NewportInglewood

7.5 VII Very Strong Light to Moderate Moderate Threat
Whittier 7.2 VII Very Strong Light to Moderate Moderate Threat Puente Hills 7.1 VII Very Strong Light to Moderate Moderate Threat Palos Verde 7.1 VII Very Strong Light to Moderate Moderate Threat Elsinore 6.8 VI Strong Light Moderate Threat
Whittier 6.8 VI Strong Light Moderate Threat
San Jacinto 6.7 VI Strong Light Moderate Threat
Note: This table uses county-wide data which includes the City of Pico Rivera. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
52 Another scale for measuring seismic shaking is the moment magnitude scale (MMS, denoted Mw or simply M). The MMS measures the energy the fault rupture releases, which begins at 1.0 and increases as the earthquake's energy grows. The MMS is a logarithmic scale, meaning that the difference between numbers on the scale multiplies as they increase. An earthquake with

5.0 M is approximately 1.4 times greater than 4.9 M, 32 times greater than 4.0 M, and 1,000 times greater than 3.0 M.

The City of Pico Rivera is within a region that is well known for its many active faults. The San Andreas Fault is a major tectonic boundary about 23 miles northeast of Pico Rivera. It is the primary feature of the tectonic boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates and is the longest fault in California. It can cause powerful Magnitude 8 earthquakes.

The California Earthquake Authority reports there are over a hundred smaller active faults in the Los Angeles region that can cause damaging earthquakes like the Northridge earthquake in 1994. These faults include the Raymond fault, the Santa Monica fault, the Hollywood fault, the Newport-Inglewood fault, the Puente Hills fault, and the San Jacinto and Elsinore faults.

Figure 3-3 is a map showing the regional earthquake faults closest to Pico Rivera. Figure 3-4 displays the seismic shaking potential with the City.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
53 Figure 3-3: Fault Systems In and Around Pico Rivera
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
54 Figure 3-4: Seismic Shaking Potential in Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
55 Liquefaction
Occurs when seismic energy is released within an area with low-density, fine-grain soil, like sand or silt, which is saturated with water. Liquefaction occurs when loosely packed, waterlogged sediments at or near the ground surface lose their strength in response to strong ground shaking. During liquefaction events, the liquified soil can lose most of its stability, which can cause damage to buildings and infrastructure built upon it. In severe cases, some buildings may completely collapse. Pipelines or other utility lines running through a liquefaction zone can be breached during a liquefaction event, potentially leading to flooding or the release of hazardous materials.

Liquefaction generally occurs during significant earthquake activity, and structures located on soils such as silt or sand may experience significant damage during an earthquake due to the instability of structural foundations and the moving earth. Many communities in Southern California are built on ancient river bottoms and have sandy soil. In some cases, this ground may be subject to liquefaction, depending on the depth of the water table.

The City of Pico Rivera lies south of the Puente Hills, one of the lower Transverse Ranges. The western end of the range is often referred to locally as the Whittier Hills. Rock types in this province generally include schist and sedimentary rocks. Surface materials in canyon bottoms and basins generally consist of alluvium and are highly susceptible to liquefaction. The central portion of the city and the Whittier Narrows Dam area have a medium liquefaction potential, while the remainder of the City has low local liquefaction potential. While the potential for differential settlement, landslides, and seiches exist within Pico Rivera, given soil, topographic and other conditions, their likelihood and potential severity are generally limited. Figure 3-5 shows the liquefaction zones in Pico Rivera as designated by the California Geological Survey.

Liquefaction caused by the 1964 Niigata; Japan earthquake caused these apartment blocks to experience severe leaning. Image from the University of Washington. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
56 Figure 3-5: Potential Liquefaction Zones in Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
57 Past Events
Since seismologists started recording and measuring earthquakes, there have been tens of thousands of recorded earthquakes in Southern California, most with a magnitude below three.

No community in Southern California is beyond the reach of a damaging earthquake. Table 3- 13 shows all earthquakes in Southern California with a magnitude of 5.0 or higher.

TABLE 3-13: EARTHQUAKE EVENTS IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION (5.0+ MW) 1812 Wrightwood 1941 Santa Barbra 1988 Tejon Ranch
1812 Santa Barbra Channel 1942 Fish Creek Mountains 1988 Upland 1857 Fort Tejon 1947 Manix 1989 Malibu
1892 Laguna Salada 1948 Desert Hot Springs 1990 Upland
1899 Cajon Pass 1952 Kern County 1991 Sierra Madre
1899 San Jacinto Fault Zone 1954 San Jacinto Fault
(Arroyo Salada)
1994 Northridge
1910 Elsinore 1968 Borrego Mountain 2008 Chino Hills
1915 Imperial Valley 1971 San Fernando 2010 Baja CA
1918 San Jacinto 1978 Santa Barbra 2012 Brawley
1923 North San Jacinto Fault 1979 Imperial Valley 2014 La Habra 1925 Santa Barbra 1986 North Palm Springs 2018 Santa Cruz 1927 Lompoc 1986 Oceanside 2019 Ridgecrest
1933 Long Beach 1987 Whittier Narrows 2021 Antelope Valley 1940 Imperial Valley 1988 Pasadena
Source: https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/California-Earthquake-Risk/California-Earthquake-History-Timeline Seismic Shaking
Pico Rivera has experienced two earthquakes in the last 15 years of a magnitude of 4.5 or greater than 5.0.
• October 1, 1987: The Whittier Narrows earthquake, a magnitude 5.9 blind thrust earthquake, was centered several miles north of Whittier in the town of Rosemead, had a relatively shallow depth, and was felt throughout southern California and southern Nevada. Many homes and businesses were affected, along with roadway disruptions, mainly in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Damage estimates ranged from $213–358 million, with 200 injuries, three directly related deaths, and five additional fatalities that were associated with the event. A significant aftershock (magnitude 5.2) occurred three days later causing additional damage in Pico Rivera, Alhambra, Los Angeles, and Whittier. The shock's effects caused damaged chimneys, broken windows, and the collapse of two bell towers at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, several injuries and one additional death were reported. The following year, another aftershock again damaged chimneys, broke windows, cracked drywall, and some homes' foundations in Pico Rivera, Pasadena, and Whittier.
• January 17, 1994: The Northridge earthquake, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake centered in Northridge struck at 4:31 a.m. PST, felt all over the southern California area. It caused 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
58 at least 57 fatalities (a subsequent study put the death toll at 72, including heart attacks) and injured thousands.
• March 16, 2010: Pico Rivera was the epicenter of a magnitude 4.5 earthquake, which occurred at 4:04 a.m. The earthquake struck about 1.5 miles northeast of Pico Rivera at a depth of 11.7 miles, which is considered shallow. The USGS stated that the quake was likely from the Puente Hills thrust fault. The epicenter was about 4.5 miles south of the epicenter of the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. Both earthquakes exhibited thrust faulting. However, the 2010 earthquake strike rotated clockwise, suggesting that a different thrust system was activated. There were no injuries or major damage, but plenty of people felt the shaking.
• March 28, 2014: The La Habra earthquake was a magnitude 5.1 earthquake that occurred at 9:09 p.m. PDT. Although the earthquake was named "La Habra," it was centered in the City of Brea. The Mercalli intensity was IIV (very strong) in the City. The earthquake caused damage to the Brea Civic Center; a rockslide caused a car to be overturned, resulting in minor injuries and the closure of a street Brea. 13 water mains were damaged or broken in nearby Fullerton, resulting in the temporary displacement of some 70 families. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. Approximately $2.6 million in total damages occurred in the three cities of Brea, Fullerton, and La Habra.

Other strong regional earthquakes have occurred in Southern California, but their epicenters have been so distant from Pico Rivera that seismic shaking generated by the event did not cause significant property damage or harm to the City. The most recent significant earthquake affecting the Southern California region was the Northridge Earthquake in 1994. At 4:31 A.M. on Monday, January 17, a 6.7 earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley. Thousands of aftershocks occurred in the following days and weeks, causing additional damage to affected structures. Fifty-seven people were killed, and more than 1,500 people were seriously injured.

For days afterward, thousands of homes and businesses were without electricity; tens of thousands had no gas, and nearly 50,000 people had little or no water. Approximately 15,000 structures were moderately to severely damaged, leaving thousands of people temporarily homeless; 66,500 buildings were inspected, nearly 4,000 were severely damaged, and over 11,000 were moderately damaged. Several collapsed bridges and overpasses created commuter havoc on the freeway system. Extensive damage was caused by ground shaking, but the earthquake triggered liquefaction, and dozens of fires also caused additional severe damage. This extremely strong ground motion in large portions of southern California resulted in record economic losses.

Table 3-14 shows significant earthquakes – magnitude 6.0 Mw or greater – that have occurred within 100 miles of Pico Rivera since the beginning of the 20th century. Pico Rivera had no significantly reported incidents of damage; however, authorities throughout southern California made local disaster proclamations for the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the 1987 Whittier Narrows Earthquake.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
59 TABLE 3-14: SIGNIFICANT EARTHQUAKES (6.0+ MW) WITHIN 100 MILES OF PICO RIVERA Event Name Distance (Miles)* Magnitude
1812 San Juan Capistrano 45 6.9
1855 Los Angeles 13 6.0
1899 Lake Elsinore Earthquake 60 6.4
1918 San Jacinto Earthquake 77 6.8
1933 Long Beach Earthquake 21 6.3
1971 San Fernando Earthquake 34 6.5
1986 North Palm Springs Earthquake 97 6.0
1992 Big Bear Earthquake 97 6.7
1994 Northridge Earthquake 38 6.7
*Approximate distance between the epicenter and Pico Rivera City Hall Source: Southern California Earthquake Data Center. 2021. Earthquake Catalogs SCSN Catalog Search (1932- Present). http://service.scedc.caltech.edu/eq-catalogs/radius.php Liquefaction
Limited information is available on the occurrence of past liquefaction events in Pico Rivera.

Since these events occur in conjunction with strong earthquakes, one of the nearest and most recent liquefaction events would have occurred near the mouth of the San Gabriel River at Alamitos Bay because of the Long Beach Earthquake in 1933. It was reported that pavement buckled, cracks appeared in the ground, and “mud volcanoes” erupted in the Los Alamitos area.24
Risk of Future Events
Seismic Shaking
Historical and geological records show California has a long history of seismic events. Southern California is probably best known for the San Andreas Fault, a 400-mile-long fault running from the Mexican border to a point offshore, west of San Francisco. Geologic studies show that over the past 1,400 to 1,500 years, large earthquakes have occurred at about 130-year intervals on the Southern San Andreas Fault. As the last large earthquake on the Southern San Andreas occurred in 1857, that section of the fault is considered a likely location for an earthquake within the next few decades. The Third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) was released in 2015 and is the most recent assessment of the probability of a major earthquake on various faults between 2015 and 2044. Table 3-15 shows the results for Pico Rivera's nearby and regional fault lines.
24 California Geological Survey. 1998. “Seismic Hazard Zone Report for the Los Alamitos 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California.” http://gmw.conservation.ca.gov/SHP/EZRIM/Reports/SHZR/SHZR_019_Los_Alamitos.pdf 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
60 TABLE 3-15: EARTHQUAKE PROBABILITIES FOR KEY FAULTS NEAR PICO RIVERA (2015-2044)
Fault
Distance
(Miles)*
Estimated Probabilities

6.7+ Mw 7.0+ Mw 7.5+ Mw 8.0+ Mw
San Andreas 41.04 20.95% 18.69% 15.85% 6.61%
NewportInglewood

18.34 0.75% 0.67% 0.19% Negligible
Elsinore 30.39 3.19% 1.68% 0.89% <0.01%
Puente Hills
(LA)

2.05 1.01% 0.51% 0.15% Negligible
Puente Hills
(Santa Fe
Springs)

4.37 0.96% 0.76% 0.29% <0.01%
Palos Verde 18.41 3.09% 2.79% 0.10% Negligible
Whittier 3.02 1.29% 1.06% 0.59% <0.01%
San Jacinto 39.77 4.24% 4.22% 4.18% 2.31%
* Distance between Pico Rivera City Hall and the nearest point of the fault. All distances are approximate. † Southern California segments only.

Note: UCERF3 results consist of two individual models (3.1 and 3.2), each of which provides rupture probabilities for each segment of the fault. This table shows the maximum probability for a section of the fault in either model.

Source: Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. 2015. The Third California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3). https://wgcep.org/UCERF3
The U.S. Geological Survey scenarios show that the Puente Hills and Whittier Faults could cause the strongest seismic shaking in Pico Rivera based on the distance from the faults to the City. However, more distant faults, like the San Jacinto and San Andreas faults, have a higher probability to produce more intense earthquakes but are less likely to cause damage in Pico Rivera due to their greater distance from the City. However, as Table 3-15 noted, the likelihood of a powerful earthquake occurring along most of these faults within the next 25 years is generally very low (excluding the San Andreas). As depicted in Table 3-2 and Table 3-3, seismic shaking will remain a repeating occurrence with a probability of “highly likely” with a greater than ten percent chance of occurring annually.

Liquefaction
Soil liquefaction is a seismically induced form of ground failure, which has been a significant cause of earthquake damage in Southern California. During the 1971 San Fernando and 1994 Northridge earthquakes, significant damage to roads, utility pipelines, buildings, and other structures in the Los Angeles area was caused by liquefaction. Research and historical data indicate that loose, granular materials situated at depths of less than 50 feet with fine (silt and clay) contents of less than 30%, which are saturated by a relatively shallow groundwater table, are most susceptible to liquefaction. These geological and groundwater conditions exist in parts of Southern California and Pico Rivera, typically in valley regions, stream and river watersheds, and alluvial floodplains.

For liquefaction to occur, three general conditions must be met. The first condition – strong ground shaking for a relatively long duration – can be expected to occur in the Pico Rivera area because of an earthquake on any of the several active faults in the region. The second condition – loose or unconsolidated, recently deposited sediments consisting primarily of silt and sand – occurs in many valley floors and the larger canyon bottoms prevalent throughout southern 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
61 California. The third condition is water-saturated sediments within about 50 feet of the surface.

Liquefaction could occur, but defining the precise likelihood isn’t possible. Refer to Table 3-15 for the probability of a major earthquake occurring in faults close to Pico Rivera. As depicted in Table 3-2 and Table 3-3, liquefaction events are believed to remain a ”possible” occurrence with a probability of between a one and 0.001% percent chance of occurring annually.

Climate Change Considerations
Seismic Shaking
There is no direct link between climate change and seismic activity, so climate change is not expected to cause any changes to the frequency or intensity of seismic shaking. Some research indicates that climate change could result in “isostatic rebounds,” or a sudden upward movement of the crust because of reduced downward weight caused by glaciers. As glaciers are known to melt when global temperatures increase, climate change could indirectly lead to increased seismicity in Southern California.25
Liquefaction
While climate change may not impact seismic shaking, it can directly impact liquefication.

Climate change is anticipated to change the usual precipitation patterns in Southern California.

Periods of both rain and drought are anticipated to become more intense and frequent. This means more precipitation will likely occur during rainy periods, and drought is expected to last longer. As a result, the water table in Pico Rivera could rise during intense periods of precipitation. Alternatively, a longer-lasting drought may lead to more groundwater withdrawal and could lower the water table. Therefore, climate change could potentially increase or decrease the risk of liquefaction in Pico Rivera, depending on the circumstances. Prolonged droughts can decrease groundwater levels if additional water extraction occurs, decreasing the liquefaction potential. Increasing precipitation intensity and frequency could increase groundwater levels, potentially increasing liquefaction potential.

FLOODING
Description
Flood
Flooding occurs when an area becomes inundated with more water than it can drain in a specified period. This can range from a small, confined area, such as a grassy field in a park that floods for a few hours after a rainstorm, to whole city sections, such as streets becoming impassable because of floodwaters. When floods are small, they may only represent a minor inconvenience as some recreational pathways and curb cuts become flooded. These smaller instances of flooding where water collects into a pool of standing water are referred to as “ponding.” On the other hand, larger flood events can hamper a city’s operations. For example, if multiple streets flooded simultaneously, the results could prevent emergency workers from reaching people needing assistance. Flooding also has the destructive potential to damage critical infrastructure. For instance, unprotected electronic equipment can short-circuit if it 25 Masih, A. January 2018. “An Enhanced Seismic Activity Observed Due to Climate Change: Preliminary Results from Alaska.” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. doi :10.1088/1755-1315/167/1/012018. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/167/1/012018/pdf 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
62 becomes inundated by floodwaters. This could lead to outages in street lighting, traffic signals, and even city and government computer systems.

Flooding has the potential to occur from multiple sources. In Southern California, the primary cause of flooding is usually heavy rain occurring during the winter storm season. Most precipitation in California arrives either via atmospheric rivers or the ENSO cycle. Atmospheric rivers are channels of moist air located high in the atmosphere. The ENSO cycle is a regional meteorological phenomenon in the southern Pacific Ocean consisting of ocean water and air temperature variations. These variations give rise to two distinct phases: El Niño, the warm and wet phase, and La Niña, the dry and cold phase. When the El Niño phase is active, California will likely receive higher than normal precipitation levels. These higher-than-normal levels of rainfall can quickly overwhelm the capacity of certain sections of land to drain the precipitation before the rainwater begins to pool effectively.

A failure in infrastructure may also cause flooding. For example, a water main or sewage pipeline that bursts could cause flooding if left uncontained for a significant period of time. A more serious infrastructure failure, such as the failure of dams, reservoirs, or levees, could cause extensive flooding.

Dam/Levee Failure
Dam, reservoir, and levee failure can result from several causes, such as earthquakes, rapidly rising floodwaters, and structural design flaws. These hazards can occur instantaneously or very gradually, depending on the source of the failure. Inundation associated with these events can cause loss of life, damage property, and result in other impacts, such as displacement of persons residing in the inundation path and loss of critical infrastructure.

Levees are a basic means of providing flood protection along waterways. Levees confine floodwaters to a main river channel, and their failure can lead to inundation of surrounding areas. Levees can fail due to structural failures, foundation failures of underlying soils, or overtopping by flood flows. Contributing factors include poor construction materials, seepage through or under the levee, burrowing rodents, and improper repairs. Seismic activity can impact levees as well, especially those constructed on the soft soils that are typical in floodplains. Lack of adequate and regular maintenance to correct these problems may contribute to the failure of a levee. Most failures result from several of these factors.

Location and Extent
Flood
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates which areas in the United States are susceptible to flooding and how likely they are to experience flooding. FEMA uses a complex classification system to categorize the level of risk for each section of land. The two most well-known measures of flood event likelihood are the 100-year flood and 500-year flood zones. These designations do not refer to floods that occur every 100 or 500 years but to the likelihood of occurring yearly. For example, a 100-year flood zone has a 1 in 100—or 1% chance—of occurring in any given year, while a 500-year zone has a 1 in 500—or 0.2% chance—of occurring in any given year. These likelihood measures are combined with each locale's specific geography to produce specific flood “zone” designations. Table 3-16 shows a detailed list of all the flood zone categories used by FEMA. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
63 TABLE 3-16: FEMA FLOODPLAIN ZONES
Zone Description
A Within a 100-year flood plain, but the water height of the 100-year flood is not known.

A1-30 or AE Within a 100-year flood plain and the water height of the 100-year flood is known.

AO Within a 100-year flood plain, and the water height of the 100-year flood is between one and three feet but not specifically known.

A99 Within a 100-year flood plain, protected by flood protection infrastructure such as dams or levees.

AH Within a 100-year flood plain, and the water height of the 100-year flood is between one and three feet and is specifically known.

AR Within a 100-year flood plain, protected by flood protection infrastructure that is not currently effective, but is being rebuilt to provide protection.

V Within a 100-year flood plain for coastal floods, but the water height is not known.

V1-30 or VE Within a 100-year flood plain for coastal floods and the water height is known.

VO Within a 100-year flood plain for shallow coastal floods with a height between one and three feet.

B Within a 500-year flood plain or within a 100-year flood plain with a water height less than one foot (found on older maps).

C Outside of the 500-year flood plain (found on older maps).

X Outside of the 500-year flood plain (found on newer maps).

X500 Within a 500-year flood plain or within a 100-year flood plain with a water height less than one foot (found on newer maps).

D Within an area with a potential and undetermined flood hazard.

M Within an area at risk of mudslides from a 100-year flood event.

N Within an area at risk of mudslides from a 500-year flood event.

P Within an area at risk of mudslides from a potential and undetermined flood event.

E Within an area at risk of erosion from a 100-year flood event.

FEMA also uses Base Flood Elevation (BFE) to determine the minimum depth of the floodwaters during one of these flood events. For example, an area with a three-foot BFE can expect to see a minimum floodwater depth of three feet with potentially additional depth in particularly severe flood events.

Flooding results from a variety of conditions; there is no single type of flood or single area most susceptible to flooding. The following sections describe the primary flood types and flood hazard areas in the city.
100 Year Flood Zone
Portions of the City located along the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo Rivers are located in the 100 year flood zone (FEMA Flood Hazard Zone A). While these zones are mapped within the City, their location within Pico Rivera only occurs within these rivers’ beds behind certified levees.

Figure 3-6 identifies the different flood zones mapped within the City by FEMA. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
64 500 Year Flood Zone
Pico Rivera has two small locations mapped within the 500-year flood zone (Zone X). The risk associated with flooding in this area is generally low and is not subject to regulation pursuant to the requirements for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Reduced Risk From Levee Zone
The vast majority of Pico Rivera is mapped within a Reduced Risk from Levee flood zone (also known as a Shaded X Zone). This designation is given to areas located behind a certified levee that provides protection from a 100-year flood event. Due to the levees constructed along the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo Rivers, downstream of the Whittie Narrows Dam, a large portion of the City is better protected from flooding.

Non-SFHA Shallow Flooding Areas
Although the City is somewhat flat, occasions of shallow flooding have occurred. Such flooding may be caused by clogged or undersized drains, catch basins or water courses, or poor surface drainage patterns on streets or property.

Power-Failure-Induced Flooding Areas
Power-failure-induced flooding would result from a loss of power at the City’s stormwater pump stations and booster pump stations that drain low-lying areas. The Utility Programs Division oversees Stormwater Management. Most of
the pumping plants have permanent backup
power generators installed. For pumping
plants that do not have permanent backup
generators, portable generators located at the
nearest District yards can be brought into
service rapidly.

Table 3-17 identifies relevant NFIP data
regarding Pico Rivera.

TABLE 3-17: NFIP DATA FOR PICO RIVERA
Total Number of Policies: 53
Total Premiums: $48,772
Insurance in Force: $17,107,000
Total Number of Closed Paid
Losses:
28 $ of Closed Paid Losses: $113,234.28
# of Repetitive Loss (RL)
Properties
0 # of Severe Repetitive Loss
(SRL) Properties
0 CRS Class Rating N/A
Source: FEMA, 2024
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
65 Figure 3-6: FEMA 100-Year and 500-Year Flood Zones in Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
66 Dam/Levee Failure
Inundation from the following dams, levees, and reservoirs could potentially result in flooding in Pico Rivera in the event of a failure. Figure 3-7 displays the identified and mapped dam and reservoir inundation zones immediately adjacent to the City. Figure 3-8 displays the regional Los Angeles River/Rio Hondo 1 levee system. While this type of failure can be catastrophic, the likelihood of occurrence is low in comparison to many of the other hazards that can affect the City. As mapped in Figure 3-6, the City is protected by a series of levees along the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo Rivers. The construction of these levees ensures a higher degree of protection for all areas adjacent to these rivers.

Whittier Narrows Dam
This dam is a 56-foot (17 m) tall earth dam on the
San Gabriel River and the smaller, parallel Rio
Hondo River. The dam is located, as the name
implies, at the Whittier Narrows. It provides water
conservation storage and is also the central
element of the Los Angeles County Drainage Area
(LACDA) flood control system. Its reservoir has a
capacity of 67,060-acre ft. The Whittier Narrows
are a natural gap in the hills that form the southern
boundary of the San Gabriel Valley of Southern
California. Both the Rio Hondo River, a tributary of
the Los Angeles River, and the San Gabriel River
flow through this gap and are impounded by the reservoir. The Pomona Freeway (CA-60) passes through the reservoir flood control basin and the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) passes along the eastern boundary of the basin. In September 2017, the United States Army Corps of Engineers officials warned local residents that the dam no longer met the agency’s 'tolerable risk' guidelines and could fail in the event of a very large, very rare super storm. As of February 2024, Los Angeles County and the Army Corps of Engineers adopted an agreement on proposed improvements to the dam, such as raising the dam spillway elevation to prevent overtopping and drainage improvements. This also includes modifications to raise the elevation of Rosemead Blvd. and other roadways impacted by the dam.26 Other Upstream Dams
In addition to the inundation zone for Whittier Narrows Dam, Figure 3-7 depicts inundation zones for several other reservoirs upstream of Whittier Narrows Dam that have the potential to inundate areas of the City. According to the California Department Water of Resources27 four other reservoirs upstream from Pico Rivera could inundate the Whittier Narrows reservoir and downstream rivers. These dams include the Puddingstone Dam, Cogswell Dam, Morris Dam, and San Gabriel River No. 1 Dam. While these zones enter small portions of the City, it appears a majority of the inundation occurs within FEMA 100 and 500 year flood hazard zone areas. 26 Army Corps of Engineers. “Whittier Narrows Dam Safety Modification Project.” https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Dam-Safety-Program/Whittier-Narrows-Dam-Safety-Modification-Project/ 27 California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams. “California Dam Breach Inundation Maps.” https://fmds.water.ca.gov/maps/damim/
Whittier Narrows Dam
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
67 Los Angeles River/Rio Hondo 1 Levee System (LAR/RH1) The Rio Hondo LAR/RH1 Levee Segment extends 43,731 feet (8.28 miles) along the east bank of the Rio Hondo, from the Whittier Narrows Dam to the Rio Hondo/Los Angeles River confluence. It runs through the cities of Pico Rivera, South Gate, Downey and Montebello. The Levee system is composed of two levee segments (see Figure 3-8):
• Rio Hondo LAR/RH1 Levee Segment
• Los Angeles River LAR/RH1 Levee Segment
The USACE has jurisdiction over 83 percent of the levee system; the Los Angeles County Flood Control District has jurisdiction over the remainder. The upstream limit of the system is at Whittier Narrows Dam. The downstream limit is at the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach. The LAR/RH1 Levee System consists of an earthen levee embankment and a trapezoidal channel with either riprap, grouted stone, or reinforced concrete on the riverward slope. The area along the levee contains residential, commercial, industrial, and civic improvements. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
68 Figure 3-7: Dam and Reservoir Inundation Zones in Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
69 Figure 3-8: Regional Levee Locations Along the San Gabriel River Past Events
Flood
Los Angeles County is no stranger to flooding during massive storm systems and has experienced the destructive effects that occur as a result. Some flooding events have caused damage in the City of Pico Rivera in the past. Records of past flooding specific to the City of Pico Rivera were not available to support this assessment. However, significant flood events occurred in Los Angeles County in 1914, 1916, 1927, 1934, 1938, 1941, 1943,1952, 1956, 1966, 1969, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2005, 2010, and 2017. Each of these events was likely to have impacted the City of Pico Rivera to some degree. Large floods occur every 5 to 6 years in Los Angeles County.

The City of Pico Rivera today has an extensive drainage system to protect its residents and property from flood damage. The City of Pico Rivera complements the Los Angeles County Drainage Area system with a comprehensive network of underground pipes and open channels to prevent local flooding. These local drains collect runoff and carry it rapidly to the main stem river channels.

Dam/Levee Failure
Dam failure events are infrequent and usually coincide with events that cause them, such as earthquakes and excessive rainfall. There is a residual risk associated with dams that remains after safeguards have been implemented. The residual risk is associated with events beyond 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
70 those that the facility was designed to withstand. However, the probability of dam failure is low in today’s regulatory environment.

Risk of Future Events
Flood
Localized instances of ponding occur at least annually or multiple times a year in cities across Southern California. During drought periods, precipitation levels may decrease and lower the likelihood of ponding. In most years, though, it is almost certain that Pico Rivera will experience some type of flood event. Larger-scale flood events have been rare in Pico Rivera. However, Pico Rivera could experience some degree of large-scale flooding with inundation levels greater than one foot in depth during a particularly severe rainstorm, after a dam failure, or when a reservoir pool exceeds flood control storage. All expectations are that the probability of floods/storms occurring again in the future is likely. As discussed in Table 3-2 and Table 3-3, there is a probability of between ten percent and a one percent chance of a flood occurring annually.

Dam/Levee Failure
Due to the presence of several dams, levees, and reservoirs near Pico Rivera, areas of the City could be at risk of inundation in the case of significant dam failure. The potential consequences of dam failure are death or injury, people being displaced from their homes, damage to existing public and private buildings, damage to infrastructure, loss of services from utilities, loss of government services, and economic losses. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) evaluates, and rates dams based on confirmed or unconfirmed safety issues, the probability of failure, and the potential consequences. The Army Corps of Engineers Dam Safety Program has given the structure a DSAC I rating, which means it has a very high risk of failure without remediation efforts. The dam could fail due to overtopping during a flood, erosion, or the premature opening of the San Gabriel River Spillway gates.

The Whittier Narrows Dam’s San Gabriel River Spillway gates are designed to open automatically when the reservoir’s pool exceeds flood control storage[228.5 ft (69.6 m) NGVD elevation]. When this occurs, it is not considered a failure, but instead a controlled release. The probability of the Whittier Narrows Dam's reservoir pool exceeding the flood control storage elevation is generally low under typical weather conditions. The dam is designed to manage significant inflows and has operated effectively since its completion in 1957. However, in the event of exceptionally rare and extreme rainfall events there is an increased risk that the reservoir could surpass this critical elevation. Such an exceedance could lead to the automatic opening of the spillway gates, resulting in uncontrolled water releases downstream.28 As discussed in Table 3-2 and Table 3-3, there is a probability of between one percent and

0.001 percent chance of a dam failure occurring annually.

Climate Change Considerations
Flood
Climate change is expected to exacerbate the conditions leading to Pico Rivera's urban flooding. Climate change will cause more intense local, regional, and global weather patterns, 28 US Army Corps of Engineers – Los Angeles District. Whittier Narrows Dam. https://resreg.spl.usace.army.mil/pages/wnrh.php 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
71 intensifying atmospheric rivers. At this time, it is unknown exactly how climate change will impact ENSO frequency, but its effects are anticipated to become more intense. Winter storm precipitation amounts in Southern California will increase based on atmospheric rivers and ENSO changes. This increases the likelihood of an exceptional rain event in Pico Rivera that could overwhelm the capacity of the region’s flood control system to contain and drain all the precipitation.

Due to climate change, droughts are also expected to increase in length and frequency. Soils dried by extensive drought periods are less able to absorb and drain water, likely increasing flood possibility. Overall, climate change is expected to create conditions that will raise the likelihood of flooding in Pico Rivera.

Dam/Levee Failure
Climate change could increase the risk of dam failure in the future. More intense rainstorms may increase the likelihood of reservoir infrastructure becoming overwhelmed, including the dams that control floodwaters from inundating Pico Rivera and the rest of Los Angeles County.

Indirectly, increased climate change-induced rains may cause more erosion, compromising the dam's structural integrity and the foundation on which it sits.

EPIDEMIC
Description
An epidemic is an infectious disease that spreads beyond a localized area, reaching people throughout a large region. A pandemic is an infectious disease that spreads around the world.

When a disease is described as vector-borne, it refers to the medium of infection through a third-party organism (i.e., mosquito) known as a vector. Both epidemic and pandemic diseases can be described as vector-borne if the infection takes place through a vector. The two main factors that influence the spread of disease are the speed at which the pathogen is transmitted from person to person in addition to human behaviors, both individual and societal.

The following are some diseases and pests that could affect the population of Pico Rivera:
• COVID–19 is the common name used for the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019, first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The particular coronavirus strain associated with COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. A wide range of COVID-19 symptoms have been reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness that can appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms reported include coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, and/or new loss of taste or smell.29 • Influenza (the flu) is a virus that leads to illness in humans. Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, headache, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, or runny nose. Given that the flu virus is constantly mutating, it is exceptionally difficult to create a vaccine that protects against all strains of the virus. These variations of the flu can occasionally give rise to particularly deadly strains, such as the H1N1 strain that emerged in 2009. 29 CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/126356 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
72 Currently, the flu is one of the common diseases around the world, leading to as many as 650,000 deaths per year.30
• West Nile Virus is a disease originally from Africa that was first reported in the U.S. in 1999. West Nile Virus is a vector-borne disease, with transmission occurring because of mosquito bites from the aedes aegypti. Most people who are infected do not display symptoms or feel sick. Those who display symptoms often experience high fever, headache, neck stiffness, tiredness, or tremors. More severe symptoms include coma and paralysis. Vulnerable populations, primarily the elderly, may die as a result of their infections.31
• Zika Virus is a disease originally from Uganda that began spreading globally in 2016.

Zika is a vector-borne disease that is primarily transmitted from person to person via mosquito bites. Most infected people do not experience symptoms; when symptoms occur, they potentially include fever, headache, or muscle pain. Zika rarely results in death. Researchers have discovered that Zika virus infections in pregnant women can sometimes result in microcephaly, a condition where babies are born with small heads.

Babies born with microcephaly may die as a result of their physical condition.32 • Mosquitoes are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans.

They use a needle-like part of their mouth, called the proboscis, to breach the epidermis and reach the blood vessels beneath the skin. As mosquitoes withdraw the blood from their host, they can potentially transfer infectious diseases they are carrying to the host.

Only certain diseases may be transmitted by mosquitoes. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), for example, cannot be transferred from human to human since HIV cannot survive in mosquitoes. The Zika or West Nile viruses, on the other hand, are highly transmissible infections via mosquitoes, and this is the most common form of transmission.33
• Mice and rats are small rodents that can transmit disease or be a vector for other disease-carrying organisms. The most well-known and historical example of this is the Bubonic Plague. In the 14th Century, mice and rats infested with fleas traveled to Europe from Asia. The fleas carried the Bubonic Plague in their bodies and transmitted the infection to human populations as the fleas left the rats and mice for new human hosts.34 Location/Extent
While any location in Pico Rivera is susceptible to experiencing the spread of disease, locations where many people gather are more likely to facilitate the spread of disease. These include large employment centers, educational institutions, medical facilities, and shopping centers.

Pico Rivera has several smaller medical facilities (Pico Rivera Healthcare Center, Southern California Medical Center, urgent care, family medicine, etc.) but is located approximately within eleven miles of several large hospitals located in Los Angeles, where high populations of 30 Hartl, G. December 2017. Up to 650,000 people die of respiratory diseases linked to seasonal flu each year. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/14-12-2017-up-to-650-000-people-die-of-respiratory-diseases-linked-toseasonal-flu-each-year 31 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. December 2018. West Nile Virus: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html 32 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Zika Virus 2025: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/ 33 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquitoes 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/ 34 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Plague Spreads 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/plague/causes/ 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
73 individuals with infectious diseases could congregate. In addition, large commercial and employment areas like Pico Rivera Towne Center, and various educational institutions are highly trafficked by many different people, which could increase the spread of disease.

Vector-borne diseases can only be spread where there is a link between the pest and the human population that could be infected. Areas where pests gather could pose a greater danger to humans who live nearby or visit regularly. Mosquitoes, for example, are known to congregate around pools of standing water as this is where they lay their eggs. Any pools or other bodies of standing water in Pico Rivera pose an increased risk to anyone who regularly spends time near these locations of being bitten by a mosquito and potentially being infected by a mosquitoborne disease.

Zoonoses can be spread in any location where there is regular contact between animals and humans. The most common places for zoonoses to develop are livestock farms or other similar agricultural facilities. Although Pico Rivera has limited uses that include livestock, the Pico Rivera Sports Arena is home to many events. The Pico Rivera Sports Arena is famous for its Mexican charreadas and Latin entertainment and is a popular recreation spot for the Los Angeles area Hispanic community. This facility is the most prominent Mexican rodeo ring in the country. Manning Beef, LLC is also located in the city. This company specializes in slaughtering and processing cattle.

Few diseases have a formal measuring scale to evaluate their severity or extent. Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is measured by the Pandemic Influenza Phases scale established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Table 3-18 describes the various phases of Influenza infection over time.

TABLE 3-18: PANDEMIC INFLUENZA PHASES
Phase Description
Phase 1 No animal influenza virus is known to have caused infection in people.

Phase 2 An animal influenza virus has caused infection in people. There is a potential pandemic threat.

Phase 3 An animal influenza virus has caused occasional infections or infections in small groups. There may be limited human-to-human transmission, but nothing large enough to sustain community-level outbreaks.

Phase 4 Human-to-human transmission can sustain community-level outbreaks. There is a significantly higher risk of a pandemic.

Phase 5 Human-to-human transmission in at least two countries in the same region. A pandemic is likely imminent.

Phase 6 Human-to-human transmission in at least two countries in the same region and in at least one other country outside of the region. A pandemic is underway.

Post-peak Transmission levels are declining below peak levels, although second waves may occur, and transmission could return to previous levels or higher.

PostpandemicTransmission levels have returned to normal levels for seasonal influenza outbreaks.

Source: World Health Organization. 2019. WHO Pandemic Phase Descriptions and Main Actions by Phase. https://www.who.int/influenza/resources/documents/pandemic_phase_descriptions_and_actions.pdf 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
74 Past Incidents
While local information on diseases for Pico Rivera is limited, Los Angeles County has been impacted by localized disease outbreaks. The following are notable instances of diseases and pests that have occurred within Los Angeles County, the State, and the Country:
• H1N1 (Swine flu): The 2009 H1N1 pandemic spread around the world and caused deaths worldwide. Within the context of California, there were 2,655 cases requiring intensive care and 479 cases where the infection resulted in the patient's death.35 • West Nile Virus: In 2014, all of California experienced a sudden outbreak of West Nile Virus infections, with most cases occurring within Orange County. By the end of the year, the California Department of Public Health reported more than 263 cases. One middleaged man and two seniors died as a result of being infected. In 2024 there were only 2 reported cases in Pico Rivera and 23 cases in Los Angeles County.36 • Zika Virus: In 2016, there were 114 reported cases of Zika Virus infections and 22 cases in 2017, an infection rate of 0.9% and 0.4%, respectively. All these cases resulted from residents traveling to foreign countries where the virus was active and then was diagnosed with the infection upon their return. There has never been any locally acquired Zika infection that occurred within California itself. In 2024 there were 2 cases reported in Los Angeles County.37
• COVID-19: In December 2019, COVID-19 was identified in Wuhan, China. As of February 2025, COVID-19 has spread throughout the globe, with over 704 million confirmed cases and approximately 7.01 million deaths worldwide. There are over 111 million confirmed cases within the United States and over 1.2 million deaths resulting from the virus. For Los Angeles County, over 3.7 million confirmed cases and approximately 35,545 deaths have been attributed to this virus.38 Risk of Future Events
Pico Rivera is almost certain to continue experiencing influenza-type infections in the future. As this disease has no completely effective vaccine, it is impossible to eradicate the illness from recurring in the City. Other diseases, such as measles, can only be contained as far as the general population continues receiving inoculations against the disease. If residents, workers of, or visitors to Pico Rivera, were to stop receiving vaccinations against preventable diseases, it could cause a resurgence of such diseases within the City. Recent cultural trends in Southern California suggest that some members of the public are choosing not to vaccinate their children, which corroborates this scenario.39 While it is impossible to predict whether this anti-vaccination trend will gain traction in Pico Rivera, there are no current indications that significant numbers of people living, working, or visiting the City are not taking the necessary precautions against the threat of preventable disease, including vaccinations. 35 CDPH Home. www.cdph.ca.gov. May 2, 2017.
36 Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. https://www.glamosquito.org/west-nile-virus-activity-2024 37 California Department of Public Health. Vector-Borne Disease Section. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/ZikaInfectionsUpdate.aspx 38 John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map 39 Karlamangla, S. July 2018. “Pushback against immunization laws leaves some California schools vulnerable to outbreaks.” Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sears-vaccines-fight-20180713-story.html 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
75 Vector-borne diseases of concern, like the West Nile or Zika viruses, are not native to California and thus are not expected to gain significant traction in the future. As all cases of Zika Virus infection have occurred among those who have traveled to countries where the risk of infection is high, it can be expected that there will always be some degree of Zika Virus infection in Pico Rivera if its residents, workers, and visitors travel to these countries. West Nile Virus infection rates tend to remain low, but there are periods when infection rates suddenly rise, generally a result of larger mosquito populations. If mosquito control measures are in place and effectively enforced, the infection rates in Pico Rivera are expected to remain low. If large numbers of residents or businesses do not follow proper procedures, the number of West Nile Virus cases could likely rise. As discussed in Table 3-2 and Table 3-3, there is a probability of between one percent and 0.001 percent chance of an epidemic occurring annually.

Climate Change Considerations
Climate change generally will lead to the overall warming of the Southern California climate, which may cause insects, pests, and other vectors that carry disease to remain active for an extended part of the year. This possibility increases the threat of exposure to any infectious diseases that these pests carry. Additionally, vectors currently not active in Pico Rivera and Southern California-at-large may migrate into the area due to warmer temperatures. Mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus and Zika Virus would have an extended range.40

HUMAN-CAUSED HAZARDS
Description
Urban Fire
An urban fire is a fire that causes damage to buildings or infrastructure in an urbanized area. In some minor situations, the fire prompts the evacuation of the building’s occupants, and the fire is contained within a short amount of time by firefighting teams or the building’s fire suppression systems. In severe cases, the fire leads to the complete destruction of the building and can spread to other surrounding properties. Common causes of urban fires include stoves that are accidentally left on, short-circuited electrical equipment, or mishandling of household tools.

Breaches in gas pipelines may cause larger urban fires, large transportation accidents, or downed electrical transmission wires. Arsonists may intentionally start fires.

Infrastructure Failure
Infrastructure failure is when a piece of infrastructure fails in such a way that it threatens people, property, or other community assets. Generally, infrastructure failure is categorized into two threats: active and passive. During an active threat, infrastructure fails, releasing a harmful or potentially harmful substance, such as a broken wastewater line that releases untreated sewage. A passive threat involves infrastructure that cannot perform its function. Failure itself is not dangerous, but under the right circumstances, the failure can increase the risks to people or property. For example, a clogged storm drain is not directly dangerous but can lead to flooding during a storm. Some infrastructure failures may be both active and passive. For example, a broken power line is directly dangerous (it creates a threat of electrocution, and the wires may 40 McKenna, M. April 2017. “Why the Menace of Mosquitoes Will Only Get Worse.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/magazine/why-the-menace-of-mosquitoes-will-only-get-worse.html 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
76 spark a wildfire) and creates an indirect risk (the loss of electricity service can be harmful during hot weather).

Infrastructure failures often occur due to natural hazards like floods or high winds. Failures can also occur because of human error, deliberate action, or improper infrastructure maintenance and failure due to overuse or wear and tear. Some infrastructure failures can directly cause other hazardous situations. Utility lines (power lines, water and wastewater pipes, natural gas lines, etc.), flood control and drainage infrastructure, erosion control measures, and other forms of infrastructure can all create hazardous situations in the event of failure.

Hazardous Materials Release
The state of California defines hazardous materials as substances that are toxic, ignitable, or flammable, reactive, and/or corrosive. The state also defines hazardous materials as substances that show high acute or chronic toxicity, are carcinogenic (causes cancer), have bio accumulative properties (accumulates in the body’s tissues), are persistent in the environment, or are water reactive. The primary concern associated with hazardous materials release is the public's short and/or long-term effects from exposure to the hazardous material.

Hazardous materials release refers to a hazard event whereby harmful concentrations of hazardous or toxic substances are released into the environment. This occurs when storage containers of hazardous materials leak or fail. This can happen due to industrial accidents, vehicle crashes, as a direct result of other disasters (e.g., a flood or earthquake), or as a deliberate act.

The threat that hazardous materials pose to human health depends on the type of material, frequency, and duration of exposure, and whether chemicals are inhaled, penetrate the skin, or are ingested, among other factors. Exposure to hazardous materials can result in short- or longterm effects, including major damage to organs and systems in the body or death. Hazardous waste is any material with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment and is no longer of use requiring disposal. Hazardous materials can also cause health risks if they contaminate soil, groundwater, and air, potentially posing a threat long after the initial release.

Power Failure/Outage
An energy/power failure is an event that occurs within an electric power system when the total real or reactive power of the power plants in the system is insufficient to supply all consumers with electric power of the required quality. These events are considered a lifeline system failure.

These failures or outages can be the primary hazard, or these events can directly result from another hazard, such as an earthquake, extreme weather event, or flood. These failures can also be in conjunction with other lifeline system failures such as natural gas, communication, drinking water, wastewater disposal, or transportation. Power failure can exacerbate and or create detrimental effects on these various operational and lifeline systems. For this hazard profile discussion, energy/power failure incidents are the primary hazard of concern; however, power failure associated with other hazard events is a concern for many of the other hazards profiled in this plan.

Generally, these power failure events are the direct result of events beyond the control of the City. These events often occur during a time of extreme demand/need for power, such as an extreme heatwave that creates an enormous strain on the power grid as residents try to stay cool. Most of these energy outages are short-term but can last for weeks if the situation is dire. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
77 There are three (3) types of power/energy failures or outages; each of them is categorized based on duration and the actual effect of the failure/outage event:
1) Permanent - A massive loss of power typically caused by a fault on a powerline; however, power is restored automatically once the fault has been cleared. 2) Brownout - A sag (or drop) in voltage in an electrical power supply. They can cause equipment or various operational systems to perform poorly. 3) Blackout - A total loss of power in an area; the worst form of a power outage. Blackouts can last from a few minutes to multiple weeks, depending on the nature of the causing event and the configuration of the actual electric network.

A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is a practice that energy providers like Southern California Edison (SCE, which provides transmission service of electricity for Pico Rivera) and other utility companies may use to preemptively shut off power in high fire hazard areas to reduce fire risk during extreme and potentially dangerous weather conditions (hot, dry, and windy). According to the SCE,41 PSPS events are the last resort option in a line of operational procedures employed to mitigate fire risk when conditions warrant. In considering whether to shut off power to lines in affected areas, SCE considers the following factors, which may include, but are not limited to:
• The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for counties with SCE circuits in High Fire Risk Areas.
• Ongoing assessments from the SCE in-house meteorologists regarding the local wind speed, humidity, and temperature conditions are informed by strategically deployed weather stations.
• Real-time situational awareness information from highly trained personnel positioned locally in High Fire Risk Areas identified as at risk for extreme weather conditions. • Input from SCE fire management experts regarding any ongoing firefighting efforts. • Specific concerns from local and state fire authorities regarding the potential consequences of wildfires in select locations.
• Awareness of mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders in place. • Expected impact of de-energizing circuits on essential services such as public safety agencies, water pumps, traffic controls, etc.
• Other operational considerations to minimize potential wildfire ignitions.

In advance of PSPS events, SCE will inform local governments about the PSPS protocol, including the location of circuits in their jurisdictions that may be shut off during an event.

Notification is provided to residents 48 hours before the potential PSPS event, with follow-up notification occurring 24 hours before the power is shut off. Communication notifications will be made throughout the outage when power has been shut off and then finally again when it is restored. However, as extreme weather can be unpredictable, sometimes advance notification 41 Wildfire and PSPS Fact Sheets. https://www.sce.com/wildfire/psps 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
78 and coordination do not conform to this protocol. Notification may occur by phone call, text, the SCE.com website, email, and/or social media accounts.42 Transportation Incident
A transportation incident is a crash or other failure involving a vehicle, including a car, truck, or train. This can result from the vehicle operator making an error or environmental conditions preventing the vehicle from being safely maneuvered. Examples of transportation accidents include automobile crashes, freight truck collisions, and train crashes or derailments. It should be noted that small-scale incidents, such as minor collisions between automobiles, would not count as a hazard. Large-scale collisions involving multiple vehicles that shut down a freeway interchange or key underpass could present a hazard to Pico Rivera as it could hinder first responders from reaching victims or prevent residents from evacuating quickly.

Terrorism
Terrorism is the use or threat of force to achieve a particular social or political outcome. The goals of terrorism may sometimes be the overturning of a government, the reversal of public policy, the release of political prisoners, and other such motives. Acts of terror may overlap with acts of war or hate crimes. Generally, terrorism involves an attempt to kill or seriously harm people or disrupt civil society by destroying property or infrastructure, attacking government operations at all levels, interrupting essential public services, creating chaos, or a combination of some or all these goals. Firearms and explosives are the most common weapons used among terrorists. In extreme situations, terrorists may gain access to weapons of mass destruction, including bioweapons, chemical agents, radioactive materials, or high-yield explosives. It should be noted that these events are very rare. While incidents of terror caused by foreign individuals or groups receive significant media and public attention, most acts of terror in the United States have been caused by domestic terrorists.

A mass casualty incident describes an incident within the United States in which emergency medical services resources, such as personnel and equipment, are overwhelmed by the number and severity of casualties. The more commonly recognized events of this type include building collapses, train and bus collisions, plane crashes, earthquakes, and other large-scale emergencies. Terrorism, mass transportation accidents, or natural disasters generally cause the most common types. Events such as the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the September 11 attacks in 2001 are well-publicized examples of mass casualty incidents.

Cyber Threat
Cyber threats are when an individual or a group threatens or attempts to disrupt the operations and functioning of the computer systems belonging to private citizens, religious groups, educational institutions, government agencies, or businesses. These threats take the form of online harassment, hacking, or in-person tampering with electronic equipment. Successful cyber threats can lead to service disruptions, infrastructure damage, theft and may cause injury or death in severe instances.
42 “SCE’s 2020 Planning for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS)”.https://www.sce.com/sites/default/files/2020- 06/SCE%E2%80%99s%202020%20PSPS%20Preparations.pdf
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
79 Location and Extent
Urban Fire
A fire can only ignite if three elements are present: heat, fuel, and oxygen. If any of these elements are removed, the fire will extinguish itself. In Pico Rivera, materials that make up thousands of structures provide copious amounts of fuel for fires. Activity that creates intense heat that is unmonitored or unregulated may lead to the ignition of a fire. Once a fire has been ignited, it could conceivably grow indefinitely if abundant fuel and oxygen are available. For example, a fire that ignites in one house could hypothetically continue to expand and even spread to other adjacent houses if there was enough fuel to link the structures together. Fires in confined spaces may occasionally burn so intensely that they consume all the oxygen available and burn out before they can expand. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Fire Research Division, has developed a scale that measures the increase in temperature and the kind of fire response that develops. Table 3-19 shows the progression of temperature relative to fire response.
3-19: FIRE SUSCEPTIBILITY BASED ON TEMPERATURE INCREASE Phase Description

98.6 °F Average normal human oral/body temperature.
101 °F Typical body core temperature for a working firefighter. 109 °F Human body core temperature that may cause death. 111 °F Human skin temperature when pain is felt.
118 °F Human skin temperature causing a first-degree burn injury. 130 °F Hot water causes a scald burn injury with 30 s exposure. 131 °F Human skin temperature with blistering and second-degree burn injury. 140 °F Temperature when burned human tissue becomes numb. 162 °F Human skin temperature at which tissue is instantly destroyed. 212 °F Temperature when water boils and produces steam. 482 °F Temperature when charring of natural cotton begins. >572 °F Modern synthetic protective clothing fabrics begin to char. ≥752 °F Temperature of gases at the beginning of room flashover. ≈1832 °F Temperature inside a room undergoing flashover.

Most of Pico Rivera’s buildings are constructed of wooden frames, which are susceptible to catching fire. Even structures that do not have wooden frames, such as large medical facilities or office towers, are at risk of urban fires. These locations contain furniture, papers, plant material, textiles, and other objects that can be ignited. Given that a significant portion of Pico Rivera is developed, urban fires can occur at any location in the City since any of these structures can potentially burn.

Fires are also likely to occur where significant pieces of infrastructure are located, such as gas pipelines, power lines, or highways. SoCalGas operates large high-pressure gas pipelines that run underneath the city's streets and sidewalks. If a pipeline were to be breached and the released gas ignites, any structures located along the extent of the breach would likely catch fire. SoCal Edison owns and operates all of the above-ground, high-voltage power transmission 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
80 lines strung through the City. A downed power line could potentially ignite flammable objects, landscaping, or structures, potentially spreading to any surrounding buildings or homes.

Multiple busy truck routes cross the city transporting thousands of vehicles daily through the inner portions of the city. Pico Rivera is also located near multiple interstates, the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) to the east and the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) to the south. If a major transportation accident were to occur along any of the truck routes or interstates, it could potentially cause a fire. Given that these roadways are non-flammable, it is anticipated that a fire that begins on these roadways would most likely be contained to those roadways. It is possible however, that an intense fire along one of these roadways could spread to nearby homes, businesses, and landscaping that run along these routes.

Infrastructure Failure
Infrastructure failure may happen anywhere. The specific risk of any individual piece of infrastructure failing depends on the type of infrastructure, the conditions it is exposed to, and how well it is maintained. Although no piece of infrastructure is completely safe, infrastructure that is well-maintained and protected from degradation is less likely to suffer failure. There is no scale for infrastructure failure. Key pieces of infrastructure that serve a critical function to the community are analyzed as part of the threat assessment in Chapter 4.

Hazardous Materials Release
Hazardous materials and chemicals are used daily in households and businesses throughout Pico Rivera. In addition to the locations of large commercial and industrial uses, sources of hazardous materials can originate from seemingly harmless places such as gas stations, auto repair shops, dry cleaners, medical centers, and almost any industrial business. Hazardous waste can take the form of liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludge. It can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids and pesticides.

In severe situations, Pico Rivera may also be at risk of hazardous materials release events on a regional level. With the right prevailing wind conditions, airborne toxic material could spread to and impact various parts of the air basin, including areas of Pico Rivera.

Figure 3-9 identifies stationary hazardous materials locations within Pico Rivera that store, use, or produce hazardous materials regulated by the state. While these locations are fixed, roadways throughout the community are commonly used to transport hazardous materials and waste. These facilities are common locations for spills and releases. While there is no extent scale for hazardous materials release, the probability of an incident is anticipated to be occasional (less than 10% chance of occurrence) each year. Currently, the City has 265 facilities registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the California State Water Resources Control Board, there are a total of 55 sites in the city that required cleanup activity. All of these cases have been completed and considered closed. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
81 Figure 3-9: Hazardous Materials Locations in Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
82 Power Failure/Outage
The entire city of Pico Rivera is potentially vulnerable to energy/power failure. Most power outage events, as stated earlier, are not necessarily caused by humans. An overwhelming demand for power due to accidents, equipment malfunction/failure, weather conditions, or other natural hazards the City is susceptible to can be the catalyst that creates a loss of energy/power.

Power failure/shortage can occur in only small areas of the city, such as a single location or neighborhood, or the entire grid could fail, suddenly causing the entire city to lose power. Power failure/outage is indiscriminate in who, where, or what it affects; however, locations with older infrastructure or infrastructure located above ground may be more susceptible to weatherrelated hazards. The duration of these power/energy failures completely depends on the severity of the actual cause of the power loss and what is required to repair the issue or issues.

As discussed in the community profile within Chapter 2, Pico Rivera’s electrical service is provided by Southern California Edison and Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy (PRIME).

PRIME contracts with private firms to procure energy. PRIME gets its electricity from suppliers that have gone through a rigorous qualification and selection process. These suppliers get their electricity from a variety of generation sources. At a minimum, 35% of PRIME Future option comes from renewable sources such as wind. The PRIME Partner program provides electricity from 100% renewable sources. Moving forward, they plan to incorporate steadily increasing amounts of renewable energy, with a goal of incorporating locally generated power.

Transportation Incident
There are no airports within the city of Pico Rivera. The City of Pico Rivera transportation network consists of ground and rail systems. The Rio Hondo River forms the Western boundary of the City, and the San Gabriel River runs parallel to I-605, along the City’s Eastern boundary.

Major east-west arterial roads in the city include Beverly Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and Slauson Avenue. Major north-south arterial roads include Paramount Boulevard, Rosemead Boulevard (California Highway 19), Telegraph Boulevard, and Passons Boulevard. Trains cross many of these arterials in the city.

The Burlington Northern Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), Union Pacific Railway (UP) and Metrolink trains travel through Pico Rivera regularly. The railroad tracks run through the city in an east-west direction. BNSF has a transcontinental line originating in Chicago that runs through Pico Rivera. The UP ships a significant volume of intermodal freight and is the largest shipper of chemicals in the country. This freight rail network supports the operations of industries throughout the State and links California with domestic and international markets. Figure 3-10 shows the BNSF and UP railroad tracks through Pico Rivera.43
Metrolink has two rail lines through Pico Rivera. The northern line enters the city from Montebello Station and crosses Whittier Boulevard, running northeast across Beverly Boulevard as it exits the city at the Whittier junction. The southern line enters the city from the Commerce Station and runs between Washington Boulevard and Slauson Avenue heading southeast, exiting the city just at Slauson Avenue and the San Gabriel River. Figure 3-10 shows the railroad rights of way within Pico Rivera.44
43 Caltrans, Freight Planning Fact Sheet, 2018
44 Metrolink, 2019
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
83 Figure 3-10: Rail Lines Through Pico Rivera
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
84 There are eight public airports and four military and public safety airports within 30 miles of Pico Rivera. Several airports’ approach and takeoff patterns fly over the City of Pico Rivera. Airports in the Southern California region include:
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world. • Long Beach Airport (LGB): LGB is ranked the 12th busiest airport in the nation. • Ontario International Airport (ONT): ONT had 4.2 million passengers use the airport in 2015.
• John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana (SNA): SNA had 4,584,147 enplanements in calendar year 2014.
• Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): BUR had 2,239,804 enplanements in calendar year 2010.
• Compton / Woodley Airport (CPM): CPM facilitates over 60,000 aviation flights each year.
• San Gabriel Valley Airport (EMT): EMT facilitates 90,000 take offs and landings each year.
• Hawthorne Airport (HHR): HHR averages 220 flights per day and has a FAA-operated Air Traffic Control Tower.

Military aircraft, emergency response agency aircraft and the media also travel through the air space above the City. The military bases and emergency response agency heliports closest to Pico Rivera are listed below:
• Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, CA • Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, CA
• Los Angeles Police Department Hooper Heliport in downtown Los Angeles • Los Angeles County Fire Department Barton Heliport located at the southeast corner of Whiteman Airport in Pacoima
Terrorism
Incidents of terrorism can occur anywhere, although public spaces and locations where many people congregate (parks, schools, places of worship, government facilities, shopping centers, and public gathering areas) are most common. Key locations in Pico Rivera may be large shopping and entertainment centers (i.e., Pico Rivera Towne Center), governmental facilities (i.e., City Hall), schools, medical facilities, and parks (i.e., Pico Rivera Sports Arena).

Acts of terrorism may be located at the locations listed above; however, the perpetrators may also choose high-value targets such as electric substations, water treatment plants, levees or reservoirs, airports, highways, and other facilities that could impact governmental services.

Mass Casualty Incidents and acts of terrorism are typically measured by the fatalities, injuries, and destruction they cause, but no universal scale is used to measure these events.

Cyber Threat
Since computers are so ubiquitous, a cyber threat could appear in virtually any part of the city.

In extreme circumstances, a threat could impact the entire city. Cyber threats vary in length and severity in impact. A minor threat could cause computer systems to slow down for a few minutes and not behave as responsively. On the other hand, a major cyber threat could cause a complete shutdown of critical systems, including those used by banks, healthcare institutions, universities, major businesses, and city governments.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
85 Cyber threats are not measured on any scale, but they can be assessed by determining:
• The type of incident (website defacement, denial of service, unauthorized surveillance)
• The use of malicious software
• The level of security countermeasures that failed in preventing the cyber threat • The duration of the cyber threat (a few hours, a few days, several weeks, etc.)45 Globally, cyber threats are increasing and becoming more sophisticated. The most common types of attacks include:
• Phishing
• Ransomware
• Intellectual Property Theft
• Spyware/Malware
• Unpatched Software
To understand the status of cyber threats, the Index of Cyber Security (Figure 3-11) can be referenced. The Index of Cyber Security is a measure of perceived risk. A higher index value indicates a perception of increasing risk, while a lower index indicates the opposite. The Index of Cyber Security aggregates the views of information security industry professionals as expressed through a monthly survey.

The Index of Cyber Security will directly:
• Assess the level of risk as perceived by practicing security professionals • Communicate their combined opinion to the larger community • Provide a baseline status against which other individual practitioners can compare their own views.

Figure 3-11: Index of Cyber Security
45 Mateski, M., C. Trevino, C. Veitch, J. Michalski, J. Harris, S. Maruoka, and J. Frye. 2012. “Cyber Threat Metrics.” Sandia National Laboratories. https://fas.org/irp/eprint/metrics.pdf. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
86 Since 2015 this index has trended upward and appears to have doubled in this timeframe.

Past Events
Urban Fire
Urban fires can happen anytime and anywhere within the City. The following is a list of some of the recent fires in the City since the last plan update. • February 22, 2018: About 300 residents were evacuated from a Pico Rivera apartment complex after a third-floor unit erupted in flames that quickly spread through the building.

The fire started around 3:30 p.m. in the 9100 block of Burke Street. The fire appeared to have started in a vacant room and then spread through the rest of the building. At least 220 firefighters were surrounding the burning building in an attempt to quell the flames and save some units. Authorities said at least 45 units were destroyed or damaged by smoke and fire. A total of 141 apartment units were affected in other ways, such as loss of power, by the blaze, fire officials said.46 • November 14, 2019: A man was killed, and a woman was hospitalized with severe burns after a fire ripped through a single-story strip mall in Pico Rivera. Fire officials say the fire sparked in the attic of a family-owned nail salon. Firefighters discovered one of the victims became trapped in flames and was rushed to Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center where he died overnight. Nearby stores in the strip mall were also damaged in the fire, including a Mexican seafood restaurant and an Enterprise Rent-A-Car.47 • December 8, 2020: An attic fire left Carl’s Jr in Pico Rivera badly damaged. The fire broke out shortly after 7 a.m., arriving firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the roof, at one point, flames poked out above the restaurant. About 100 firefighters were on scene, and the stubborn fire was knocked down several hours later. None of the employees or firefighters were injured.48
• September 24, 2021: Los Angeles County firefighters and Montebello firefighters worked to contain the blaze that burned near Rosemead Boulevard and Gallatin Road.

The Rosemead Fire was reported just after 1 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Both fire agencies initiated first alarm responses, but eventually a second alarm was requested to the scene. A number of helicopters responded to fight from the air, along with the Super Scoopers leased out of Canada. Ground crews and aircraft kept the stubborn brush fire from growing beyond 52 acres. No injuries were reported.49
46 ABC7.com Staff,“300 displaced, 3 injured in massive apartment fire in Pico Rivera”. 2018. https://abc7.com/pico-riveraapartment-fire-building/3126465/ 47 FOX11 Digital Team. “Man Killes, woman critically injured after fire tears through Pico Rivera strip mall” 2019. https://www.foxla.com/news/man-killed-woman-critically-injured-after-fire-tears-through-pico-rivera-strip-mall 48 Gonzalez, Ruby. “Blaze Damages Carl’s Jr. in Pico Rivera”, 2020. https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2020/12/08/blazedamages-carls-jr-in-pico-rivera/ 49 Castrejon, Aaron. City Watch Editor. “Crews Working Through the Night After Stopping Pico Rivera’s Rosemead Fire” 2021. https://www.sgvcitywatch.com/region/crews-working-through-the-night-after-stopping-pico-riveras-rosemead-fire 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
87 • May 7, 2023: The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to several spot fires in Pico Rivera. Multiple fires were reported along Rosemead Blvd and Washington Blvd.

Railway ties were burning creating large amounts of smoke. No injuries were reported.50 • March 7, 2024: A local Shakey’s restaurant catches fire, leaving the store in need of repairs. Fire crews were able to contain the fire to one corner of the building.51 Infrastructure Failure
Pico Rivera has suffered occasional infrastructure failures; however, most incidents have been minor and have not caused catastrophic harm to businesses and residents. Breakage of underground pipes and/or overhead lines has occurred due to failure, human error, or other events like severe weather or flooding.

Hazardous Materials Release
Pico Rivera has experienced an average of 10.47 hazardous materials spills reported annually to the Cal OES Spill Release Reporting database. Table 3-20 displays this data. Most of these incidents involve the release of sewage and petroleum products.

Power Failure/Outage
Due to maintenance and infrastructure failure, small-scale power/energy failure frequently occurs throughout Southern California. The City has experienced several occasions where power has been lost due to human-caused errors and natural hazards. Some recent events (in the last 15 years) include:
• January 6, 2010: An estimated 1,590 Southern
California Edison customers in the Montebello and Pico
Rivera areas were without power, the utility reported.

The outage began at 3:30 a.m., said Edison. Crews
were working to restore service but there was no
estimate of when that would occur.
• June 2, 2012: Two power transformers in neighboring
city of Downey failed when metallic balloons caught up
in power lines causing the failure. 1,300 residents in
Pico Rivera and Downey were without power for a day.
• September 19, 2020: A transformer explosion caused a
power outage in the city and affected many residents.

The power was lost for some time according to the city
website and social media accounts.
50 KCAL News Staff. “Firefighters responding to series of spot fires in Pico Rivera” 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/firefighters-responding-to-series-of-spot-fires-in-pico-rivera-montebello/ 51 Kurzweil, Tony. “Los Angeles Co. Shakey’s restaurant damaged in overnight fire” 2024. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/losangeles-co-shakeys-restaurant-damaged-in-overnight-fire/ TABLE 3-20: HAZARDOUS

MATERIALS RELEASE

REPORTING
Year
Reported
Releases
2010 7
2011 5
2012 4
2013 4
2014 14
2015 10
2016 13
2017 13
2018 13
2019 9
2020 13
2021 15
2022 11
2023 24
2024 2
Annual Avg 10.47
Source:
https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oesdivisions/fire-rescue/hazardousmaterials/spill-release-reporting 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
88 • October 6, 2023: A minor power outage affecting approximately 2,000 residents was reported in the northern part of the City. Power was not completely restored until 7pm according to the city social media accounts.
• December 24, 2024: A power outage was reported in the City. Intersections lost power to traffic signals and many residents were left without power.

Transportation Incident
There have been no airplane crashes in the city of Pico Rivera. The following summary is of train incidents that have occurred in Pico Rivera:
• November 21, 2012: A young man was struck and killed by a Metrolink train Wednesday afternoon in Pico Rivera. The accident happened about 1:30 p.m. on the Union Pacific tracks between Paramount and Rosemead boulevards north of Whittier Boulevard. The LASD stated the man was struck in a non- pedestrian area west of Rosemead, near a wall separating the north side of the tracks from the back of homes in the 8800 block of Railton Street.
• December 19, 2014: Amtrak’s 784 train struck a 25-year-old man about 5:30 p.m. near the intersection of Rivera Road and Serapis Avenue in Pico Rivera. The train was in route to San Diego, briefly halting rail service for several hundred Southern California commuters. The man was airlifted to the hospital in grave condition. • October 16, 2015: A Metrolink train struck and killed a pedestrian in Pico Rivera, in the area of Spruce Avenue and Whittier Boulevard. Metrolink train number 403 was in route from Riverside to Los Angeles when it hit the pedestrian. • May 24, 2017: Around 3:30 p.m. LASD deputies received reports that a man was on a bridge over the San Gabriel River around Beverly Boulevard and Abbeywood Drive.

Reports indicated the man had been struck by a westbound Union Pacific freight train and knocked into the river. The train was traveling just under 50 mph when the man was first spotted. The operator hit the brakes, but the train could not stop in time. Metrolink had to cancel some routes between Los Angeles and Riverside. • June 23, 2017: A man in a wheelchair was fatally struck by a Union Pacific train in Pico Rivera, according to a California Highway Patrol report. The incident occurred at about 11:40 p.m. at the railroad crossing in the area of Durfee Avenue and Stephens Street.

Durfee was shut down between Stephens Street and Walnut Avenue for hours as officers investigated the incident.
• June 27, 2018: A man was hit and killed by a Metrolink train in Pico Rivera, according to a local news source. The accident occurred at Rosemead Boulevard and Hightree Street. Authorities said Riverside Line 403 was carrying approximately 650 passengers traveling to Los Angeles at the time of the accident. After the accident, the passengers remained on the train because the crash was in an area not safe for the passengers to leave.
• October 18, 2019: A Pico Rivera man was struck and killed by an Amtrak train. It was reported that Ramon Alberto Gutierrez was walking along the tracks with his back to an oncoming train when he was struck; he died at the scene. The fatal collision happened shortly before 9 a.m. Friday at Rex Road and Paramount Boulevard. An Amtrak Pacific 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
89 Surfliner train was on its way from San Diego to San Luis Obispo when it struck Gutierrez. Neither the train passengers nor employees were injured. • May 28, 2021: A Union Pacific freight train struck a vehicle on the tracks near Pico Rivera, and the Metrolink Riverside Line was affected. The crash occurred about 4:10 a.m. near Union Street and Rosemead Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. It was unclear what led to the crash, but no injuries were reported. • January 16, 2025: Two Pico Rivera residents were killed in a crash involving a Metrolink train. The crash occurred at 8 a.m. Thursday at Rose Hills Road and South Capitol Avenue in neighboring City of Industry, involving a Metrolink train and a white Toyota Camry, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Paramedics transported two other people with moderate injuries to a hospital, fire officials said.

Terrorism
Pico Rivera has not experienced any acts of terrorism within the city. The following mass casualty incidents/ terrorism events have occurred within Los Angeles County, neighboring Counties, the State, or the Country and may be relevant to the community:
• April 19, 1995: Timothy McVeigh detonated a bomb outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK. The blast was so powerful that the Federal Building was destroyed, and more than 300 nearby buildings were damaged or destroyed. The bombing killed 168 people, including 19 children. Timothy McVeigh’s motive for bombing the Federal Building was that he hoped to inspire a revolution against the federal government.52
• September 11, 2001: Terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. The hijackers flew two of the planes into the twin towers at the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA. The fourth plane crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania. The attacks on 9/11 killed 2,976 people and injured thousands more.53 • April 15, 2013: Two bombs detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The explosion killed three spectators and wounded more than 264 other people. Police captured 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in connection with the bombing; the second suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died following a shootout with law enforcement.

Investigators concluded that the Tsarnaev brothers planned and carried out the attack on their own and were not connected to any specific terrorist group.54 • December 2, 2015: A terrorist attack, consisting of a mass shooting and an attempted bombing, occurred at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. The perpetrators, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a married couple living in the city of Redlands, targeted a San Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event and Christmas party of about 80 employees in a rented banquet room. Fourteen 52 Federal Bureau of Investigation. Famous Cases and Criminals. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-citybombing 53 Federal Bureau of Investigation. Famous Cases and Criminals. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/911-investigation 54 History.com Editors. June 2019. Boston Marathon Bombing. https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/boston-marathonbombings 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
90 people were killed, and 22 others were seriously injured. Farook was a U.S.-born citizen of Pakistani descent who worked as a health department employee.55 • October 1, 2017: Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival concert in Las Vegas from an elevated position at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The attack resulted in 61 people killed (including two victims who died in 2019 and 2020 and Paddock himself) and 867 injured. Paddock shot and killed himself before responding officers reached him. The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit determined no clear motivation for the attack. Although this attack did not occur in California, many California residents were affected by the event, as more than half of the 61 people killed were from California.56
• September 2018: A Brea police officer pulls over Saleh Ali for expired tags. Ali had a suspended driver’s license, and the officer planned to impound the car. During the ensuing inventory search of the car, the officer found what appeared to be two homemade improvised explosive devices, instructions on how to build a bomb, and other materials. Prosecutors believe that Ali was headed to the downtown area and Brea Mall.

He was tried and convicted of multiple felonies in 2019 and sentenced to 19 years in prison.57
• April 27, 2019: Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of Reseda, California, was arrested Friday night after he received what he thought was a live bomb, but in fact was an inert explosive device that was delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer as part of an investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Domingo, a former U.S. Army infantryman with combat experience in Afghanistan, faces federal charges in a terrorist plot in which he planned to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) for the purpose of causing mass casualties at a political rally in Long Beach, California. He was convicted and sentenced in 2021 to twenty-five years in prison.58 Cyber Threat
The City of Pico Rivera has not experienced cyber incidents directly. However, several jurisdictions in southern California and across the country have. Several recent incidents local to the City include:
• June 11-18, 2019: PIH Health, a 2-hospital nonprofit healthcare network based in Whittier, CA, discovered the email accounts of certain employees had been accessed by unauthorized individuals as a result of a targeted phishing attack on its employees.

PIH Health engaged leading cybersecurity experts to assist with the investigation and was notified on October 2, 2019, that the email accounts were subject to unauthorized 55 Global Terrorism Database. 2020. “2015-12-02.” https://www.start.umd.edu/data-tools/GTD 56 Los Angeles Times Staff. “Las Vegas Shooting Victims: Portraits of the Fallen.” October 2017. https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-las-vegas-shootings-victims-list-20171002/ 57 ABC 7 Eyewitness News Staff “Pico Rivera explosives sentencing: Man found with bombs inside car during 2018 traffic stop in Pico Rivera sentenced to 19 years in prison”, March 2019. https://abc7.com/saleh-ali-sentencing-explosives-bombs/5216876/ 58 U.S. Department of Justice Archives. 2019.” https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/california-man-arrested-terror-plotdetonate-explosive-device-designed-kill-innocents 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
91 access between June 11, 2019 and June 18, 2019. The summary on the investigation indicated that up to 199,548 patients were potentially affected by the attack.59 • December 24, 2019: The City of Seal Beach was the victim of a ransomware attack that affected City computer systems. The attack was targeted at the City’s Information Technology service provider, which allowed the hackers to encrypt City computers with the malware, primarily impacting city email and voicemail functions.60 • April 7, 2023: The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was hit with a cyberattack, when a hyperlink loaded with malicious malware was clicked, which resulted in the sudden encryption of many of the department’s systems and subsequent ransom demand to restore functionality. San Bernardino County paid a $1.1 million ransom to the hacker, approximately half of which was covered by insurance as the County had anticipated the possibility of such an attack.61 • February 19-20, 2024: In February 2024, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was targeted by a phishing attack that resulted in the compromise of the personal data of over 200,000 individuals. The attack involved hackers gaining login credentials for 53 Public Health employees through phishing emails.62 • July 19, 2024: In July 2024, the Los Angeles County Superior Court experienced a ransomware attack that led to the closure of all 36 courthouses and disruption of court systems. The attack impacted case management systems, the My Jury Duty Portal, and the court's website. Despite the disruption, the court quickly restored operations and has since invested in cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent future incidents.63 • December 1, 2024: PIH Health, a hospital network in Whittier, CA, experienced a major ransomware attack that significantly disrupted their IT systems. The attack forced them to go offline, impacting phone and internet services, and forcing staff to rely on downtime procedures and manual data entry. While care continued to be provided, the disruption caused delays and potential cancellations of some scheduled surgeries. Hackers claimed to have stolen 17 million patient records, but PIH Health is investigating and has issued notices to potentially affected individuals.
64 59 Alder, Steve, The HIPAA Journal, “Nearly 200,000 Patients Impacted by PIH Health Phishing Attack” January 24, 2020. https://www.hipaajournal.com/nearly-200000-patients-impacted-by-pih-health-phishingattack/#:~:text=In%20June%202019%2C%20PIH%20Health%2C%20a%20nonprofit,occurred%20between%20June%2011%2 0and%2018%2C%202019.
60 City of Seal Beach “City of Seal Beach victim of ransomware attack”, December 31, 2019. https://www.sunnews.org/city-ofseal-beach-victim-of-ransomwareattack/#:~:text=At%20no%20time%20was%20public,bank%20accounts%20for%20suspicious%20activity. 61 ABC 7 Eyewitness News Staff, “San Bernardino County pays $1.1M ransom after cyberattack disrupts Sheriff’s Department systems.” May 5, 2023. https://abc7.com/san-bernardino-cyberattack-ransom-paid-hackers/13215833/ 62 County of Los Angeles Public Health, News Release “Public Health Responds to Privacy Breach”. June 14 ,2024. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4732#:~:text=Between%20February%20 19%2C%202024%2C%20and,of%20more%20than%20200%2C000%20individuals. 63 Lin Summer; Fry, Hannah, Los Angeles Times” Devastating ransomware attack shuts down L.A. County courts. All courthouses to reopen Tuesday” July 22, 2024. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-07-22/la-county-courtransomware#:~:text=The%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20Superior,data%20were%20compromised%2C%20officials%20s aid.
64 Alder, Steve, The HIPAA Journal, “Hackers Claim to Have Stolen 17 Million Patient Records from PIH Health” December 16, 2024. https://www.hipaajournal.com/pih-health-data-breachransomware/#:~:text=The%20phone%20system%20used%20by,are%20being%20experienced%20by%20patients.&text=PIH %20Health%20updated%20its%20website,at%20Change%20Healthcare%20in%20February. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
92 In addition to these, recent, notable cybersecurity events in the US include the Colonial Pipeline incident, JBS (the world’s largest meatpacker), and the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department. These attacks have resulted in a shutdown or delay in critical services and functions that have increased the cost of goods/services, financial losses, and operational delays.

Risk of Future Events
Urban Fire
If the conditions for urban fire exist in Pico Rivera, the City will forever be at risk of experiencing an urban fire event. Given that each fire event has a unique origin, it is impossible to predict the precise likelihood of an urban fire emerging in the city. Some areas, however, are at an increased risk of an urban fire igniting, including the buildings along the SoCalGas pipeline’s course through the City, in addition to the landscaping and properties along major truck routes and interstates. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of an urban fire is “likely”, and has a probability between ten percent and one percent chance of occurring annually.

Infrastructure Failure
Infrastructure failure events are expected to continue in Pico Rivera. Events such as clogged or broken storm drains, damaged power lines, and ruptured water and wastewater pipes are likely to occur in the future, particularly as infrastructure ages and new hazards present themselves.

More serious but less frequent forms of infrastructure failure may also occur, particularly if key infrastructure is not well maintained. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of an infrastructure failure is “possible” and has a less than one percent chance of occurring annually.

Hazardous Materials Release
Most of the release events within Pico Rivera have occurred due to human error, malfunctioning equipment, or a deliberate act. Given this, it is anticipated that future events within Pico Rivera will include minor incidents like some of the past occurrences identified above in Table 3-20.

Activities to prevent future releases, as well as response strategies, should take this into consideration. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of a hazardous materials release is “likely” and has between a ten percent and one percent chance of occurring annually.

Power Failure/Outage
Today, several mechanisms are in place to monitor, manage, and adapt to changing conditions and demands to help reduce and/or eliminate energy failures. California and regional departments are focused on energy production, use, and management. Each agency plays a role in planning, managing, and coordinating the allocation of energy within the state of California. Pico Rivera can experience a power/energy failure anytime and anywhere throughout the year. The probability of it occurring again will always be present, as the City depends on electricity to function. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of power failure/outage is “possible” and has less than one percent chance of occurring annually. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
93 Transportation Incident
The number and types of transportation incidents through the City of Pico Rivera will likely continue to increase. As the population grows, the number of people vulnerable to the impacts of transportation incidents will increase. Business growth and population increases within the city and along railways increases the vulnerability to transportation incidents. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of transportation incidents is “likely” and has between a ten percent and one percent chance of occurring annually.

Terrorism
Given that mass casualty incidents and acts of terrorism stem from a variety of factors:
economics, societal pressures, mental health, global geopolitics, warfare, religion, etc.—it is impossible to predict when an incident will occur. While Pico Rivera does not feature critical national or state facilities, future incidents would likely originate domestically and are less likely to attract the attention of international terrorist groups. Incidents of these types are more likely to be conducted by smaller organizations or individuals aligned with greater-known organizations, although the effects may be no less significant. As identified in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, the future probability of terrorist event is “unlikely” and has less than a 0.001% percent chance of occurring annually.

Cyber Threat
Due to the integrated nature of technology into the everyday lives of Pico Rivera’s residents, businesses, and government operations, it is possible that a cyber threat could emerge in the future. While no cyber threats are publicly known to have disrupted the City’s normal operations in the past, the likelihood of a cyber threat affecting the residents, businesses, and/or governmental operations in the future is increasing.

Climate Change Considerations
Urban Fire
While climate change has been linked to a potential increase in wildfire events, it is unclear exactly how climate change could influence the ignition or behavior of urban fires in Pico Rivera.

Infrastructure Failure
Infrastructure failure that is caused by other hazard types may be affected by climate change.

Many infrastructure failure events are typically caused by some natural hazards (i.e., flooding, high winds, etc.). As discussed in the Severe Weather section, some severe storms are expected to intensify because of climate change. This, in turn, may increase the frequency and/or severity of infrastructure failures. Climate change is also expected to increase the number of extreme heat events in Pico Rivera. As higher temperatures stress mechanical and electrical systems, this effect may also increase the frequency or severity of infrastructure failure events.

Hazardous Materials Release
Climate-related natural hazard events, such as increased precipitation and subsequent flooding, could cause an increase in hazardous materials release. Some of these incidents could result from transportation crashes (due to poorer road conditions) or damage to storage containers or vessels containing these substances. Climate-related hazards could also exacerbate the effects and impacts of such events. For example, heavier rains could lead to 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
94 more runoffs from a contaminated site with hazardous materials. These issues should be monitored during the five-year implementation period of this plan.

Power Failure/Outage
Projections of changing climatic conditions through the end of the century suggest that the City should address future power failure concerns. Energy demand is not expected to increase significantly throughout the City (due to compliance with updated codes and requirements); however, electricity production occurs outside the City, reducing opportunities for Pico Rivera to be energy independent. To better address energy/power failure, Pico Rivera's current and future climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts should prioritize energy efficiency measures, generate energy locally from clean and renewable sources, and build reliability & redundancy using the latest energy storage and backup systems technologies.

Transportation Incident
Climate change is not likely to impact transportation accidents in the future within Pico Rivera.

It is possible however that climate-related natural hazard events, such as increased precipitation and subsequent flooding, could cause an increase in transportation incidents.

Some of these incidents could result from transportation crashes (due to poorer road/track conditions) or damage to infrastructure such as bridges and railway tracks. Climate-related hazards could also exacerbate the effects and impacts of such events. These issues should be monitored during the five-year implementation period of this plan.

Terrorism
The link between mass casualty incidents/terrorism and climate change is not well understood.

However, it has been suggested that the impacts of a changing climate may exacerbate existing social, political, religious, and ethnic tensions. For example, longer, more intense droughts may restrict food supply or limit economic growth for cities, regions, or even whole countries.

Nevertheless, the likelihood of climate change impacting mass casualty incidents/acts of terrorism in Pico Rivera is negligible since these changes are more likely to impact developments on the national or international level.

Cyber Threat
Climate change is not likely to impact cyber threats in the future within Pico Rivera. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
95 CHAPTER 4 –

THREAT AND VULNERABILITY
Each of the hazards discussed in Chapter 3 can have varying effects on different populations and community assets in Pico Rivera. For example, while an extreme heat event will be equally severe across all of Pico Rivera, some people may be harmed more than others. This chapter analyzes how various hazard conditions may affect Pico Rivera, and which populations and community assets face greater threats.

Threat Assessment Process
The threat assessment process looks at the harm that a hazard may cause to three different groups: the physical threat to key facilities, the threat to vulnerable populations, and the threat to any other community assets (noncritical facilities, key services, etc.).

The threat assessment process evaluates the harm Pico Rivera may experience from a hazard event. Threat assessment does not consider a hazard’s likelihood, so it gives equal consideration to more likely hazards (e.g., earthquakes, drought) and less probable hazards (e.g., urban fire, dam failure). The threat assessment examines three aspects of each hazard:
the physical threat to Critical Facilities (CFs) and Facilities of Concern (FOCs), the social threat to vulnerable populations, and the threat to any other assets.

CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN
Critical facilities consist of properties and structures that play important roles in government operations and their services to the community. Examples of CFs include local government offices and yards, community centers, public safety buildings like police and fire stations, schools, and any other properties a city has deemed essential for its operations. Critical Facilities may also serve dual roles if a city designates them as public assembly points during an emergency. The City often owns CFs, but many are owned and operated privately, such as utilities and telecommunication infrastructure. Facilities of concern are structures that play an important role in the City but are not critical to its function. These can be city-owned or privately owned facilities such as senior assisted living homes, parks, and storage facilities, to name a few.

The Planning Team identified 39 CFs in Pico Rivera that fall into four categories based on their function or characteristics. Figure 4-1 displays the location of the CFs in Pico Rivera. Table 4- 1 shows the number of CFs in each category, the total estimated value of the facilities in each category, and examples of the facilities in each category. Appendix D has a complete list of the CFs.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
96 Figure 4-1: Critical Facilities in Pico Rivera
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
97 TABLE 4-1: CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN Category Number of Facilities Potential Loss*
City facility 7 $17,492,049
Water facilities 10 $2,941,649
Parks, Senior Centers, and
Community Centers 17 $52,362,506
Various Infrastructure 5 $32,852,939
Total 39 $105,649,143
* Based on the City of Pico Rivera insured replacement values. Potential loss data are estimates only, as replacement values for some facilities were not available. Actual losses may be greater than the estimate presented in this table.

The potential loss value is the total insured value of the CFs that fall within the hazard zone. It is intended to estimate a replacement cost if the property is completely or severely damaged.

The actual repair costs could be smaller or larger than the provided estimate. The data relies on the City’s Insured Asset Values; therefore, information about facilities not owned by the City is not shown (e.g., bridges, private buildings).

Based on the available data provided by the City, there is a minimum of $105,649,143 worth of City-owned assets. The greatest potential for loss among the city-owned assets comes from the City Facilities (City Hall, Fire, Police) category. The next category with the greatest loss potential is the Other Facilities of Concern category, followed by the Water Infrastructure category. To better understand the magnitude of impacts, this plan identifies representative percentages of potential impact based on the total valuation of City assets. For planning purposes, it is reasonable to assume that impacts would not exceed 50% of the total asset value citywide. The following are parameters to help understand how much a proposed investment/improvement compares to the existing assets within the City:
• 1% Impact - $1,056,491
• 5% Impact - $5,282,475
• 10% Impact - $10,564,914
• 20% Impact - $21,129,828
• 50% Impact - $52,824,571
The likelihood that all facilities are completely damaged simultaneously is extremely remote.

Most impacts are anticipated to be isolated to specific locations based on the hazard. This estimate does not include the value of underground infrastructure and surface drainage facilities owned and operated by the City.

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Factors such as age (children or elderly residents), physical and/or mental condition, socioeconomic status, access to key services, and many other factors affect the ability of people to prepare for and protect themselves and their property from a hazard event. Even though some hazard events may impact all parts of Pico Rivera equally, people may experience the impacts differently. Higher-income households, for instance, are more likely to afford the cost of retrofitting their homes to resist flooding or move to a location that is less prone to flooding than a lower-income household. As a result, a higher-income household is less likely to experience 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
98 significant damage during a flood event than a lower-income household, even if the same amount of rain falls on both.

A social threat analysis examines how hazard events are likely to impact different demographic populations in Pico Rivera and where these different demographic populations live in the City.

This includes assessing whether the people in an area of an elevated hazard risk are more likely than the average person to be considered a threatened population. The social threat analysis uses the following criteria to assess the threat to vulnerable populations:
• Disability status: Persons with disabilities may have reduced mobility and experience difficulties living independently. As a result, they may have little or no ability to prepare for and mitigate hazard conditions without assistance from others. • Income levels: Lower-income households are less likely to have the financial resources to implement mitigation activities on their residences. Another challenge may be finding adequate time to research and access educational resources about hazard mitigation strategies. Furthermore, lower-income households are less likely to have the necessary resources to move to safer areas less at risk of being impacted by a hazard. The 2024 national poverty limit standard for the U.S. for a four-person family is approximately an income of $31,200 or less. For Los Angeles County, the FY 2024 Low-Income Limit for a four-person family, according to Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is $110,950. • Seniors (individuals at least 65 years of age): Seniors are more likely to have reduced mobility, physical and/or mental disabilities, and lower income levels, all of which may decrease their ability to prepare for and mitigate a hazard event.

Table 4-2 shows the metrics for Pico Rivera residents who meet at least one of the criteria for threatened populations.

TABLE 4-2: PICO RIVERA VULNERABLE POPULATION METRICS
Community-Wide
Data
Population 60,983
Households 17,291
Median household income $107,416
Renter Households 30.7%
Percentage of households with at least one person living with a disability 27.6% Percentage of households living under poverty limit 12.7% Percentage of households with one-member aged 65+ 38.8% Area Affected by Hazard 9.04 sq miles
Source: 2019-2023 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2024 U.S. Census Bureau’s Estimates The social threat analysis also shows the threat other populations may encounter. For example, people experiencing homelessness or people without access to lifelines (vehicles or communication networks) may experience greater hardship in evacuating or recovering from a disaster. Since data for these groups are not readily available, there is no definitive way to determine the number of persons in areas of elevated risk, so this assessment will discuss how these other threatened groups may also be affected on a general level. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
99 THREAT ASSESSMENT SOURCES
The threat assessment discussions provided in this Chapter rely on the relevant sources used in Chapter 3 of this plan. In addition to these sources, much of the analysis and information contained in Chapter 4 was developed by the City and their consultant in conformance with state and federal requirements. Many of the subsequent tables, maps, and analysis is based on the critical facilities inventory prepared by the planning team that is overlayed GIS hazard layers to help identify vulnerable locations. In addition, these same hazard layers are also analyzed using ESRI’s Business Analyst data tool to help identify vulnerable population metrics.

The development of this information is specific to Pico Rivera and the data sets developed as part of this process.

DATA LIMITATIONS AND NOTES ON VULNERABILITY TABLES
Due to data limitations, the data comparing the hazard zone population with the citywide population comes from two separate sources. The citywide data comes from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and the hazard zone population data comes from ESRI’s Business Analyst reports. As a result, there may be minor discrepancies when comparing the two data sets. The data relies on readily available 2024 US Census Survey Projections and the 2019-2023 U.S. American Community Survey. Chapter 2 identifies additional census-related information, which may differ from the data in this Chapter based on the data available for the analysis.

OTHER ASSETS
In addition to the City’s designated inventory of CFs and vulnerable populations, hazard events could threaten other important assets to Pico Rivera. These assets may include services, cultural landmarks (e.g., Pico Rivera History and Heritage and the Eternal Flame Monument), or local economic activities. The threat assessment describes the potential harm to these other assets based on available information.

Threat Profiles

ADVERSE WEATHER
Physical Threat
Drought
Since the primary threat from drought is reduced water supply and availability, there are no foreseeable threats to any of the City’s physical assets. It is possible that any water delivery infrastructure not used or used less than usual may fall into some degree of disrepair if maintenance is deferred. Lower water pressures may cause some aged water pipes to release rust particles into the water supply. Amenities within facilities, like water features and landscaping, could be affected by reduced watering. If dead or dying vegetation becomes a nuisance, the City may have to replace or retrofit locations affected. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Extreme Heat
Extremely high temperatures can cause roads to deform and buckle as the pavement expands in the heat, especially in poorly maintained areas. Power lines and other electrical grid sections are less effective in higher temperatures and may be damaged due to stress during extreme heat events. Buildings with dark pavement will absorb more heat than surfaces with vegetation or lighter materials that are better at reflecting the sun’s energy. This urban heat island effect is strongest during hot periods when the sun is strongest.

Severe Wind
Intense winds likely present the greatest threat to physical structures, particularly from trees or branches that fall on buildings and cause substantial damage. Older structures that have deferred maintenance or have not been retrofitted for high wind conditions may suffer greater damage than newer/updated structures. Utility lines and wooden utility poles face an elevated threat from wind, as do buildings without reinforced roofs.

Another physical threat associated with windstorms is wildfire impacts and electric utilities' current practice of conducting Public Safety Power Shutoff activities. During high wind events, these shutoffs may impact structures that rely on electricity for normal operations. See social threats for population impacts that may also occur because of these events.

Certain tree species with shallow root systems may be more vulnerable during severe wind events. These trees can more easily be damaged or ripped out of the ground, creating a hazard to vehicles, buildings, and infrastructure.

Rain could damage structures with poorly constructed roofs and erode the soil around building foundations. Heavy rain could also lead to flooding, damaging unelevated structures in flood zones. Landslides triggered by heavy rains would damage structures below the landslide’s starting point.

Tornado
Tornadoes likely present the greatest threat to fixed physical structures, particularly from trees or branches that fall on buildings and cause substantial damage. Older structures that have deferred maintenance or have not been retrofitted for high wind conditions may suffer greater damage than newer/updated structures. Utility lines and wooden utility poles face an elevated threat from tornadoes, as do buildings without reinforced roofs. Recent tornado events experienced in the City caused significant damage to structures requiring repairs. As a result the City is currently pursuing reimbursement for these physical impacts that recently occurred.

Social Threat
Drought
Droughts are unlikely to cause serious social threats to households in Pico Rivera, though residents and business owners in the city may experience financial impacts associated with water conservation efforts. Typical water conservation efforts may include water use reductions and penalties for using potable water above a specified amount. Those with less access to 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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financial resources, such as low-income households or seniors, could be harder hit if higher water rates or additional fees are imposed during a severe drought event. For a detailed description of types of water reduction activities, see the Pico Water District 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and the Title 13 of the Pico Rivera Municipal Code.

Extreme Heat
Whereas a heat event can be relatively harmless for those with a reliable means of staying hydrated and cool, the event can be deadly for others. Young children, the elderly, or people suffering from serious medical conditions are physiologically more vulnerable to heatstroke.

Some senior citizens also take medicines that can make it harder for their bodies to maintain a safe internal temperature, creating an additional threat from extreme heat events. Young children may not be aware of the signs of dehydration or ways of protecting themselves from heatstroke.

People living in homelessness are at a high risk of health complications during heat waves, especially if they are unsheltered. According to the Los Angeles Almanac “Homeless Counts Los Angeles County By City/Community data, in 2024 there were approximately 75,31265 individuals experiencing homelessness in the county, with approximately 69.5% unsheltered (decrease of 5.1% from 2023). Of the 75,312 individuals experiencing homelessness within the county, approximately 95 individuals are experiencing homelessness within the city.66 During a heatwave, these people are very vulnerable to heatstroke, especially if they cannot reach a cooling center.

Sudden spikes in heat can catch people by surprise. Stores can rapidly sell out of fans, airconditioning units, or drinking water during a heatwave. Many lower-income households live in older, poorly insulated, and energy-inefficient housing and cannot afford to run their air conditioning, which can be further compounded by the threat of PSPS events. During these events, extreme heat impacts may affect larger portions of the City and populations that would not be viewed as vulnerable under normal circumstances
Severe Wind
Windstorm events can harm people throughout Pico Rivera but have a greater effect on the safety of people experiencing homelessness and people who work outdoors. Lower-income residents, who may not have the financial resources to purchase homes built or retrofitted to withstand powerful winds, could also have difficulty recovering from wind events.

Severe Winter Storm
Severe storms threaten any groups in Pico Rivera who cannot access adequate shelter.

Homeless people often live in tents or other informal structures that may protect against minor rains but are inadequate against heavy rain events. Heavy rain can lead to flooding, which could inundate or sweep away informal dwellings. Additionally, vulnerable populations living in older homes with outdated building materials may experience damage during significant rain events.

If affected groups have limited incomes or lack the resources to make necessary repairs or maintain the structures, retrofit of these structures may be hindered. 65 Los Angeles Almanac ”Homeless Counts Los Angeles County, By City/Community 2019-2024” https://www.laalmanac.com/social/so14b.php#google_vignette 66 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority “Unsheltered Homelessness Drops and Sheltered Homelessness Rises in LA” https://www.lahsa.org/news?article=977-unsheltered-homelessness-drops-and-sheltered-homelessness-rises-inla#:~:text=LAHSA%20CEO%20cautiously%20optimistic%20that,increased%20by%2015%2C977%20or%2017.7%25. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Tornado
Tornadoes can harm people throughout Pico Rivera but have an even more substantial effect on the safety of people experiencing homelessness and people who work outdoors. Lowerincome residents, who may not have the financial resources to purchase homes built or retrofitted to withstand powerful winds, could also have difficulty recovering from wind events.

Tornadoes are indiscriminate in location but could be potentially devastating to any unsheltered residents or visitors to the city.

Other Threats
Drought
A typical drought is not anticipated to lead to any outages in service in Pico Rivera. However, an exceptional drought may lead to restricted water use for residents or businesses in the City.

Trees that are not adequately adapted to lower irrigation levels could perish, altering the City’s aesthetic appearance and long-term air quality. Any open spaces with extensive lawns may start to die, turning brown, which could discourage residents from using these parks and open spaces. In addition, long-term drought conditions can change and reduce soil’s ability to absorb water. When this occurs, water runoff from these areas may increase, which could cause downstream flooding and erosion in some areas
Extreme Heat
Extreme Heat for any length of time can also affect other hazards and risks within the city. For example, it can create a spike in electricity demand, leading to power loss/failure, food insecurities, and a rise in vector-borne disease transmission. Coupled with severe windstorms, it can cause or spread wildfires and jeopardize additional neighborhoods/communities.

Severe Wind
The potential for windstorms to create a financial strain on both the public and the City exists in the event of utility infrastructure damage or loss of power. These windstorms can uproot trees and landscaping, further burdening the owners to replace or repair the losses. Trees located in City parks may also be damaged or destroyed. Air quality can also be affected by these wind events, stirring up dust, pollen, debris, etc. Another threat associated with windstorms is wildfire impacts (discussed earlier) and the recent practice of electric utilities conducting Public Safety Power Shutoff activities. These shutoffs may affect electrical services during high wind events in parts of Southern California. The city has multiple PSPS circuits, which means Pico Rivera and other parts of Southern California affected could impact the city in other ways (people relocating to Pico Rivera temporarily).

Severe Winter Storm
The potential for winter storms to create a financial strain on both the public and the City exists in the event of utility infrastructure damage and loss of power. Damage to roadway networks, including bridges, can interrupt effective transportation throughout the city, possibly hindering emergency equipment and first responder response capability. Major storm events can even impact the effectiveness of the evacuation capacity of the roadway network into and out of the City.

Tornado
The potential for tornadoes to create a financial strain on both the public and the City exists in the event of utility infrastructure damage or loss of power. Damage to homes and businesses, 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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tornadoes can uproot trees and landscaping, further burdening the owners to replace or repair the losses. Trees located in City parks may also be damaged or destroyed. Air quality can also be affected by tornadoes, stirring up dust, pollen, debris, etc.

Climate Change Vulnerability
Drought
Climate change will likely increase the City’s vulnerability to impacts caused by drought because of anticipated temperature increase in intensity, duration, and frequency, and anticipated increase or decrease to precipitation events in intensity, duration, and frequency.

Extreme Heat
According to Cal Adapt, climate change will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to extreme heat impacts because of the anticipated temperature increase in intensity, duration, and frequency.

Severe Wind
Climate change will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to severe weather impacts because of the increase in anticipated storm intensity and frequency and anticipated temperature increases.

Severe Winter Storm
Climate change and a rise in temperatures will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to severe winter storms because of the anticipated alteration of rainfall patterns and the increase in anticipated storm intensity and frequency. Vulnerability to rain inundation events that lead to flooding and erosion and increase the threat of dam failure, landslides, and other potential hazards within the community and surrounding area could also increase.

Tornado
According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solution67 (C2ES), climate change is likely to affect tornadoes by influencing the conditions that lead to their formation, potentially leading to shifts in tornado activity, including the frequency, intensity, and location of outbreaks. This will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to tornado impacts because of this anticipated increase in storm intensity and frequency and expected temperature increases.

Changes In Population And Land Use Development
Drought and Extreme Heat
Droughts occur periodically (primarily during the Summer/Fall months) and generally do not affect populations to the degree that they would need to migrate in and out of the city. However, based on the current Housing Element data, the city's anticipated residential/population growth over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s overall vulnerability to drought. It is unlikely that drought will affect land use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize the impacts and vulnerability of drought in Pico Rivera. Pico Rivera Municipal Code Chapter 15.34 has adopted the California Green Building Standards Code, which sets environmentally friendly building standards. 67 https://www.c2es.org/content/tornadoes-and-climate-change/ 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Severe Wind
Severe windstorms occur periodically (primarily during the Fall months) and generally do not affect populations to the degree that they would need to migrate in and out of the city. It is unlikely that severe wind will affect land use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize the impacts of severe wind. There is the potential that older structures in parts of the city may be impacted more severely than newer structures within the city. Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's anticipated residential/population growth over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to windstorms.

Severe Winter Storm
It is unlikely that severe winter rainstorms will affect land use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize impacts from severe rainstorms. The City has invested significantly in its stormwater management infrastructure, which should protect much of the city from the effects of severe rainstorms. Based on the current Housing Element data, the anticipated residential growth in the city over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to severe winter storms. For detailed information on the city’s stormwater management infrastructure, see the Pico Water District 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and the City of Pico Rivera Municipal Code – Title 16, Chapter 16.04.

Tornado
It is unlikely that tornadoes will affect land use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize impacts from severe wind events and tornadoes through compliance with the building code. Based on the current Housing Element data, the anticipated residential growth in the city over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s overall vulnerability to tornadoes; however, if population growth is associated with new development or redevelopment that is adhering to the latest building standards, those structures should be better suited to withstanding events such as a tornado.

EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
Physical Threat
Seismic Shaking
Many physical assets in the City are estimated to experience the same seismic shaking intensity, ranging from 0.8501 to 1.05g (shaking intensity in relation to earth’s gravity).

Recorded accelerations from the Whittier-Narrows earthquake ranged from .47g to .63g68 and

1.8g for the Northridge earthquake69. Therefore, all facilities could be damaged during a significant seismic event, which could be extremely costly for the City. If all facilities were damaged at the same time during a seismic shaking event, it can be assumed that the City would incur a percentage of the maximum potential loss of its physical assets. Assuming 20% of the City’s assets are impacted, this potential loss could amount to over $21 million.

Underground physical assets, like pipelines or utilities, could be damaged if the intensity of the 68 Etheredge, E. C.; Porcella, R. L. (1987), "Strong-motion data from the October 1, 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake", OpenFile Report, Geological Survey Open-File Report OSMS 87-616, United States Geological Survey, pp. 1, 3, doi:10.3133/ofr87616, hdl:2027/mdp.39015043221392
69 Luco, Nico. (2019), “Seismic design and hazard maps: Before and after”, Structure, https://www.usgs.gov/publications/seismicdesign-and-hazard-maps-and-after 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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seismic shaking is severe enough. In such a scenario, natural gas and water delivery service to Pico Rivera homes and businesses would not be available until repairs are completed. Table 4- 3 displays the potential scenario and losses incurred should shaking reach the described threshold. Figure 4-2 displays the CFs (26) within the City’s Seismic shaking potential hazard zones.

TABLE 4-3: CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN (SEISMIC SHAKE 0.8501 TO 1.05G)
Category Number of Facilities Potential Loss*
City facility 4 $5,479,126
Water facilities 4 $2,780,705
Parks, Senior Centers, and
Community Centers 13 $37,849,671
Various Infrastructure 5 $32,852,939
Total 26 $78,962,441
* Based on the City of Pico Rivera insured replacement values.

Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
Liquefaction
Due to the City’s location near so many regionally active faults capable of generating large earthquakes, the potential for CFs to be affected by liquefaction is a concern. Like other cities in Los Angeles County, Pico Rivera is in a geographical area where the soil makeup is conducive to liquefaction hazards in some areas. Table 4-4 identifies the CFs (26) located within these areas. According to replacement value data the city could potentially lose approximately $79 million. Figure 4-3 displays the CFs located in liquefaction susceptible hazard zones within the city.
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Figure 4-2: CFs Located in Potential Seismic Shaking Hazard Zones 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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TABLE 4-4: CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN (LIQUEFACTION SUSCEPTIBLE HAZARD ZONES)
Category Number of Facilities Potential Loss*
City facility 4 $5,479,126
Water facilities 4 $2,780,705
Parks, Senior Centers, and
Community Centers 13 $37,849,671
Various Infrastructure 5 $32,852,939
Total 26 $78,962,441
* Based on the City of Pico Rivera insured replacement values.

Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
Social Threat
The risk of a seismic event is a danger to all Pico Rivera households and businesses; however, some populations are at higher risk than others.

Seismic Shaking
Seniors, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities may be at higher risk in a seismic shaking event as they may have limited mobility, which could delay or prevent safe evacuation.

Renters and persons with lower incomes are also more threatened by seismic shaking since they may live in homes that are not properly retrofitted to withstand the stresses of a seismic event. These groups may not have the financial resources to repair their homes or move to new housing if their homes become uninhabitable.

Data compares the populations within the seismic shaking hazard zones to the citywide population. The entire city is vulnerable to seismic shaking, and all Pico Rivera residents live within at minimum the 0.85g seismic shake zone, all the way up to the 0.1.05g seismic shake zone. Table 4-5 displays these characteristics of threatened populations in these seismic shake zones. Which includes households with lower median household incomes, slightly higher percentages of persons living with a disability, and higher percentages of households with onemember aged 65+.

TABLE 4-5: SEISMIC SHAKING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS (0.85 TO 1.05G) Vulnerable Population Metric Community-Wide
Data
Population 60,983
Households 17,291
Median household income $107,416
Renter Households 30.7%
Percentage of households with at least one person living with a disability 27.6% Percentage of households living under poverty limit 12.7% Percentage of households with one-member aged 65+ 38.8% Area Affected by Hazard (Sq Mile and Pct of City) 9.04 sq miles Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
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Figure 4-3: CFs Located in Liquefaction Hazard Zones
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Liquefaction
Based on Figure 4-3, virtually all of the City’s population is located within a designated zone of liquefaction, according to data only 168 residents do not live with these hazard zones. Over time, new regulations and mitigation measures have been incorporated into most construction (including new, remodel, and renovation construction). Renters and households with overall lower incomes located in these areas may be more impacted, especially in older construction, as they may not have the financial resources needed or authorization to make repairs and/or retrofit older buildings. Table 4-6 compares threatened populations living within the liquefaction hazard zones to the citywide population, The liquefaction susceptible areas include households with lower median household incomes, lower percentages of persons living with a disability, and lower percentages of households with one-member aged 65+.

TABLE 4-6: LIQUEFACTION HAZARD VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Threatened Population Metrics
Living within Liquefaction
Hazard Zones City of Pico Rivera
Population 60,815 60,983
Households 17,248 17,291
Median household income 107,403 $107,416
Renter Occupied Households 30.7% 30.7%
Percentage of households with at least one
person living with a disability

27.6% 27.6%
Percentage of households living under the
poverty limit

12.7% 12.7%
Percentage of households with one-member
aged 65+

38.9% 38.8%
Area Affected by Hazard (Sq miles) 9.04 sq miles 9.04 sq miles Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
Other Threats
Seismic Shaking
The goal of early earthquake warning systems is to afford utility providers additional time that they may use to shut off gas, water, and power transmission to try and control potential leaks following the event. Authorities may also have enough warning to halt the use of bridges or safe shelter or evacuate workers away from hazardous locations. Therefore, the goal is to allow service providers to remain inactive, reducing further impact, until authorities determine it is safe for employees to return and reactivate utilities. The length of this time will vary depending on the event's magnitude. A significant earthquake would necessitate utilities to remain off for a few hours or several days. The city and the region could lose the economic activity that normally occurs. In addition, structures such as downed telephone poles or power transmission towers could block roadways and prevent first responders from reaching victims or evacuees who need assistance.

Liquefaction
Services and mobility may be disrupted during and following a liquefaction event. Due to the liquefying soils, sidewalks, roadways, and pipelines may become fractured and disjointed. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Severe liquefaction events may render roads and sidewalks impassable until they are repaired.

Broken gas and water pipelines could result in utility outages, with services delayed until the infrastructure is repaired or replaced. Damage to power lines is unlikely since they are not rigid structures and can move if any transmission towers experience slight leaning. Homes and midrise office buildings may be unsafe for occupancy if the soil loses substantial strength.

Changes In Population and Land Use Development
Seismic Shaking
Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's anticipated residential/population growth over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to earthquakerelated hazards. While this may also be true concerning land use and development, if a strong earthquake impacts the city, there is the potential that older structures of the city may be affected more severely than newer structures and developments in the city.

Liquefaction
There exists potential for virtually all residents to be affected by liquefaction. Despite this potential, liquefaction is unlikely to cause significant changes in population patterns. However, land use designations and new development may be limited out of precaution or subject to policies developed in City documents such as the LHMP, Land Use, Housing, and Safety Elements. The City’s development review process will identify steps to mitigate or prevent future liquefaction events. Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's anticipated residential/population growth over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to earthquake-related hazards.

EPIDEMIC
Physical Threat
Since diseases only affect the human body, an epidemic, pandemic, or vector-borne disease could not directly threaten physical assets in Pico Rivera.

Social Threat
To some degree, diseases affect everyone in Pico Rivera, whether the impact is a mild inconvenience or death. There is no universally applicable social threat from diseases and pests since each disease affects the body differently. Generally, however, seniors, infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune defenses experience the greatest risk. Lowerincome persons may also be more threatened than others by diseases since they may not be able to afford medical treatment. Persons with disabilities or those who live alone may experience greater vulnerability to illness since they may be unable to access treatment.70 Pregnant women are especially threatened by the Zika virus since the virus may cause their infants to be born with microcephaly, which is shown to cause health problems for infants, including death.
70 Wisconsin Department of Health Services. People at Higher Risk of Communicable Disease. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/risk.htm
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Other Threats
A major outbreak of disease could overwhelm the smaller capacity of the medical facilities in Pico Rivera and in the surrounding area (larger facilities in neighboring cities like Los Angeles), potentially leading to greater inaccessibility of medical services and a shortage of medical personnel. A major outbreak could also be expected to incapacitate large amounts of the City’s and region’s workforce, inhibiting the regional economy of Los Angeles County and Southern California. Services such as telecommunications, utilities, recreation, and commerce may become restricted or even entirely unavailable for a period. Since 2020, the City and the rest of the world has dealt with COVID-19 and the massive impact it had upon the population, killing some 7.01 million people at the time of this update. Valuable lessons were learned globally on how these events can impact economies, trade, and travel, and how to mitigate these effects and minimize losses.

Climate Change Vulnerability
Climate change generally will lead to the overall warming of the Southern California climate, which may cause insects, pests, and other vectors that carry disease to remain active for an extended part of the year. This possibility increases the threat of exposure to any infectious diseases that these pests carry. Additionally, vectors currently not active in Pico Rivera and Southern California-at-large may migrate into the area due to warmer temperatures. Mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus and Zika Virus would have an extended range.

Changes In Population Patterns and Land Use Development It is unlikely that epidemics will affect land use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize impacts from severe wind events and tornadoes. Based on the current Housing Element data, the anticipated residential growth in the city over the next five years will increase Pico Rivera’s overall vulnerability to epidemics, simply because of more people.

FLOODING
Physical Threat
Flood
While it is not commonplace, if flooding occurred to the degree that it would impact physical assets, the potential effects could include inundation if enough precipitation fell, exceeding the storm drain infrastructure design capacity in these areas. Electronic or mechanical equipment on the ground could become waterlogged and nonfunctional. Fortunately, Pico Rivera currently has no CFs located within the mapped FEMA flood zones. Pico Rivera is at a reduced risk of flooding due to the Rio Hondo LAR/RH1 Levee Segment that runs through the City. While minor local flooding incidents could occur at CFs, the threat of flood loss to city owned CFs is minimal.

Figure 4-4 displays these FEMA Flood zones in relation to the City’s CFs.

Dam/Levee Failure
Various factors, such as the amount of water released, the distance between the dam failure site, and the topography of the surrounding land, will influence the extent to which physical assets in Pico Rivera are threatened. Whittier Narrows Dam has large storage capacities that could cause widespread inundation in Pico Rivera and Los Angeles County if the reservoir 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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waters are released due to a dam breach. There are also four other reservoirs located outside of the City (refer to Figure 3-7) that could potentially inundate very small portions of the City in the event of a failure, and the Rio Hondo LAR/RH1 Levee Segment that could reduce the risk to the majority of the city. These reservoirs are the Puddingstone Dam, Cogswell Dam, Morris Dam, and San Gabriel River No. 1 Dam. There are 37 CFs located within the Whittier Narrows dam inundation zone totaling over $94.2 million in potential losses, these losses are shown in Table 4-7. However, there are also large populations and many private residences that could be impacted in the event of a dam failure, which will be discussed in the next section. Figure 4-5 depicts the various dams/reservoirs inundation zones in and around the city.

TABLE 4-7: CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN (DAM INUNDATION ZONES)
Category Number of Facilities Potential Loss*
City facility 7 $17,492,049
Water facilities 10 $2,941,649
Parks, Senior Centers, and
Community Centers 15 $41,005,913
Various Infrastructure 5 $32,852,939
Total 37 $94,292,550
* Based on the City of Pico Rivera insured replacement values.

Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
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Figure 4-4: CFs Located in FEMA 100-Year and 500-Year Flood Zones 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Figure 4-5: CFs Located in Dam Inundation Zones
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Social Threat
Flood
According to FEMA flood maps, as seen in Figure 4-4, the city is almost entirely located within Zone X (with the exception of the actual rivers), which indicates that the area is outside of the 500-year flood zone. Los Angeles County Public Works indicated that floodwaters in these areas, on average, are anticipated to rise to a depth of no more than one foot. Flooding of this type would likely inundate curb cuts and sidewalks to some extent. People who walk or bike as their primary form of transportation may encounter difficulties if they do not have access to an alternative means of transportation. Vulnerable populations such as seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income persons could potentially be more at risk to the effects of a major flooding event. Additionally, persons experiencing homelessness who are outside during flood conditions may experience property damage or may not be able to access shelter. Though floodwaters in Pico Rivera are not expected to exceed a depth of one foot, six inches of floodwater may render any makeshift structures uninhabitable during the flood event.

Possessions such as sleeping bags or electronic devices may be damaged or swept away by the floodwaters. Fortunately, data shows that there are no residents located in these flood zones. This doesn’t mean that the potential for localized flooding and incidents doesn’t exist, but the risk is minimal.

Dam/Levee Failure
Based upon Figure 4-5 and APS analysis, a critical dam/levee failure near the City could potentially impact 59,016 people, approximately 96.9% of the population, should either the Whittier Narrows Dam or the Rio Hondo LAR/RH1 Levee Segment fail. There would be citywide impacts to most residents, especially to people experiencing homelessness, those that work outside, and any unsheltered residents or visitors to the city. Vulnerable populations could also experience greater hardship in mitigating the impacts of this hazard. Table 4-8 depicts the potential population threatened by the dam/levee failure inundation zones.

TABLE 4-8:DAM FAILURE HAZARD VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Threatened Population Metrics
Living within Liquefaction
Hazard Zones City of Pico Rivera
Population 59,016 60,983
Households 16,689 17,291
Median household income $107,184 $107,416
Renter Occupied Households 30.8% 30.7%
Percentage of households with at least one
person living with a disability

27.5% 27.6%
Percentage of households living under the
poverty limit

12.7% 12.7%
Percentage of households with one-member
aged 65+

38.6% 38.8%
Area Affected by Hazard (Sq miles) 7.34 sq miles 9.04 sq miles Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
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Other Threats
Flood
Flooding may temporarily stop any type of transportation in the City. Debris from floodwaters can block roadways, hinder vehicle access, and potentially affect emergency response services.

One foot of rushing water is enough to carry small vehicles. A severe flood may prevent people who own smaller vehicles from driving to work, reducing economic activity. Severe flooding that causes considerable damage to homes and businesses may also reduce economic activity until repair work is completed.

Dam Failure
Dam failures are often triggered by other events (e.g., seismic shaking, intense rainstorms, etc.). There would most likely be service disruptions in Pico Rivera if this type of event occurred.

Floodwater could quickly inundate the City, disrupting utilities like water, power, heating, and other services such as communications or transportation infrastructure. Residents may find street lighting and traffic signals are temporarily disabled. Debris may be carried in the rapid inundation of water, blocking roads and impeding traffic flow. Water would likely inundate roadways and other low-lying, flat areas, such as parking lots, open spaces, and schoolyards.

In severe scenarios, mobility in these areas would likely be restricted or impossible. Any unprotected or unhoused mechanical or electronic equipment not properly elevated would become waterlogged and inoperable until crews can conduct repairs or replacements.

Climate Change Vulnerability
Climate change will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to flooding impacts because of the anticipated increase in the intensity and frequency of local, regional, and global weather patterns, intensifying atmospheric rivers. This increases the likelihood of an exceptional rain event in Pico Rivera that could overwhelm the capacity of the region’s flood control system to contain and drain all the precipitation. Due to climate change, droughts are expected to increase in length and frequency. Soil dried by extensive drought periods are less able to absorb and drain water, likely increasing flood possibility. Climate change is expected to create conditions that will raise the likelihood of flood-related hazards (including Dam/Levee Failure) in Pico Rivera.

Changes In Population And Land Use Development
Given the lack of residents residing in FEMA flood zones, it does not appear that flooding will affect the city’s population patterns and growth. It is unlikely that flooding will affect land use and development patterns because the development review process ensures flood-related impacts are mitigated or minimized. However, based on the current Housing Element data, the city's anticipated residential/population growth over the next five years is also anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s potential vulnerability to flood-related hazards (including dam/levee failure).
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HUMAN-CAUSED HAZARDS
Physical Threat
Urban Fire
Structures and physical assets in Pico Rivera that are not equipped with fire suppression technology or design features that mitigate fire vulnerability are at risk of fire. Generally, these buildings are older, may not be well maintained, or may not meet current code requirements and regulations. While all structures can be impacted by urban fire, older structures may have increased vulnerability to this hazard. Power lines located around overgrown trees, where the tree crown envelops part or all the power lines, are also at risk of catching fire. When the wires overheat, they may ignite a fire in the tree, spread back to the power lines themselves, and burn the power line infrastructure. Underground utilities, like water delivery systems, residential electrical systems, or natural gas pipelines, are not threatened by the occurrence of fire since any urban fires that emerge in Pico Rivera are likely to occur on the surface. According to Cal Fire, the city is not within a fire hazard severity zone and, therefore, not prone to wildfire events.

Although no CFs are located within these fire hazard severity zones, the potential for an urban fire will always be present.

Infrastructure Failure
Infrastructure failure can often be the direct result of power failure. This is especially difficult to predict within the city, as it can affect any CF anywhere within the City at any time. Traffic control infrastructure, communications networks, and emergency services are just some critical services/infrastructures that can be disrupted during a power failure. Facilities such as police and fire stations are equipped with backup generators to ensure continuity of operations in the event of power failures; however, generators can sometimes fail. In addition, physical damage to systems could result from intermittent or unexpected power loss that damages electrical and computer equipment. These events could result from maintenance, isolated power outages due to equipment failure, or loss of power from infrastructure (powerlines, powerplants, transformers, sub-stations) failure.

Hazardous Materials Release
Hazardous materials can cause damage to physical assets in Pico Rivera if they are released into the environment. Corrosive hazardous materials can damage the building exteriors of CFs.

Flammable hazardous materials can start fires and cause any CFs nearby to flashover and ignite. Generally, sites closer to the origin for releasing hazardous materials are threatened greater than those further away.

Table 4-8 shows the numbers of physical assets in Pico Rivera threatened by a hazardous materials release. There are 10 CFs composed of various infrastructure, parks, Senior Centers, and Community Centers located within 500 feet of a site storing or using hazardous materials.

The total potential loss estimated for these locations is approximately $35.96 million. Figure 4- 9 depicts these sites in relation to CFs within the City. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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TABLE 4-9: CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN (HAZ MAT BUFFER 500FT)
Category Number of Facilities Potential Loss*
City facility 1 $1,552,415
Water facilities 1 $2,427
Parks, Senior Centers, and
Community Centers
3 $1,554,842
Various Infrastructure 5 $32,852,939
Total 10 $35,962,623
* Based on the City of Pico Rivera insured replacement values.

Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
Power Failure/Outage
Power failure or outages throughout the City can affect any CF at any time. Traffic control infrastructure, communications networks, and emergency services are just a few of the critical services/infrastructure that can be disrupted during a power outage. Facilities such as police stations and fire stations are equipped with backup generators to ensure continuity of operations in the event of power outages; however, generators can sometimes fail. In addition, physical damage to systems could result from intermittent or unexpected power loss that damages electrical and computer equipment. These events could result from maintenance, isolated power outages due to equipment failure, or loss of power from infrastructure (powerlines, powerplants, transformers, sub-stations) failure.

Transportation Incidents
Transportation incidents typically threaten infrastructure like roadways, bridges, and utilities that may be adjacent or co-located with these facilities. Depending on the nature of the event surrounding structures and uses may also be impacted; however, to what degree it is difficult to identify at this time. While many incidents within the City may be considered minor, if one were to occur at a key intersection or interchange, traffic, and commerce within the affected area could be impacted significantly for hours or days, depending on the severity of the incident. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Figure 4-6: CFs Located Near Hazardous Materials Sites (500ft Buffer) 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Terrorism
There is no way to predict which of Pico Rivera’s facilities or assets may be impacted by an act of terrorism since the motivation behind the incident is often complex and not easily understood.

Generally, these types of incidents occur at places of political, economic, or cultural importance.

If the perpetrator's motives are to shut down city or regional government activity for a period, they may instead target pieces of infrastructure, like water systems, utility delivery systems, or transportation networks. In this situation, bridges may become prime locations for these activities. The financial losses that may result would depend on the degree of destruction associated with the activity. If the incident involves the destruction of physical assets, the cost to the City or property owners in Pico Rivera could be significant.

Cyber Threat
Cyber threats would have a limited impact on physical assets. The extent of this impact would focus on City-owned computer and network infrastructure.

Social Threat
Urban Fire
A fire hazard immediately threatens seniors and persons with disabilities. These groups may have limited mobility or diminished environmental awareness. For example, a senior who lives alone may not know if a fire ignites in their house until a room fills with smoke or a flashover occurs, at which point escape may be more difficult or impossible. Therefore, a fire that starts in or spreads to senior residences in Pico Rivera could be highly threatening to those populations. Persons with disabilities may require special mobility devices or caregiver assistance to evacuate, which may not be readily available when a fire occurs. Other groups with increased threat levels include lower-income persons and renters. These individuals may live in substandard housing with outdated materials known to be flammable. Renters and lowerincome persons may also live in housing units with improperly designed or unmaintained electrical or heating systems that could cause a fire. In the case of renters, these groups may not possess the financial resources or authority to rebuild their homes or relocate to new homes after a wildland or urban fire.

Infrastructure Failure
Persons with health issues are more vulnerable to this hazard since they may rely on medical equipment that requires power. Vital medical treatments such as dialysis are at risk of being canceled or postponed if a medical facility does not have enough backup generator power to conduct appointments. If a power outage occurs during the warmer months, young children, the elderly, or people suffering from serious medical conditions are more vulnerable to heat-related complications if they are unable to relocate to a cooler location. Additionally, lower-income residents may be affected if the power outage lasts for an extended amount of time, as they may not be able to afford to replace the food spoiled from the loss of refrigeration. Additionally, any private schools, preschools, residential care, and skilled nursing facilities located in this area are at risk of being impacted.

Hazardous Materials Release
The threat of a hazardous materials release event affects those closest to a source of hazardous materials, including industrial sites, gas stations, gas transmission lines, or sewer mains. Table 4-10 shows the City’s vulnerable populations living within 500 feet of hazardous materials 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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storage/waste sites. Groups such as older people, low-income persons, or renters face a greater risk of exposure since they may not have the financial resources necessary to retrofit their homes against infiltration by hazardous materials or move away to a home that is further from the potential sources of hazardous materials release events. Additionally, public, and private schools, preschools, residential care, and skilled nursing facilities in this area are at risk of being impacted.

TABLE 4-10: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS VULNERABLE POPULATIONS (500FT BUFFER) Vulnerable Population Metrics
Living within Hazardous
Materials Buffer City of Pico Rivera
Population 3,917 60,983
Households 1,133 17,291
Median household income $101,963 $107,416
Renter Occupied Households 33.9% 30.7%
Percentage of households with at least one
person living with a disability

29.4% 27.6%
Percentage of households living under the
poverty limit

11.0% 12.7%
Percentage of households with one-member
aged 65+

35.3% 38.8%
Area Affected by Hazard (Sq miles) 0.92 sq miles 9.04 sq miles Source: Atlas Planning Solutions, 2025
Pico Rivera residents living next to major transportation infrastructures, such as highways or major arterial streets, also face a greater threat since vehicles transporting hazardous materials may release their contents into the environment if involved in a collision.

Figure 4-7 depicts the overall community health score for the City as analyzed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) tool CalEnviroScreen. This mapping tool helps identify California communities that are most affected by many sources of pollution and where people are often especially vulnerable to pollution's effects. This tool uses environmental, health, and socioeconomic information to produce scores for every census tract in the state. The scores are mapped so that different communities can be compared. An area with a high score experiences a much higher pollution burden than areas with low scores. Pico Rivera scores poorly in this regard, as many of its residents are located in areas with high to extremely high scores. Figure 4-8 depicts the FEMA National Risk Index score for Pico Rivera.

The National Risk Index is a data set and an online tool to help illustrate the United States communities most at risk for 18 natural hazards (including coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, earthquake, hail, heat wave, hurricane, ice storm, landslide, lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind, tornado, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire, winter weather); the italicized hazards are hazards that can affect Pico Rivera. These maps show parts of the community that are socially vulnerable to pollution and natural hazards. Residents living in these parts of the City where these maps overlap, especially the vulnerable populations (lower income, seniors, persons with disability, homeless etc.) residing there may experience a magnifying effect on the impacts associated with any hazard events that occur in these areas. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Figure 4-7: OEHHA Cal Enviro Screen Rating for Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Figure 4-8: FEMA National Risk Index Scoring for Pico Rivera 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Power Failure/Outage
Persons with health issues are more vulnerable to this hazard since they may rely on medical equipment that requires the use of power. Vital medical treatments such as dialysis are at risk of being canceled or postponed if a medical facility does not have enough backup generator power to conduct appointments. If a power outage occurs during the warmer months, young children, the elderly, or people suffering from serious medical conditions are more vulnerable to heat-related complications if they are unable to relocate to a cooler location. Additionally, lowerincome residents may be affected if the power outage lasts for an extended amount of time, as they may not be able to afford to replace the food spoiled from the loss of refrigeration.

Additionally, any private schools and preschools and residential care and skilled nursing facilities located in this area are at risk of being impacted.

Transportation Incidents
Residents and businesses located in close proximity to major transportation infrastructure may be at greater risk of impact from these types of incidents. For residents that rely upon the transportation network to get to work, any closures or impacts to that network could have a negative impact on their daily lives and well-being. At the same time, businesses could be impacted if employees and customers are unable to reach their place of business due to an incident. While many incidents would be short-term with limited impacts to the community, if a significant issue were to occur, the impacts could be longer, which could have economic implications for both residents and businesses.

Terrorism
Since mass casualty incidents/acts of terrorism could occur anywhere in Pico Rivera, all groups are potentially threatened by the impacts of these incidents; however, the extent of the threat would depend upon the type and magnitude of the event. For example, an active shooter situation may be isolated to a specific location, whereas a larger-scale incident may affect multiple locations. Some locations are more likely to be targeted than others, including but not limited to, medical facilities, government buildings, or financial institutions. Populations frequently visiting these areas may face greater threat than the average person. Seniors, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities, for instance, are more likely to frequently visit the local medical facilities than other subpopulations in the city. If an incident occurs at a medical facility or within the community (overwhelming medical resources), these groups are expected to face an increased impact from the incident.

An incident that occurs at a government building or financial institution may be more likely to threaten seniors or lower-income individuals that rely on in-person transactions in place of online options. As such, their use of these in-person services may place them in harm’s way.

An incident at Pico Rivera City Hall or bank locations in the city can be expected to be more of a threat to these groups. Seniors and persons with limited income may be challenged if there is a need to shelter in place or evacuate during an incident requiring additional services, assistance, and/or medical treatment.

Cyber Threat
Cyber threats may have an impact on residents and businesses throughout the city. While most cyber threats focus on large entities like major corporations and/or government agencies, all residents could become victims of cyber threats. If services affected by cyber incidents become 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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delayed or are impacted, populations that rely on those services may be negatively impacted if no alternatives exist.

Other Threats
Urban Fire
Urban fires can consume power lines and force utility operators to shut off electrical and gas transmission activity, leading to utility outages in Pico Rivera homes and businesses. Any streets surrounded by blazes or blocked by burning debris would hinder transportation, prevent people from evacuating, and block emergency response crews from reaching the source of the fire. Anyone living at the end of a cul-de-sac faces an elevated threat of being trapped if the fire occurs or spreads in a way that blocks evacuation. Fires that destroy trees or vegetation (especially within parks and open space areas) could limit or prevent the use of these areas, affecting future recreational opportunities for residents.

Public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) will become a significant issue for many communities throughout California. Although there are only a few PSPS circuits affecting Pico Rivera, the potential for large-scale events affecting residents and businesses should be an ongoing concern. In the event of a PSPS outage in neighboring cities within the region, the city’s resources could be strained as residents of affected areas seek refuge in communities with power. Outreach to residents and businesses to help them understand and prepare for these future events will become an important aspect of the city’s overall hazard mitigation strategy.

Infrastructure Failure
Older structures, electrical wiring, and outlets may not meet current building code requirements, which could cause damage during power surges or damage the devices connected to them. In addition, many businesses and residents may not use proper equipment to help prevent power surges or loss, which can impact the functions and operations of businesses and City services or affect residents negatively. Given the potential for future power failure events, protective measures (improved outlets, ground fault circuit interceptor outlets, surge protectors, and backup battery (uninterruptible power supply) technologies should be promoted in any retrofits and improvements within the City. Current and future climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in Pico Rivera should prioritize energy efficiency measures, generate energy locally from clean and renewable sources, and build reliability & redundancy using the latest energy storage and backup systems technologies.

Hazardous Materials Release
Hazardous materials release could threaten the City’s, and potentially the region’s, transportation networks. Large areas of the local road may be closed to keep people away from areas contaminated with hazardous materials to allow remediation and cleanup activities to occur. If a highly corrosive hazardous material is released, it could potentially cause considerable damage to the exteriors of any homes or businesses in the area surrounding the release. Hazardous materials could also harm the City’s urban forest, resulting in the premature death of vegetation in the affected areas.

Power Failure/Outage
Older structures, electrical wiring and outlets may not meet current building code requirements, which could become damaged during power surges or damage the devices connected to them. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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In addition, many businesses and residents may not use proper equipment to help prevent power surges or power loss, which can impact the functions and operations of businesses, City services, or affect residents in negative ways. Given the potential for future power loss events, protective measures (improved outlets, ground fault circuit interceptor outlets, surge protectors, and backup battery (uninterruptible power supply) technologies should be promoted in any retrofits and improvements within the City. Current and future climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in Pico Rivera should prioritize energy efficiency measures, generate energy locally from clean and renewable sources, and build reliability & redundancy using the latest technologies in energy storage and backup systems.

Transportation Incident
While various hazard events can have a physical and social impact on transportation incidents, there are other aspects of this hazard incident that may concern the community. For many residents, the sense of overall safety within their communities and neighborhoods may be linked to the amount and severity of transportation incidents. Locations along busy roadways that experience excessive amounts of traffic may witness more frequent or severe traffic incidents/accidents. This experience by residents and property owners may influence their perception of safety within the community. In addition, those using roadways within the City may recognize certain roadways that they avoid using due to safety concerns because of the amount of traffic experienced or the number of accidents they have witnessed/ heard about. These types of experiences may affect how someone travels and interacts with their community. This could potentially isolate them from key community facilities, friends that live in those areas, or how safe they feel living and working in Pico Rivera.

Terrorism
While terrorism related events can severely impact a community when they occur, proximity to areas where these types of events occur may also be concerning for residents and businesses.

Many communities throughout southern California have experienced significant events that have caused harm to people and property (events related to terrorism, civil disturbance, masscasualty incidents) and while the event may not occur in the City, many residents, businesses, and visitors may still be concerned about those events occurring or spilling over into Pico Rivera.

When these events occur in other locations, the City may feel it is important to communicate with residents and businesses about the steps they are taking to ensure community safety.

Climate Change Vulnerability
Urban Fire
Climate change will likely increase the city’s vulnerability to urban fire impacts because of increasing temperatures, which could change the moisture content of plant materials and structure materials and potentially increase future drought conditions.

Infrastructure Failure
While climate change has no direct link to infrastructure failure, the secondary effects can have an impact on the city's potential vulnerability. Elevated temperatures, duration and intensity of precipitation events, and extended drought conditions can strain the infrastructure within the city, potentially resulting in failure as demand for services rises. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Hazardous Materials Release
Climate change could indirectly increase the city’s vulnerability to the impacts of hazardous materials release as climate-related hazard events occur. Precipitation events with increased intensity causing flooding or overwhelming infrastructure could cause an increase in hazardous materials release. Climate-related hazards could also exacerbate the effects and impacts of such events. For example, heavier rains could lead to more runoffs from a contaminated site with hazardous materials.

Power Failure/Outage
While climate change has no direct link to power failure, the secondary effects can have an impact on the city's potential vulnerability. Elevated temperatures, duration and intensity of precipitation events, and extended drought conditions can strain the infrastructure within the City, potentially resulting in failure as demand for services rises. An increase in the rate of occurrence of PSPS events can also result in power failure/outages in both frequency and duration.

Transportation Incident
Climate change has no direct link to transportation incidents and is not anticipated to increase the city’s vulnerability at this time.

Terrorism
Climate change has no direct link to terrorism and is not anticipated to increase the city’s vulnerability at this time.

Cyber Threat
Climate change has no direct link to cyber threat and is not anticipated to increase the city’s vulnerability at this time.

Changes In Population Patterns And Land Use Development Urban Fire
If a large urban fire were to occur, it is feasible that changes in population patterns could occur.

Land use and development patterns could change if a large urban fire were to occur that impacted older parts of the city. Subsequent to that type of event, the city would rely on a redevelopment process to determine how best to rebuild. Based on the current housing element data, the city's projected residential/population growth over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to urban fires.

Infrastructure Failure
Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's projected residential/population growth over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to infrastructure failure. As demand for utilities and power increases, coupled with the strain placed on current infrastructure to accommodate the population growth, the potential for infrastructure failure will also increase.

Hazardous Materials Release
A change in population pattern would only occur if a hazardous materials release were severe enough to require people to move. It is unlikely that hazardous materials release will affect land 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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use and development because the development review process will take steps to mitigate or minimize impacts from a hazardous materials release event. Locations that store, produce, and dispose of hazardous materials are highly regulated within the city and monitored regularly. It is not anticipated that land use and development patterns will change through this process and the development review process. Based on the current Housing Element data, the anticipated residential/population growth in the city over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to hazardous materials release and potential of exposure to terrorism/mass-casualty incidents.

Power Failure/Outage
Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's projected residential/population growth over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to power failure/outages. As demand for utilities and power increases, coupled with the strain placed on current infrastructure to accommodate the population growth, the potential for power failure/outage will also increase.

Transportation Incident
Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's projected residential/population growth over the next five years could potentially increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to transportation incidents, as more vehicles and transportation options are present to meet the increased population. It is not anticipated to have an effect on land use and development, as no direct connection can be drawn between this hazard and changes in land use and development.

Terrorism
A change in population and the anticipated growth patterns could affect the city's vulnerability.

As the number of people, businesses, and traffic increases, so does the potential increase for the city to become a target for terrorism. However, the land use policy is not likely to be affected by this hazard.

Cyber Threat
Based on the current Housing Element data, the city's projected residential/population growth over the next five years is anticipated to increase Pico Rivera’s vulnerability to cyber threat. As technology and hackers advance so too does the vulnerability of the cities’ infrastructure and computer systems to potential cyber threats.
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CHAPTER 5 –

HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGY
Strategy Development Process
Pico Rivera’s hazard mitigation strategy is a comprehensive set of actions intended to reduce the impact of hazard events. These hazard mitigation actions will help protect the safety and well-being of residents, visitors, CFs and FOCs, other buildings and structures, key services, the local economy, and other important community assets. Some actions will also help with emergency preparedness, allowing for a more effective community response to hazard events.

Preparedness actions are not required for an LHMP, but they support and complement mitigation activities. The HMPC chose to include them as part of the overall hazard mitigation strategy.

USE OF HAZARD AND THREAT ASSESSMENT
The HMPC relied partly on the hazard profiles and threat assessments in this Plan to develop the mitigation strategy's actions. A comprehensive set of mitigation actions was prepared to respond to the relevant hazard situations and protect residents, businesses, and community assets in Pico Rivera. The HMPC ensured that the mitigation actions would help reduce damage from the most frequent types of hazard events, the most significant that may reasonably occur, and those with the greatest potential to harm the community. The HMPC also drafted mitigation actions to help protect the most vulnerable community members and the most vulnerable local assets.

CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
As part of the effort to draft mitigation actions, the City completed a capabilities assessment, which included reviewing existing policies, personnel, and technical resources to support hazard mitigation activities in Pico Rivera. The hazard mitigation actions build off these resources' existing success and leverage their capabilities to support improved resiliency in the community. The capabilities assessment looked at the following types of resources:
• Legal and Regulatory Capabilities: Ordinances, plans, and regulations that enable or mandate City action.
• Administrative and Technical Capabilities: City employees, volunteers, policies, procedures, data, and tools.
• Financial Resources: Funding mechanisms available to the City that support mitigation activities.
• Education and Outreach Capabilities: People, skills, and resources that enable the City to engage with its various communities.
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CAPABILITIES IMPROVEMENT/EXPANSION
The ability to expand current mitigation capabilities will generally be reliant upon the budgeting allocated for each department/program for that fiscal year. The level at which these programs may or may not be expanded upon, will be dependent upon the amount of funding received.

FEMA has released a series of guides over the past few years which highlight some of the ways in which jurisdictions can expand mitigation. Some strategies for increasing current mitigation capabilities may include:
1) The City should actively identify, adopt, and enforce the most current set of development codes and standards available. Strongly encouraging new development to be constructed to higher standards than currently required, increasing resilience within the community.
2) Engaging parts of the community that may not be actively involved in mitigation efforts. 3) Expanding the number and types of organizations involved in mitigation planning and implementation, increasing both efficiency and bandwidth. 4) Fostering new relationships to bring underrepresented populations and partners to the hazard’s mitigation planning process.
5) During the annual LHMP review, the committee should look for opportunities to fund and expand/enhance the effectiveness of current mitigation actions.

Table 5-1 shows the capabilities assessment for Pico Rivera. Within each resource described, a section titled “Future Opportunities for Expansion and Improvement” is provided, which helps the City recognize specific areas where each capability may be modified to align with mitigation priorities and actions to be taken in the future.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Legal and Regulatory Capabilities
Pico Rivera City
General Plan –
Chapter 3, Land
Use Element (2014)
The Land Use Element serves as a guide to
the ultimate development pattern for the
City, both within its incorporated boundaries
and sphere of influence.

The Land Use Element:
• Designates the distribution, location,
and balance of land uses.
• Describes the desired build-out of Pico
Rivera.
• Describes building intensity standards
for each land use.
• Communicates population density.
• Ensures compatibility between land
uses.

The City will align the Land
Use Element and LHMP to
describe developmental
trends, hazards, and potential
development in hazard areas.

Pico Rivera City
General Plan –
Chapter 4, Housing
Element (2013)
The Housing Element contains the following
material:
• Discusses demographics, such as age
and race.
• Includes a description of the household,
including size, income, and home
ownership.
• Discusses new housing growth needs.
• Discusses sustainability and energy
efficiency.
• Addresses building code.

The Housing Element and
LHMP will be aligned to
describe the City and its
population.

Pico Rivera City
General Plan –
Chapter 9, Safety
Element (2014)
The Safety Element identifies potential
hazards:
• Flooding
• Hazardous material release
• Seismically induced conditions,
including ground shaking, surface
rupture, ground failure, slope instability
leading to mudslides and landslides,
subsidence, and other geologic hazards
It discusses water supply requirements and
design standards for new development as
they relate to identified fire, seismic, and
geologic hazards.

The LHMP will be linked by
reference to the Safety
Element of the General Plan.

The City will adopt the
approved LHMP as part of the
General Plan to meet the
requirements of AB 2140. As
the City revises the Safety
Element, it will include
applicable material from the
LHMP for hazard analysis and
goals.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Area Specific Plans Pico Rivera maintains specific plans for various areas, including:
• Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (Draft)
(2024)
• Pico Rivera 2035 (2020)
• Rosemead/Lakewood Blvd. Complete
Corridor Project (2017)
• Washington Blvd. Transit-Oriented
Development Specific Plan (2024)
These plans adapt the precepts of the
General Plan’s Land Use and Housing
Elements to specific parts of the City.

The LHMP will take the
specific plans into account
when determining
development trends, hazards,
and mitigation opportunities.

Capital
Improvement
Program
Pico Rivera’s Capital Improvement Program
is a set of planned construction projects
involving City‐owned buildings, facilities,
and infrastructure. Examples include new or
retrofitted City facilities, street repairs or
modifications, and improvements to
drainage systems.

The Capital Improvement Program was last
updated during the budget process for the
2023/24 fiscal year and is set to be updated
every five years. Funding may come from
grants or dedicated revenue sources.

Mitigation actions that involve
construction or retrofits to City
buildings, facilities, and
infrastructure may be included
in the Capital Improvement
Program.

Pico Rivera
Municipal Code –
Statutory
Reference §
SR.020, Local
Emergencies (2023)
§SR.020 refers to the California Emergency
Services Act (CESA). CESA provides for
the preparation and implementation of plans
for the protection of people and property
within state and local jurisdictions during an
emergency, the direction of the emergency
organization, and the coordination of state
and local jurisdictions’ emergency functions
with all other public agencies, corporations,
organizations, and affected private persons.

While CESA is the foundation
for emergency management
in California, the state law
does not consider local
variations in hazards,
conditions, resources, or
capabilities. The City may
consider adopting its own
emergency management
ordinance, perhaps under
Title 2, to tailor its disaster
planning, preparation,
response, and mitigation
efforts to its own needs.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Pico Rivera
Municipal Code –
Title 15, Buildings
and Construction
(2022)
Pico Rivera’s Building and Construction
codes include several individual codes and
regulations, including the City’s Building
Code, Electrical Code, and Fire Code,
which govern the construction of new and
renovated buildings. These standards are
published by the state and adopted by local
communities, sometimes with amendments
to address local issues. They are typically
updated every three years, although more
minor updates may occur in the interim.

The City can update Building
and Construction codes with
local amendments that
require new or renovated
buildings to better resist
damage or harm to occupants
during a disaster and so may
support hazard mitigation
activities.

Pico Rivera City
Municipal Code –
Title 18, Zoning
Code (2024)
The City’s Zoning Code is a set of
regulations for different land uses in the
community. It establishes standards for
where different types of development and
land use activity may occur (including
defining hazard-prone areas where different
development and land use standards may
apply), how they look, how they can be
operated, and the necessary permitting and
approval processes for development. The
Zoning Code is an implementation tool of
the City’s General Plan and plays a
significant role in determining Pico Rivera’s
appearance and community characteristics.

Understanding land-use
policy and regulatory
requirements is essential to
developing mitigation
strategies and activities. The
land-use components of the
Municipal Code will inform the
development of LHMP
mitigation actions.

Floodplain
Management
Regulations –
Municipal Code
Chapter 15.50
(1998)
Pico Rivera’s Floodplain Management
Regulations are required for the City’s
participation in the National Flood Insurance
Program. Under the terms of these
regulations, construction activities within the
100-year flood plain must feature floodresilient design features. The regulations also limit the types of land-use activities that
can be conducted within the 100-year
floodplain.

Amendments to the
Floodplain Management
Regulations could help
implement mitigation actions
that address the vulnerability
of buildings in the 100-year
floodplain.

City Emergency
Operations Plan
(EOP)
Explains how the City will respond to a
major emergency or disaster and coordinate
between the Emergency Operations Center
(EOC) and field-level incident commanders.

The EOP includes a description of each
hazard; the concept of operations during a
major emergency or disaster; the role of the
EOC; and the coordination that occurs
between the EOC, County departments, and
other local, state, and federal governments
in times of disaster.

The LHMP informs the
hazards section of the EOP,
as the two are closely
correlated.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Los Angeles
County General
Plan 2035 (2022)
The County General Plan guides growth
countywide through goals, policies, and
programs that:
• Discourage sprawling development
patterns
• Protect areas with hazard,
environmental, and resource constraints
• Encourage infill development in areas
near transit, services, and existing
infrastructure
• Make a strong commitment to ensuring
sufficient services and infrastructure
It also lays the foundation for future
community-based planning initiatives that
will identify additional opportunities for
accommodating growth.

Hazard mitigation actions that
require coordination with the
county or action in the
unincorporated areas may be
integrated into the County’s
General Plan to provide a
stronger framework and make
them more enforceable.

County of Los
Angeles AllHazards Mitigation
Plan (2020)
The 2020 All-Hazards Mitigation Plan (2020
AHMP) identifies hazard events present in
the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles
County and recommends mitigation actions
to reduce the harm from these events.

The county and Pico Rivera
can share resources and best
practices for hazard mitigation
activities. Similar mitigation
actions in the county’s and
Pico Rivera’s plans can help
create more regional
consistency. Mitigation
actions that require
coordination with the County
Office of Emergency
Management or other county
agencies may be integrated
into the 2020 AHMP.

California Building
Standards Code
(2022)
The California Building Standards Code is a
compilation of three types of building
standards from three different origins:
• Building standards that state agencies
have adopted without change from the
International Building Code.
• Building standards that have been
adopted and adapted from national
model codes to address California’s
ever-changing conditions.
• Building standards authorized by the
California legislature that constitute
amendments not covered by national
model codes, which have been created
and adopted to address California
concerns.

Adherence to building codes,
including local codes,
regulates growth and controls
land use patterns. Addressing
known hazards as codes are
updated results in lowered
risk and potentially fewer
losses.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
California
Emergency
Services Act
California Government Code §§8550-8669.7
codifies the California Emergency Services
Act. It covers the entire range of disaster
and emergency powers and responsibilities
of state and local government dealing with
any natural or human-caused disasters or a
state of war.

The City shall maintain a
current version of the
Emergency Services Act to
inform the City Council and
staff of changes to disaster
mitigation and preparedness
activities and processes in the
state.

California State
Hazard Mitigation
Plan (2023)
California’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan
identifies and analyzes the various natural
and human-caused hazards in California. It
includes descriptions of these hazards,
summaries of past hazard events,
assessment of how these hazards may
harm people and other assets in California,
and projections of future hazard conditions.

The City can use the 2023
SHMP as a source of
information to refine hazard
profiles and vulnerability
assessments in future
LHMPs.

National Flood
Insurance Program
The National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) is a voluntary program that makes
federally backed flood insurance available
to homeowners, renters, and business
owners in participating communities.

Although there are no homes in the flood
zone, the City will continue to participate in
the NFIP program and will make changes
accordingly.

City websites and social
media accounts will include
information on the value of
NFIP insurance for properties
located in flood hazard areas
and how to buy the insurance.

Administrative and Technical Capabilities
Administrative
Services
Department
The Administrative Services Department
provides sound and prudent fiscal
management, auditing, budgeting, treasury
management, procurement, revenue
oversight, and grants and capital project
administration, while adhering to best
practices and ensuring adequate internal
controls.

Department staff can support
efforts to improve local
resiliency by integrating
mitigation actions into the City
budget and administering
mitigation-related grants.

City Attorney The City contracts its legal representation through Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin. AGC is
a boutique law firm specializing in
representing public agencies in the complex
fields of real estate, land use and
development, environmental law,
employment and labor relations, public
safety and police litigation, and general
liability and risk management.

Provide opportunities for the
City Attorney to review
updates to regulatory
information to provide expert
review of county and state
resolutions and ordinances
that address hazard mitigation
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
City Clerk The City Clerk is the local official who
administers elections, all legislative actions,
and public transparency functions. The City
Clerk is also a compliance officer for
federal, state, and local statutes, including
the Political Reform Act and the Brown Act.

The City Clerk is integral to
the LHMP adoption process.

She/he makes sure the
adoption resolution meets all
administrative requirements.

Community &
Economic
Development
Department
The Community & Economic Development
Department is responsible for conducting
short- and long-term planning activities in
Pico Rivera, approving building permits and
business licenses, and inspecting private
properties. Through these activities, the
Department enforces the City’s Buildings
and Construction codes and related
standards, as well as all land-use
regulations.

The Community & Economic
Development Department’s
staff can conduct any
mitigation actions related to
land use, construction of new
structures or retrofits to
existing ones, and operating
conditions of private property.

Fire Department Pico Rivera contracts with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for firefighting, fire
protection, and emergency medical
response services in the community. This
includes mitigation activities that reduce the
likelihood of fires or limit the damage from
such events. Department activities also
include efforts to prepare for local disasters
and ensure a more effective response.

Mitigation actions that involve resiliency to
urban and wildfire are the responsibility of
the Fire Department. As the Fire
Department is also responsible for more
general emergency preparedness, it can
coordinate with other agencies to implement
mitigation actions that pertain to a wider
variety of hazard events.

Provide training to firefighters
to better enable them to see
potential hazards and take
action to report them.

Encourage public outreach
through educational programs
in cooperation with the Fire
Department.

LA County Sheriff's
Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department provides law enforcement
services in Pico Rivera, including criminal
investigation, traffic control, and emergency
response. The Pico Rivera station is located
at 6631 Passons Blvd., Pico Rivera, in
southeastern Los Angeles County and
serves over 63,000 residents in a 9-mile
patrol area. Mitigation actions that fall within
the Department’s purview include those
related to the safe movement of traffic and
the security of community members during
emergency events.

Provide training to officers to
enable them to see potential
hazards better and take
action to report them.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Office of
Sustainability
Pico Rivera found that it needed a
dedicated team that can integrate into and
support all City departments to meet local,
regional, state, and federal climate goals.

The resulting Office of Sustainability is
committed to creating a sustainable
community by implementing environmental
initiatives focused on renewable energy,
materials management, emissions
reduction, and air quality improvement
through programs, projects, policies, and
community involvement. The goal is to
continue building a safer and healthier
community.

Hazard mitigation planning
overlaps with the Office of
Sustainability’s larger goal of
creating a more sustainable
and resilient community.

Mitigation planners may
include sustainability actions
in the LHMP. The Office’s
staff may also assist by
engaging community
stakeholders and educating
community members.

Parks and
Recreation
The Department is comprised of 18 key
divisions: Administration, Facilities and
Programs, Child Supervision, Special
Events, Sports, Aquatics, REACH, REACH
Recital, Contract Instructors, Teens, Batting
Cages, Summer Lunch, Crossing Guards,
Seniors, Marketing, Trips and Tours, Prop A
Transportation, and Media and
Communications.

The Department operates nine parks
containing 21 athletic fields, two
gymnasiums, and four community centers. In
addition, the Department also offers yearround instructional classes, special or season events, sports leagues, workshops,
recreational programs, and community
celebrations for all ages.

Mitigation activities
undertaken by Parks and
Recreation include
establishing locations for
cooling centers, evacuations,
sheltering residents in need,
and other community needs.

This department also has the
ability to tailor programs and
resources to accommodate
community member needs.

Pico Rivera
Innovative
Municipal Energy
(PRIME)
PRIME provides the benefits of clean,
renewable electricity exclusively in the City
of Pico Rivera. Through the PRIME option,
residents and businesses are able to
choose an energy plan that best fits their
needs as well as select more sustainable
options for the benefit of the community. As
the City’s municipal energy provider, PRIME
purchases power on behalf of its customers
while Southern California Edison (SCE)
delivers it. PRIME provides customers with
the choice of higher renewable energy
content at affordable prices by offering
PRIME Power, a 50% renewable energy
product, and PRIME Future, a 100%
renewable energy product.

Mitigation actions that relate
to the resiliency of electrical
service and electrical
infrastructure will be
implemented through Prime
staff and working with SCE.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Public Works
Department
The City of Pico Rivera Public Works
Department is responsible for the
engineering, permitting, maintenance, and
operation of the City’s infrastructure,
including City-owned buildings, parks,
streets, sidewalks, roadway medians,
alleys, public parking lots, and traffic
signals. The Department also maintains the
City’s vehicle fleet, oversees the Capital
Improvement Program, and issues permits
for engineering activities on private land.

Public Works engineers and
technicians manage the city’s
infrastructure. They possess a
critical understanding of the
risks posed by hazards and
potential mitigation activities
to address the risks to lifeline
infrastructure. Their input into
developing infrastructure
mitigation strategies and
actions is critical.

Engineering
Division
The Engineering Division of the Dept. of
Public Works is responsible for the
collection of wastewaters within the City
limits and delivery to the trunk sewer mains
of Los Angeles County Sanitation District
(LACSD). The City’s sewer system consists
of 110 miles of sewer, 2,516 manholes, and
provides service to approximately 13,930
parcels. LACSD is responsible for all
regional trunk sewer lines and sewage
treatment, while the City is responsible for
the operation and maintenance of sewer
mains and lift stations within the City limits
and all capital improvements.

Engineering Division staff will
implement mitigation actions
that relate to sewer service
and infrastructure resilience.

Water Operations
Division
The Water Operations Division provides
drinking water through approximately 9,400
water service connections. The water
system consists of more than 90 miles of
pipeline, with ten active wells, 10 pump
stations, nine booster pumps, three
reservoirs, and 875 fire hydrants. The
system can provide more than 12,500
gallons of water per minute. The Water
Operations Division staff is responsible for
the distribution and treatment of water to its
customers.

The City’s water program is funded through
the Pico Rivera Water Authority (PRWA),
formed on May 6, 1999.

The Water Operations
Division staff may implement
any mitigation actions that
involve the City’s water
sources, how much water the
community uses, the City’s
water-related infrastructure, or
other issues related to water
services.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Floodplain
Administrator
The duties and responsibilities of the
Floodplain Administrator include:
• Permit review
• Flood hazard reduction
• NFIP program administration
• Construction inspections
According Title 15, Chapter 15.50.500 of
the Pico Rivera Municipal Code, the
Director of Public Works is the Floodplain
Administrator for Pico Rivera.

The Floodplain Administrator
supports compliance with
NFIP requirements,
advocates for appropriate
development in flood hazard
areas, and provides technical
expertise on effective flood
mitigation activities. These
actions can support mitigation
activities.

Planning
Commission
This five-member Commission—established
by state law—studies proposed
developments that may affect the
community’s growth and environment. This
Commission determines whether proposed
developments will meet the City’s technical,
environmental, and aesthetic standards.

The Commission holds public hearings to
review all development plan compliance
with the City’s zoning regulations and
General Plan.

Provide continued education
opportunities for Planning
Commission members to
maintain state-of-the-art
knowledge of new code and
regulatory requirements.

Information
Systems Division
Provides complex mapping and data
management of City facilities, land use, and
potential hazards. It supports the
visualization of complex data sets using
geolocation and data correlation.

Acquire and conduct training
for GIS technicians on the
latest versions of ArcGIS.

Integrate GIS into the City
EOC.

Los Angeles
County Office of
Emergency
Management
The Los Angeles County Office of
Emergency Management (LAC OEM) is
responsible for emergency planning, hazard
mitigation, and emergency response and
recovery activities throughout the county, in
collaboration with local communities. LAC
OEM helps coordinate activities between
the county and cities, conducts emergency
training and exercises, manages emergency
grants, among other activities.

Mitigation actions involving
coordination with county
agencies or other cities may
be facilitated through work
with LAC OEM. LAC OEM
can also support Pico
Rivera’s own hazard
mitigation activities by
providing funding or other
resources.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Disaster
Management Area
“E” Coordinator
There are a total of eight disaster
management areas (DMA) dividing Los
Angeles County, each designated A-H.

These DMA’s can vary in size from one to
twenty-five cities. Each DMA has their own
coordinator (DMAC). The DMAC
responsibilities are to work with cities and
partner agencies to assist the emergency
management activities, acting as the liaison
between the local government and the
county, state, and federal agencies. The
Los Angeles County Area E DMAC serves
Pico Rivera and twenty-four other
communities in the region.

Mitigation actions involving
coordination with county
agencies or other cities may
be facilitated through work
with the DMA. Increasing the
regional coordination amongst
the 26 cities located with DMA
E and enhancing emergency
response for all members.

Los Angeles
County Flood
Control District
(LAC FCD)
Los Angeles County Flood Control District—
part of the county’s Department of Public
Works—is empowered to provide flood
protection, water conservation, recreation,
and aesthetic enhancement within its
boundaries. The LAC FCD encompasses
more than 2,700 square miles and
approximately 2.1 million land parcels within
six major watersheds. It includes drainage
infrastructure within 86 incorporated cities
as well as the unincorporated county areas.

This includes 14 major dams and reservoirs,
483 miles of open channel, 27 spreading
grounds, 3,330 miles of underground storm
drains, 47 pump plants, 172 debris basins,
27 sediment placement sites, three
seawater intrusion barriers and an
estimated 82,000 catch basins.

Mitigation actions that involve
changes to flood control
infrastructure in Pico Rivera
will likely require support and
coordination with the LAC
FCD.

Los Angeles
County Department
of Public Health
(DPH)
The Los Angeles County Department of
Public Health (DPH) collaborates with
various cities within the county to provide
public health services through formal
agreements. These contracts outline the
responsibilities and services DPH offers to
each city, ensuring coordinated efforts in
managing public health initiatives, including
epidemic response. These contracts are
pivotal during health crises, as they
delineate the roles and responsibilities of
both DPH and individual cities.

Mitigation actions involving
clear agreements with DPH
facilitate efficient
coordination, resource
allocation, and
implementation of public
health measures during
epidemics.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Sewer Maintenance
Districts of Los
Angeles County
The City of Pico Rivera is part of the
Consolidated Sewer Maintenance District
(CSMD), and contracts with Los Angeles
County Department of Public Works
(LACDPW) for sanity sewer cleaning and
industrial waste enforcement. The CSMD
provides the City a preventive sewer
maintenance program that consists of
mandating minimum design standards for
construction, regular inspection of the sewer
system combined with as-needed cleaning,
timely detection and repair of damages and
other problems, and good safety practices.”
The City can work with the
District to create mitigation
actions that relate to local
sewer systems.

Pico Water District The Pico Water District is a private entity that provides water service to its customers
in central Pico Rivera through the use of
five active wells ranging in water production
from 700 to 2,800 gallons per minute, and
one 1.25-million-gallon reinforced concrete
reservoir. Residents are served by two
entities: the Pico Rivera Water Authority and
the Pico Rivera Water District. The District
pumps all of its water from the underground
aquifer known as the Central Basin, which is
an adjudicated water basin. The District
delivers water to residential, commercial,
industrial, and governmental customers.

The City can work with the
District on mitigation actions
that relate to local water
supply and water use.

Gateway Cities
Council of
Governments
(GCCOG)
GCCOG is a coordinating and planning
body linking Los Angeles County’s 27
“gateway cities,” including Pico Rivera. It
serves as a forum, a planner, a consensus
builder, and an advocate for a large number
of projects concerning transportation, air
quality, housing, economic development,
and health and wellness.

The City will need to analyze
GCCOG’s existing and
impending plans and
initiatives to discover any
conflicts with proposed
mitigation actions. Also, the
City may be able to
coordinate with the GCCOG
to include its mitigation
actions in the Council’s
agenda and cooperate with
neighboring jurisdictions.

Southern California
Association of
Governments
(SCAG)
Functions as the Metropolitan Planning
Organization for Los Angeles, Orange, San
Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and
Imperial Counties. SCAG is mandated by
the federal government to research and
draw up plans for transportation, growth
management, hazardous waste
management, and air quality.

Attend SCAG meetings.

Continue to participate in
SCAG-sponsored programs.

Routinely coordinate with
SCAG staff to stay informed
of current planning initiatives.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
California
Governor’s Office
of Emergency
Services
The California Governor’s Office of
Emergency Services (Cal OES) is
responsible for reducing hazards through
mitigation activities, conducting emergency
planning, supporting emergency response
and recovery activities, and liaising between
local and federal agencies on emergencyrelated issues. Cal OES guides hazard mitigation planning activities, shares best
practices, and distributes funding
opportunities.

The City can work with Cal
OES to obtain funding to
implement LHMP mitigation
strategies and receive future
updates.

Cal-Adapt Cal-Adapt is an online tool that provides
detailed projections for future climaterelated conditions in California, including factors such as temperature, precipitation,
and sea-level rise. These projections can
help inform future hazard planning and
explain how hazard conditions are expected
to change.

The City can use Cal-Adapt to
monitor anticipated changes
in future climate conditions
and adjust mitigation actions
accordingly.

California
Department of
Transportation
The California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) has design, construction,
operation, and maintenance jurisdiction over
designated state and federal highways,
including CA-19, CA-60, CA-72, and
Interstates I-5 and I-605.

The City will coordinate with
Caltrans to implement
mitigation measures related to
ensuring the resilience of
state-designated routes.

South Coast Air
Quality
Management
District
The South Coast Air Quality Management
District (South Coast AQMD) develops
plans and regulations designed to achieve
public health standards by reducing
emissions from business and industry.

South Coast AQMD’s Governing Board
adopts plans and regulations for the region,
then submits them to the California Air
Resources Board and the federal EPA
Some of the City’s mitigation
actions involve installing
diesel generators for power
backup. The City will have to
coordinate with South Coast
AQMD to obtain permits to
operate these generators and
to remain within clear air
goals while operating them.

Federal Emergency
Management
Agency
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) is responsible for hazard
mitigation, emergency preparedness, and
emergency response and recovery at the
national level. FEMA provides hazard
mitigation guidance to state and local
governments, including information on best
practices and compliance with federal
requirements for hazard mitigation plans. It
also provides a number of grants for hazard
mitigation activities.

FEMA can assist Pico Rivera
with developing mitigation
actions and support their
implementation through
grants. The agency also
provides guidance that the
City will use in future updates
to its LHMP.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers
(USACE), Los
Angeles District
USACE manages and operates the Whittier
Narrows Dam, located in the north end of
Pico Rivera. Its floodway runs down the San
Gabriel River. An uncontrolled release
would put at risk hundreds of homes and
businesses along the City’s eastern edge.

USACE manages the ongoing Whittier
Narrows Dam Safety Project, which is
scheduled to continue until 2031.

The City may ask for USACE
dam safety plans and
inundation zone mapping to
determine its exposure to an
uncontrolled release. USACE
may identify mitigation actions
to improve the flood safety of
possible inundation zones.

American Red
Cross
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian
assistance organization that provides
disaster relief services in the aftermath of
emergency events. This includes operating
emergency disaster shelters, distributing
meals and relief supplies, and providing
basic health services.

There may be opportunities
for the Red Cross to support
mitigation activities related to
community engagement and
education.

BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is one of the country’s
major freight railroad companies. It owns an
east-west railway line cutting across Pico
River north of Slauson Ave., along with
various spur lines. The BNSF right-of-way
also accommodates the Metrolink commuter
rail line and Amtrak long-distance
passenger rail.

Mitigation actions that relate
to the resilience of Pico
Rivera’s railways and related
issues will need to be
implemented in coordination
with BNSF.

Southern California
Gas Company
(SoCalGas)
SoCalGas is the natural gas service
provider for most of Southern California,
including Pico Rivera. In addition to
providing natural gas service, it owns and
operates the natural gas infrastructure in
and around the community.

The City will need to
coordinate with SoCal Gas on
implementation of mitigation
actions that involve natural
gas use or relate to the
resilience of natural gas
infrastructure.

Union Pacific
Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad is a major
national freight railroad company. It owns
two east-west railway lines running through
Pico Rivera: one south of Slauson Ave.
(including spur lines), and one mostly north
of Whittier Blvd.

Mitigation actions related to
railway resiliency in the
community, as well as related
issues, will require
coordination with Union
Pacific to implement.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Financial Resources
General Fund Pico Rivera’s General Fund is revenue that the City collects from sales tax, property
tax, other taxes, license and permit fees,
fines, and various other sources. Unlike
other sources of revenue that are often
restricted to specific types of projects or
programs, General Fund revenue may be
used for any City expenses. Currently, most
General Fund revenue is spent on City staff
salary and benefits.

The General Fund can
provide the financial
resources to implement
mitigation actions that cannot
be feasibly funded through
other mechanisms, including
paying for additional staff as
needed.

Utility Enterprise
Funds
Pico Rivera receives income from the Water
Authority and Pico Rivera Innovative
Municipal Energy. These funds are
amassed from the fees charged to City
water and power customers. Salaries for
utility workers are paid from these funds,
along with system maintenance and
operations, capital improvements, and other
charges related to these services.

The water and power utility
funds may support mitigation
actions that involve water or
power service or
infrastructure in Pico Rivera.

Community
Development Block
Grants (CDBG)
The federal CDBG program provides
funding for eligible senior activities such as
in-home care, art classes, counseling, and
home-delivered meals. HUD also provides
disaster recovery assistance in the form of
flexible grants to help cities, counties, and
states recover from Presidentially declared
disasters, especially in low-income areas,
subject to the availability of supplemental
appropriations.

Where applicable, CDBG
grants should be used to fund
mitigation projects that
enhance the resiliency of lowincome and underserved
communities.

Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program
(HMPG)
Provides support for pre- and post-disaster
mitigation plans and projects.

Train staff on notice of intent
(NOI) procedures and track
opportunities on the Cal OES
mitigation website to initiate
applications for grant funding.

California
Proposition One
Bond Programs
Authorizes $7.545 billion in general
obligation bonds to fund ecosystems and
watershed protection and restoration, water
supply infrastructure projects, including
surface and groundwater storage, and
drinking water protection.

Provides monetary
opportunities for projects that
are outside traditional
mitigation projects.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Building Resilient
Infrastructure and
Communities
(BRIC)
Provides support for pre-disaster mitigation
plans and projects.71
Train staff on NOI procedures
and track opportunities on the
Cal OES mitigation website to
initiate applications for grant
funding.

Flood Mitigation
Assistance Grant
Program (FMA)
Mitigates structures and infrastructure that
have been repetitively flooded.

Train staff on NOI procedures
and track opportunities on the
Cal OES mitigation website to
initiate applications for grant
funding.

Education and Outreach Capabilities
Emergency
Preparedness Web
Page
The Pico Rivera website offers a residents’
guide to disaster preparedness. It discusses
evacuation, making an emergency plan,
stocking supplies, staying informed, and
getting involved.

Maintain the currency of links
to county, state, and federal
preparedness information.

Add the latest information as
appropriate.

City Social Media
Accounts:

In addition to normal City business and
events, Pico Rivera’s social media accounts
provide alert and warning information,
safety and evacuation procedures, and
information on home and individual
preparedness.

Repost emergency-related
news and directions from
neighboring cities, county,
state, and federal social
media during disasters. Post
preparedness-related material
that links to the appropriate
sources.

Community
Emergency
Response Team
(CERT)
Pico Rivera’s Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) is a group of
volunteer residents who can aid during an
emergency event. CERT participants are
trained in first aid and CPR, disaster
preparedness, search and rescue, and
other light emergency response duties.

CERT volunteers can also assist with
organizing and maintaining shelters for
people displaced by an emergency.

Using the training learned in the classroom
and during practical exercises, CERT
members can assist others in their
neighborhood or workplace immediately
following an event when professional
emergency responders are not immediately
available to help.

Include material in CERT
curriculum that provides
updates to progress in the
mitigation action plan,
including links to the
appropriate website page.

CERT volunteers can also
assist with mitigation-related
outreach activities.
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TABLE 5-1: CITY OF PICO RIVERA CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Resource Resource Description Future Opportunities for
Expansion & Improvement
Los Angeles
County Smart Alert
LA County
The Alert LA County program can send
high-speed mass notifications via
telephone, email, and text messages during
emergencies and disasters. This system
can be targeted to specific geographic
areas.

The City will continue to
conduct community outreach
to increase the number of
residents who are
subscribers.

Cal OES Family
Readiness Guide
The Guide provides a comprehensive toolkit
for making a family emergency plan.

Provide a link to the
Readiness Guide on the City
website and Facebook
account.

Ready.gov FEMA’s comprehensive disaster
preparedness and response website for
businesses and residents. It includes
information about drafting family and
business emergency plans, building go kits,
acquiring emergency supplies, and how to
react to various types of disasters.

Provide a link to Ready.gov
on the City web page and
Facebook account.

Hazard Mitigation Strategies

HAZARD MITIGATION GOALS
The goals identified in Chapter 1 help develop policies to protect community members, ecosystems, and other important assets from hazard events. These goals informed the development of mitigation actions and functioned as checkpoints to help City staff determine implementation progress.

EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL HAZARD MITIGATION ACTIONS
The HMPC prepared a set of potential mitigation actions based on the hazard profiles, threat assessment, capabilities assessment, community survey results, discussions among HMPC members, and existing best practices. Next, the HMPC evaluated these potential actions using the following criteria:
1) FEMA requires local governments to evaluate potential mitigation actions' monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits. While local governments are not required to assign specific dollar values to each action, they should identify the general size of costs and benefits.
2) The HMPC may elect to include measures with high costs or low benefits, but such measures should benefit the community and make appropriate use of local resources.

Also, FEMA directs local governments to consider the following questions as part of the financial analysis:
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• What is the frequency and severity of the hazard type to be addressed by the action, and how vulnerable is the community to this hazard?
• What impacts of the hazard will the action reduce or avoid? • What benefits will the action provide to the community? The HMPC also reviewed and revised the potential hazard mitigation actions using the STAPLE/E (Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic, and Environmental) criteria (Table 5-5). The HMPC did not formally assess every potential mitigation action under all STAPLE/E criteria but used the criteria to guide and inform the discussion. The HMPC also discussed how the criteria might evaluate grant applications the City may submit to receive funding for LHMP implementation.

TABLE 5-2: STAPLE/E CRITERIA
Issues Criteria
Social • Is the action socially acceptable to Pico Rivera community members? • Would the action mistreat some individuals?
• Is there a reasonable chance of the action causing a social disruption? Technical • Is the action likely to reduce the risk of the hazard occurring, or will it reduce the hazard's effects?
• Will the action create new hazards or make existing hazards worse? • Is the action the most useful approach for Pico Rivera to take, given the City and community members' goals?
Administrative • Does the City have the administrative capabilities to implement the action? • Are there existing City staff who can lead and coordinate the measure's implementation, or can the City reasonably hire new staff for this role? • Does the City have enough staff, funding, technical support, and other resources to implement the action?
• Are there administrative barriers to implementing the action? Political • Is the action politically acceptable to City officials and other relevant jurisdictions and political entities?
• Do community members support the action?
Legal • Does the City have the legal authority to implement and enforce the action? • Are there potential legal barriers or consequences that could hinder or prevent the implementation of the action?
• Is there a reasonable chance that the implementation of the action would expose the City to legal liabilities?
• Could the action reasonably face other legal challenges? Economic • What are the monetary costs of the action, and do the costs exceed the monetary benefits?
• What are the start-up and maintenance costs of the action, including administrative costs?
• Has the funding for action implementation been secured, or is a potential funding source available?
• How will funding the action affect the City’s financial capabilities? • Could the implementation of the action reasonably burden the Pico Rivera economy or tax base?
• Could there reasonably be other budgetary and revenue impacts to the City?
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TABLE 5-2: STAPLE/E CRITERIA
Environmental • What are the potential environmental impacts of the action? • Will the action require environmental regulatory approvals? • Will the action comply with all applicable federal, state, regional, and local environmental regulations?
• Will the action reasonably affect any endangered, threatened, or otherwise sensitive species of concern?

CHANGES TO PREVIOUS MITIGATION ACTIONS
This document serves as the City of Pico Rivera’s first officially adopted Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. As such, there were no previous mitigation actions to change, improve upon, or remove.

Upon the next update of this plan, all mitigation actions should be reviewed and changed according to completion status and relevance to the community’s current best interests. Table 5-3 lists the mitigation actions removed as part of the current update.

Table 5-3: Deleted 2019 Mitigation Actions
2019
LHMP
Action #
Mitigation Action Last Update 2019
Status
PW-03
Purchase hand pumps as an alternate source of power for use at fuel tank locations and install them at the determined locations.

City no longer has
existing fuel tank
locations.

PWWD04Purchase and install fixed generators at Plants I and II to ensure power at the plants during an emergency.

The city has purchased
the generators.

PWWD08Through a contractor assess stormwater facilities in the City to manage stormwater from severe storm events.

Assessment is
performed as part of the
last Storm Drain Master
Plan.

EMD-05
Establish emergency purchase orders to facilitate a quick response for emergency related supplies, equipment, and personnel needs during emergencies.

Has been removed as
stand-alone and
incorporated into Policy
CEDEMD -04
EMD -10
Develop a City continuity of operations plan to ensure the City, and its critical functions continue to operate during and after an emergency or disaster incident.

Incorporated as an annex
into the Emergency
Operations Plan.

EMD-19
Develop Emergency Operations Plan functional-based
annexes for mass-casualties, evacuations, mass shelter, terrorist events, train derailments, civil unrest events and active shooter events.

Incorporated as annexes
into the Emergency
Operations Plan
EMD -20 Educate the public about flooding and dam failure hazards within the City.

Has been removed as
stand-alone and
incorporated into Policy
CEDEMD - 15
EMD-21 When feasible, develop a climate action plan. This is currently underway with PRIME.

EMD-22 Incorporate climate change adaptation into relevant local and regional plans and projects.

This is taking place as a
standard policy with all
new plan developments
and plan updates.
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EMD– 23 Establish a climate adaptation and hazard mitigation public outreach and education program.

Has been removed as
stand-alone and
incorporated into Policy
CEDEMD – 01.

ISD – 04 Develop a disaster communications plan.

Has been removed as
stand-alone and
incorporated into Policy
CEDEMD – 04.
2025 Mitigation Actions Plan
Based on the criteria and evaluation processes used during Plan development, the HMPC prepared a prioritized list of mitigation actions (Table 5-3) to improve Pico Rivera’s resilience to hazard events. These actions collectively form Pico Rivera’s hazard mitigation strategy.

In addition to the list of actions, the table also identifies potential funding sources, responsible departments, relative cost estimates, timeframes, and priorities for these actions, which are described further below. In addition to mitigation action and strategies, several preparedness activities were identified and denoted with the letter “P.”

POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES
Table 5-3 identifies the potential funding sources that may be used to implement mitigation strategies. These funding sources include the following federal and state sources:
• Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC): A competitive FEMA grant program to support states, local communities, tribes, and territories. • Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA): A competitive grant program that provides funding to states, local communities, federally recognized tribes, and territories.

Funds can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program. • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP): Provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to rebuild in a way that reduces or mitigates future disaster losses in their communities. This grant funding is available after a presidentially declared disaster.
• Emergency Management Performance Grant Program (EMPG): The federal government, through the EMPG Program, provides necessary direction, coordination, and guidance and provides necessary assistance, as authorized in this title, to support a comprehensive all-hazards emergency preparedness system. • Other Grants: Other grants may include State of California grants associated with climate change, water infrastructure, homeland security, transportation, or other funding sources that periodically become available. The list below provides some common sources:
o Climate Adaptation Planning Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program – Department of Transportation
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o Sustainable Communities Competitive – Department of Transportation o CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants Program – Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
o Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program's Climate Adaptation Planning Grant – Office of Planning and Research
o Small Community Drought Relief Program – Department of Water Resources o Addressing Climate Impacts – Department of Fish and Wildlife o Cleanup Loans and Environmental Assistance to Neighborhoods (CLEAN) Program – Department of Toxic Substances Control
o Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program Construction – State Water Resources Control Board
o Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Construction – State Water Resources Control Board
o Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Construction Grant – State Water Resources Control Board
o Equitable Community Revitalization Grants (ECRG) – Department of Toxic Substances Control
o Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Planning Grant – State Water Resources Control Board
o Infrastructure State Revolving Fund (ISRF) Program - Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank

RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT
Table 5-3 includes the identification of key responsible departments that will be focused on future implementation of mitigation strategies and actions identified by the City. The following departments have been identified as responsible departments:
• Community & Economic Development Building Division (CEDBD) • Community & Economic Development Department (CEDD)
• Community & Economic Development Emergency Management Division (CEDEMD) • Emergency Management Division (EMD)
• Information Systems Division (ISD)
• Pico Rivera Water Authority (PRWA)
• Public Works Department (PW)
• Public Works Street Maintenance Division (PWSMD)
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RELATIVE COST ESTIMATES
The HMPC identified relative cost estimates to meet the hazard mitigation planning process's cost estimation requirements based on their understanding of the mitigation action intent and their experience developing identical or similar programs/implementing projects. Three cost categories based on the City’s typical cost criteria were used for budgeting purposes:
• Low cost ($): $60,000 or less
• Medium cost ($$): $60,001 to $999,999
• High cost ($$$): Greater than $1,000,000

TIMEFRAMES
Table 5-3 includes timeframes that provide general timing durations due to the nature of the mitigation actions identified by the City. The following timeframes are used based on the following conditions:
• Ongoing (Annually): Actions that identify this timeframe are the types of actions that City staff would conduct annually.
• Ongoing (As Needed): Actions that identify this timeframe include activities that City staff would conduct in response to a request by internal (City Departments) or external (Property Owners) forces.
• Future Planning Process: Actions identified within this timeframe are considered lowpriority actions that the City would like to continue to track but does not feel they would be able to implement in the current planning implementation timeframe. • Short Term – Actions identified within this timeframe should begin within 1-2 Years. • Medium Term – Actions identified within this timeframe should begin within 3-5 years. • Long Term – Actions identified within this timeframe should begin within 5-10 year For actions that use these terms, it is intended to identify that the action may add to existing capabilities and not have a particular start, end date, or occur periodically. This is typically used for actions that include new policies, tasks, or standard operating procedures intended to mitigate future risks.

PRIORITIZATION
As part of the mitigation actions development and review, the HMPC also prioritized the actions.

The prioritization efforts looked at the risks and threats of each hazard, financial costs and benefits, technical feasibility, and community values. HMPC members were asked to identify their priority actions through a voting exercise. Items are prioritized based on the number of votes the HMPC members receive. These quantitative scores were then converted to low, medium, and high priority qualitative categories.

Based on the criteria and evaluation processes used during Plan development, the HMPC prepared a prioritized list of mitigation actions (Table 5-4) to improve Pico Rivera’s resilience to hazard events.
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
Emergency Preparedness Activities
P.1 Identify an alternative location for the
Emergency Operations Center.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD
(Emergency
Management
Division)
N/A Short
Term
Low
P.2 Develop a backup communication
system for critical City operations.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Short
Term
High
P.3 Conduct regular emergency
preparedness drills and training
exercises for City staff.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Ongoing
(Annually)
High
P.4 Work with Pico Rivera business
groups to conduct regular workplace
emergency preparedness drills.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Ongoing
(Annually)
Low
P.5 Expand participation in the Pico
Rivera Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) program for
residents and businesses.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Medium
Term
Low
P.6 Ensure evacuation plans include
provisions for community members
who do not have access to private
vehicles or are otherwise unable to
drive.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Short
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
P.7 Continue to ensure effective
emergency notifications through
multiple media, in English and
Spanish, about pending, imminent, or
ongoing emergency events. Ensure
that information is accessible to
persons with disabilities and
functional needs.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Medium
Term
High
P.8 In coordination with Los Angeles
County Fire Department and Sheriff’s
Department, evaluate emergency
facilities and determine facility needs.

Staff Time,
General Funds
PW (Public
Works)
Low Long
Term
Medium
P.9 Establish emergency purchase orders
to facilitate a quick response for
emergency related supplies,
equipment, and personnel needs
during emergencies.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High
P.10 Identify mission critical tasks for City
services and develop a Continuity of
Operations Plan to ensure the City
and its critical functions and services
continue to operate during and after
an emergency or disaster incident.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
P.11 Develop Emergency Operations Plan
functional-based annexes for mass
casualties, evacuations, mass shelter,
terrorist events, train derailments, civil
unrest events and active shooter
events.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High
Public Works Department (PW)
PW-01 Establish staging points for
emergency response vehicles to
maximize accessibility, utilization,
safety, and egress during disasters
with mass evacuations.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Low
PW-02 Conduct an assessment to identify
critical facilities and other locations
requiring portable emergency
generators, fixed generators, and
outdoor batteries, and purchase /
install the new emergency generators.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
FEMA Hazard
Mitigation
Assistance
(HMA) Grants
PW High Medium
Term
High
PW-03 Annually conduct safety assessment
training for inspectors and engineers.

Earthquakes Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Medium
PW-04 Purchase gas and diesel fuel tanks for
City yard and install them.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PW Medium Medium
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PW-05 Evaluate and implement protective
measures on critical facilities against
natural hazards (dam failure,
earthquake, flood, windstorm).

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Earthquake,
Flooding,
Urban Fire,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
General Funds
PW High Long
Term
Medium
PW-06 Develop a disaster recovery plan to
ensure provision of support services
and security of information technology
after a disaster.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Medium Medium
Term
High
PW-07 Develop assessment and retrofit
plans of City critical facilities and
infrastructure to retrofit, replace,
and/or designate backup facilities,
pre-position emergency power
generators, and regularly assess the
vulnerability of critical facilities.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PW High Long
Term
High
PW-08 Develop a Disaster Debris
Management Plan.

Earthquake,
Flooding,
Dam Failure,
Adverse
Weather,
Fires,
Terrorism
Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Medium Short
Term
Medium
PW-09 Monitor and update floodplain
management maps and information to
ensure continued compliance with
National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) requirements. For additional
NFIP information, see the NFIP
section on page 167 of this plan.

Flood Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PW-10 Develop and implement a program to
retrofit existing facilities into
Community Resiliency Centers that
offer heating and cooling sites for
residents during adverse weather and
emergency events.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PW High Long
Term
Medium
PW-11 Continue to promote participation in
Prime Power Choice.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
CEDD, EMD Low Ongoing
(Annually)
Low
PW-12 Creating and maintaining an inventory
of structures within the 100-year
floodplain that are NFIP flood policies.

Flood Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Low
Pico Rivera Water Authority (PRWA)
PRWA-01 Upgrade SCADA to include
workstations (new hardware),
historian server for long-term
archiving, uninterruptible power
supplies, and radio communications
to allow more efficient management of
24-hour pumping operations.

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Medium Short
Term
Medium
PRWA-02 Upgrade pipelines to meet existing
and future fire flow requirements
under Los Angeles County Fire
District standards.

Critical
Infrastructure
, Urban Fires
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA High Long
Term
Low
PRWA-03 Construct a new 1-1.5-million-gallon
steel tank at Plant II site to replace
the existing 0.6-million-gallon
reservoir, which will increase the
City’s water storage capacity.

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA High Medium
Term
High
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PRWA-04 Purchase and install an air
conditioning system for variablefrequency drives at all pumping plants.

Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Medium Long
Term
Low
PRWA-05 Coordinate with Pico Water District to
establish interconnection(s) to ensure
redundancy and continuity of
operations during emergencies.

Adverse
Weather,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Low Ongoing
(As
needed)
Medium
PRWA-06 Develop storm drain improvement
project list and pursue funding to
protect vulnerable properties.

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Medium Long
Term
Low
Public Works Street Maintenance Division (PWSMD)
PWSMD01Purchase barricades, traffic
delineators, and other additional traffic
control devices for use during
emergency evacuations, traffic control
diversions, and security of specific
areas.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Low
PWSMD02Purchase additional caches of water
pumps, sandbags, and other
emergency response items for use
during emergencies
Flooding Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PWSMD03Use construction messaging signs
along major streets to inform
residents and visitors of emergency
situations/conditions.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Medium
PWSMD04Inventory tree species throughout the
city and create a plant palette to
identify appropriate replacements for
shallow root tree species.

Severe
Wind,
Tornado
Staff Time,
General Funds
PWSMD Low Short
Term
High
CED Building Division (CEDBD)
CEDBD-01 Develop a program to assess
feasibility and conduct structural
retrofitting of identified vulnerable City
buildings.

Earthquake Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
CEDBD High Long
Term
High
CEDBD-02 Develop and establish a soft-story
retrofit program in the City to
strengthen homes and facilitate
emergency evacuations to save lives,
including an assessment of soft-story
buildings and provision of assistance
to building owners to complete the
retrofits.

Earthquake Property owner
funds, Staff
Time, General
Funds, FEMA
HMA Grants
CEDBD Medium Medium
Term
Low
CEDBD-03 Establish a program to retrofit homes
in a liquefaction zone with a high risk
of damage from foundation shifting
and structural failure due to a major
earthquake
Earthquake Property owner
funds, Staff
Time, General
Funds, FEMA
HMA Grants
CEDBD Low Medium
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
Information Systems Division (ISD)
ISD - 01 Develop a City-wide program to train
departmental employees on the use
of the City’s GIS mapping system to
develop a mapping capability.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
ISD Low Short
Term
Low
ISD - 02 Evaluate and take necessary actions
to ensure effective threat reduction of
utility infrastructure and protection of
critical information systems from
cyber-attacks or incidents.

Terrorism/Cy
ber
Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
ISD Medium Short
Term
High
ISD - 03 Purchase and implement emergency
operations center incident
management system software support
(such as WebEOC or Logic Manager)
All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
ISD Medium Short
Term
Medium
CED Emergency Management Division (CEDEMD)

CEDEMD -
01 Develop a comprehensive public
information and education program
regarding all-hazards, City emergency
operations and response, and public
preparedness and outreach.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
02 Develop a training and review
program for City staff on the hazard
mitigation plan and implementation of
hazard mitigation actions.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

CEDEMD -
03 Develop an amateur radio capability
within the City for employees and the
public, including technician training
and an amateur radio volunteer
program (such as the Radio Amateur
Civil Emergency Services). Maintain
amateur radios and a base station
radio for the employee / volunteer
cadre and provide orientation training
for assistance during an emergency
operations center activation.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Low

CEDEMD -
04 Enter into agreements with
surrounding jurisdictions and private
industry for alternate emergency
operations center, transportation
needs and emergency supplies
All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High

CEDEMD -
05 Coordinate with the Public Works
Department to develop a Disaster
Communications Plan and build upon
the existing two-way radio inventory,
to increase the City's communication
resilience.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Medium Short
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
06 Integrate information from the LHMP
update into the City's EOP and
Annexes where relevant.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Low Short
Term
High

CEDEMD -
07 Work with the Southeast Area Animal
Control Authority to ensure
agreements are in place to provide
appropriate care for animals during a
disaster.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

CEDEMD -
08 Coordinate with the El Rancho and
Montebello Unified School Districts to
ensure preparation of district-wide
emergency plans consistent with the
City's current emergency plans.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
09 Evaluate Department of Park and
Recreation facilities for suitability as
shelter sites, including ADA
compliance, supplies, and structural
integrity.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
High

CEDEMD -
10 Develop and implement a program for
vulnerable populations (people with
access and functional needs, the
homeless, the elderly, and lowincome people) within the City, including a needs assessment and a
plan related to emergency and
disaster communications (alert and
warning notifications), evacuations
(transportation), and sheltering
(accessibility).

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Medium
Term
Low

CEDEMD -
11 Establish an all-hazards disaster
transportation plan to include
alternative routes for vehicles, buses,
and rail in the event of service
disruption or key roads being blocked.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
Low

CEDEMD -
12 Assess, purchase, and install alert
and warning systems for rapid
evacuation or shelter-in-place,
including outdoor sirens or reverse 9-
1-1 calling systems, cell phone texting
systems, or other notification systems.

Dam Failure,
Terrorism
Adverse
Weather,
Hazardous
Materials,
Public Health
Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
EMD High Medium
Term
Low
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TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

CEDEMD -
13 Develop and maintain an evacuation
plan for the City to effectively
distribute evacuation notices and to
ensure that evacuating traffic flows
smoothly.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
14 Integrate the City’s hazard mitigation
plan into future updates to the general
plan in compliance with California
state mandates (AB 2140, SB 379,
and SB 1000).

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
15 Educate the public about key hazards
of concern within the City.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High

CEDEMD -
16 Develop and distribute multi-hazard
disaster preparedness guides to the
public through mailings, printed
notifications, television, and digital
devices, and in-person events and
workshops.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Ongoing
(Annually)
Low

CEDEMD -
17 Create a funding mechanism to assist
in energy efficient upgrades and
enhancements for residents.

All Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Low
* Relative Cost Categories
$ - Less than $75,000
$$ - $75,001 to $4,999,999
$$$ - Greater than $5,000,000
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National Flood Insurance Program
Pico Rivera voluntarily participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), created by Congress in 1968 to provide subsidized flood insurance to homeowners living in flood-prone areas. Pico Rivera has participated in the NFIP since December 1980. Table 5-5 provides the City’s NFIP information. There are no homes in Pico Rivera located in mapped FEMA flood zones.

TABLE 5-5: FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPANT DATA
Initial Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) 5/24/1974
Initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) 12/2/1980
NFIP Participation Date 12/2/1980
Current Effective Map Date 12/3/2009
Although participation is not a dedicated hazard mitigation action, Pico Rivera will continue participating in the NFIP and comply with the program’s requirements by enforcing the City’s Floodplain Management Regulations. Table 5-6 provides the City’s floodplain management regulations.

TABLE 5-6: CITY OF PICO RIVERA FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS Adoption of Minimum Floodplain Management Criteria,
and Implementation and Enforcement of Floodplain
Management Regulations
Ord 909 § 2, passed 1998. Chapter

15.50.155 Floodplain Management
Regulations
Designee to Implement NFIP Ord. 909 § 2, passed 1998. 115.50.500 Designation of
the Floodplain Administrator. The Director
of Public Works fulfills this role.

Implementation of Substantial Improvement/
Substantial Damages Provisions
Ord. 909 § 2, Passed 1998. 15.50.505
Duties and Responsibilities of the
Floodplain Administrator
Note: Ordinances are hyperlinked to the relative Municipal Code section These regulations apply to all areas identified as flood-prone within the City. This chapter of the Municipal Code identifies the purpose of the regulation, methods of reducing flood losses, basis for establishing flood hazard areas, development permit requirements, duties and responsibilities of the City’s Floodplain Administrator, development standards that apply in floodprone areas, and required documentation and analysis for construction within these areas. As part of the City’s efforts to comply with NFIP, Pico Rivera will make updates and revisions to the Floodplain Management regulations to minimize the threat of harm from flood events. These updates and revisions may be promoted by changes in local demographics, land use shifts, flood regime changes such as frequency and intensity of flood events, and other factors that may warrant municipal action. The City will also continue incorporating any changes to mapped flood plains' locations and designations into future planning documents, including future updates to this Plan.

Under the NFIP, there are a total of 53 policies in force (10 of which are located in an SFHA), amounting to roughly $48,772 in premiums paid annually. Total insurance coverage for these policies amounts to $17,107,000. Pico Rivera has no repetitive loss properties that FEMA 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
166
identified; however, they have had a total of 28 closed Paid Loss cases totaling some $113,234.28 in damages paid out.
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CHAPTER 6 –

PLAN MAINTENANCE
For this LHMP to remain effective and useful to the community of Pico Rivera, it must remain up to date. An updated version of the LHMP will continue to guide Pico Rivera’s hazard mitigation activities and help keep the City eligible for state and federal hazard mitigation funding. The HMPC has structured this LHMP so individual sections can easily be updated as new information becomes available and new needs arise, helping to keep this Plan current.

This chapter discusses updating this Plan to comply with applicable state and federal requirements. This chapter also describes how the City can incorporate the mitigation actions described in Chapter 5 into existing programs and planning mechanisms and how public participation will remain an important part of Plan monitoring and future update activities.

Coordinating Body
The HMPC will remain responsible for maintaining and updating the Plan, including evaluating the Plan's effectiveness as needed. Members of the HMPC will also coordinate the plan's implementation in their respective positions. Table 1-1 contains a list of current members. In future years, staff and representatives (either current HMPC members or other individuals) from the following departments, districts, and agencies should be included in maintenance and updating activities:
• Administrative Services
• City Manager
• Community & Economic Development
• Finance
• Human Resources
• City Clerk
• City Attorney
• LA County Sheriff’s Department
• Parks & Recreation
• Public Works Division
• LA County Fire Department
The staff member currently serving as the HMPC leader (the person responsible for coordinating future updates) is in the Community and Economic Development Department. They will serve as the project manager or designate this role to another staff member during the update process. The HMPC leader or their designee will coordinate the maintenance of this Plan, lead the formal Plan review and evaluation activities, direct the Plan update, and assign tasks to other members of the HMPC to complete these activities. Such tasks may include collecting data, developing new mitigation actions, updating mitigation actions, making presentations to City staff and community groups, and revising the Plan sections. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Plan Implementation
The Plan's effectiveness depends on the successful implementation of the mitigation actions.

Implementation includes integrating mitigation actions into existing City plans, policies, programs, and other implementation mechanisms. The mitigation actions in this Plan are intended to reduce the damage from hazard events, help the City secure funding, and provide a framework for hazard mitigation activities. HMPC members prioritized the hazard mitigation actions in Table 5-3 in Chapter 5. These priorities will guide implementing these actions through new or existing City mechanisms as resources are available. The LHMP project manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation, promotion, and maintenance of this Plan and facilitating meetings and coordinating activities related to Plan implementation and maintenance.

The key City Plans that should incorporate content from this LHMP include:
• Pico Rivera General Plan Safety Element – This element should incorporate relevant mapping and analysis in the Safety Element to ensure this plan's goals and policies are reinforced throughout future developments and projects proposed within the city. • Pico Rivera Emergency Operations Plan – The EOP focuses on the effective preparedness and response to hazard events within the city. Incorporating relevant content from this plan into the EOP ensures consistency regarding the hazards addressed in both plans.
• Pico Rivera Capital Improvements Program – The CIP identifies key infrastructure investments throughout the city, including hazard mitigation elements. Incorporating this plan into the CIP may enhance infrastructure investment through additional funding and/or modification of improvements to include hazard mitigation elements.

This integration of the LHMP into the Pico Rivera General Plan also allows the City to comply with AB 2140 requirements, as identified in Chapter 1 of this plan.

Plan Maintenance Process
The City’s plan maintenance process will rely on the Pico Rivera Mitigation Implementation Handbook, located in Appendix E. The handbook is intended to function as a stand-alone document that gives concise and accessible guidance to staff to implement and maintain the Plan. A key component is the specific mechanisms that the City can use to integrate this plan into the other City planning mechanisms.

PLAN MONITORING AND EVALUATION
When members of the HMPC are not updating the Plan, they should meet at least once a year to go over mitigation action implementation and evaluate the Plan’s effectiveness. These meetings should include:
1) Discussion of the timing of mitigation action implementation 2) Mitigation action implementation evaluation and determination of success 3) Mitigation action prioritization revisions, if deemed necessary 4) Mitigation action integration into other mechanisms, as needed 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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The first of these meetings will be held in the 2025-2026 fiscal calendar year. To the extent possible, HMPC meetings should be scheduled at an appropriate time in the City’s annual budgeting process, which will help ensure that funding and staffing needs for mitigation actions are considered.

When the HMPC meets to evaluate the Plan, members should consider these questions:
• What hazard events, if any, have occurred in Pico Rivera in the past year? What were the impacts of these events on the community? Were the impacts mitigated, and if so, how?
• What mitigation actions have been successfully implemented? Have any mitigation actions been implemented but not successfully, and if so, why? • What mitigation actions, if any, have been scheduled for implementation but have not yet been implemented?
• What is the schedule for implementing future mitigation actions? Is this schedule reasonable? Does the schedule need to be adjusted for future implementation, and are such adjustments appropriate and feasible?
• Have any new concerns arisen, including hazard events in other communities or regions not covered by existing mitigation actions?
• Is new data available to inform the Plan's updates, including data relevant to the hazard profiles and threat assessments?
• Are there any new planning programs, funding sources, or other mechanisms to support hazard mitigation activities in Pico Rivera?

PLAN UPDATES
The information in this Plan, including the hazard profiles, threat assessments, and mitigation actions, is based on the best available information, practices, technology, and methods available to the City and HMPC when this Plan was prepared. As factors change, including technologies, community demographics and characteristics, best practices, and hazard conditions, it is necessary to update the Plan to remain relevant. Additionally, Title 44, Section 201.6(d)(3) of the Code of Federal Regulations requires that LHMPs be reviewed, revised, and resubmitted for approval every five years to remain eligible for federal benefits.

Update Method And Schedule
The update process will begin no later than four years after this Plan is adopted, allowing a year for the update process before the Plan expires. However, it is recommended that the City begin the update process three years after plan adoption if the funding source for the plan will be a mitigation grant. Depending on the circumstances, the LHMP project manager or their designee may also choose to begin the update process sooner.
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Some reasons for accelerating the update process may include:
• A presidential disaster declaration for Pico Rivera or an area that includes part of or the entire City.
• A hazard event that results in one or more fatalities in Pico Rivera.

The update process will add new and updated methods, demographic data, community information, hazard data and events, considerations for threat assessments, mitigation actions, and other necessary information, keeping the Plan relevant and current. The HMPC will determine the best process for updating the Plan, which should include the following steps:

Update Adoption
The Pico Rivera City Council is responsible for adopting this Plan and all future updates. As previously mentioned, adoption should occur every five years. The City should begin the update process at least one year before expiration to ensure the plan remains active. If the City has a grant application that relies on the LHMP, an update to the plan should occur no later than 18 months before expiration. Adoption should take place after FEMA notifies the City that the Plan is Approved Pending Adoption. Once the City Council adopts the Plan following FEMA's approval, the adopted plan should be transmitted to FEMA.

CONTINUED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
The City will keep the public informed about the HMPC’s actions to review and update the LHMP.

The HMPC will develop a revised community engagement strategy that reflects the City’s updated needs and capabilities. The updated strategy should include a tentative schedule and plan for public meetings, recommendations for using the City's website and social media accounts, and content for public outreach documentation. The HMPC will also distribute information annually through the most appropriate method to ensure the most significant information dissemination to residents and businesses. These updates are anticipated to occur after the City's annual HMPC meeting.

Engage the Hazard
Mitigation Planning
Committee (with at least
one member from each
City department).

Contact non-City
organizations (that
previously participated
or are interested
stakeholders) to
participate in the
update.

Review and update the
hazard mapping and
threat assessment for
critical facilities.

Revise the threat
assessment for
populations and other
assets.

Determine what
measures have been
completed, changed,
cancelled, or postponed
and review and revise
mitigation actions, as
needed.

Prepare an updated
plan to be distributed to
stakeholders and the
public.

Conduct a public review
period of the Draft Plan
allowing residents and
interested stakeholders
to provide comment.

Following public review,
send a draft of the
updated plan to Cal OES
and FEMA for review
and approval.

Adopt the final updated
Plan within one year of
beginning the update
process and within five
years of the adoption of
the previous Plan.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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POINT OF CONTACT
The Hazard Mitigation Plan leader for Pico Rivera is the primary point of contact for this Plan and future updates. At the time of production, the LHMP project coordinator is Hector Hernandez, Senior Planner, Pico Rivera Community and Economic Development Department, available at [email protected] or their designee. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Appendix A – HMPC Meeting Materials
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2025 Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Attendees TABLE 1-1: PICO RIVERA HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE (HMPC) Name Title Department
Alvie Betancourt Director Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Julia Gonzalez Deputy Director Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Hector Hernandez Senior Planner Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Noe Negrete Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Gene Edwards Deputy Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Pam Yugar Director Pico Rivera Parks & Recreation
Narek Katabayan Senior Analyst Pico Rivera Human Resources Jane Guo Director Pico Rivera Administrative Services
Aaron Pfannenstiel LHMP Project Manager Atlas Planning Solutions Crystal Stueve LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
Robert Jackson LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
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City of Pico Rivera

LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE
HMPC MEETING #1 AGENDA
I. Team Introductions
II. Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Overview
III. Project Goals and Expectations
IV. Hazard Mitigation Planning Team Roster
V. Data Needs (Critical Facilities List, vulnerable populations, recent/past hazards, GIS) VI. Community Engagement and Outreach Strategy
VII. Hazard Identification/Prioritization
VIII. Next Steps and To-Do List
Hazard Mitigation Planning Update
Process
August 2024 – April 2025
Community Outreach Ongoing
Administrative Draft LHMP January 2025
Public Review Draft LHMP Document February/March 2025
Cal OES/FEMA Review Draft Document April 2025
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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City of Pico Rivera

LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE
HMPC MEETING #2 AGENDA
I. Introductions
II. Review of Project Goals
• GOAL 1 - Prevent and minimize loss of life and injuries where feasible. (Edited) • GOAL 2 - Minimize damage to structures and property and reduce interruptions to essential services and activities. (Edited)
• GOAL 3 - Protect and enhance environmental resources (parks, rivers, and open spaces). (Edited)
• GOAL 4 - Promote community resilience through integration of hazard mitigation with public policy and standard business practices.
• GOAL 5 - Promote integration of hazard mitigation strategies into the climate mitigation and adaptation plans, programs, and policies. (Edited)
• GOAL 6 - Understand the economic concerns associated with hazards and disasters. (New Goal)
• GOAL 7 - Seek funding sources that help to promote mitigation and minimize future hazards. (New Goal)
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III. Overview of Mitigation Strategies
• Ordinances, Regulations Plans and
Regulations
• Utility Undergrounding, Structural
Retrofits
Structural
Projects
• Stream restoration, erosion control Natural Systems
Protection
• Outreach materials, websites,
presentations
Education
Programs
• Mutual aid agreements, equipment
purchases, notification protocols
Preparedness and
Response Actions
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IV. Discussion of STAPLE/E Criteria
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Issue Criteria
Social • Is the action socially acceptable to community members? • Would the action treat some individuals unfairly?
• Is there a reasonable chance of the action causing a social disruption?
Technical • Is the action likely to reduce the risk of the hazard occurring, or will it reduce the effects of the hazard?
• Will the action create new hazards or make existing hazards worse? • Is the action the most useful approach for the City to take, given the City's goals and community members?
Administrative • Does the City have the administrative capabilities to implement the action?
• Are there existing City staff who can lead and coordinate the measure's implementation, or can the City reasonably hire new staff for this role?
• Does the City have enough staff, funding, technical support, and other resources to carry out implementation?
• Are there administrative barriers to implementing the action? Political • Is the action politically acceptable to City officials and other relevant jurisdictions and political entities?
• Do community members support the action?
Legal • Does the City have the legal authority to implement and enforce the action?
• Are there potential legal barriers or consequences that could hinder or prevent the implementation of the action?
• Is there a reasonable chance that implementation of the action would expose the City to legal liabilities?
• Could the action reasonably face other legal challenges? Economic • What are the monetary costs of the action, and do the costs exceed the economicbenefits?
• What are the start-up and maintenance costs of the action, including administrative costs?
• Has the funding for action implementation been secured, or is a potential funding source available?
• How will funding the action affect the City's financial capabilities? • Could the implementation of the action reasonably burden the City’s economy or taxbase?
• Could there reasonably be other budgetary and revenue impacts to the City?
Environmental • What are the potential environmental impacts of the action? • Will the action require environmental regulatory approvals? • Will the action comply with all applicable federal, state, regional, and local environmental regulations?
• Will the action reasonably affect any endangered, threatened, or otherwise sensitive species of concern?
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V. Discussion of Relative Cost Estimates
Example Cost Categories:

City specific values will be determined with the HMPC in the meeting.
$ Less than $100,000
$$ $100,001 to $999,999
$$$ Greater than $1,000,000
VI. Review and Discussion of Draft Mitigation Strategies VII. Next Steps
Community Outreach Ongoing
Administrative Draft LHMP February 2025
Public Review Draft LHMP Document March/April 2025
Cal OES/FEMA Review Draft Document May/June 2025
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Appendix B – Outreach Engagement Materials
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City of Pico Rivera 2025 LHMP Update Project Website
https://www.pico-rivera.org/we-want-feedback-from-our-residents/ 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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2024 Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Plan Survey
I. Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Survey
Dear Community Member,
The City of Pico Rivera is preparing an update to its 2019 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan or LHMP. Like all other communities, Pico Rivera could potentially face widespread devastation in the event of a natural disaster. While no community can completely protect itself against all potentially hazardous situations, this plan will help identify those situations, assess our current provisions, and outline strategies to reduce the vulnerability and severity of future disasters.

Your responses will inform the preparation of the plan. Thank you for your time and cooperation.

II. Hazard Awareness

1. Please indicate whether you live or work in the City of Pico Rivera. a. I live in the City of Pico Rivera.
b. I work in the City of Pico Rivera.
c. I live and work in the City of Pico Rivera.
d. Neither applies to me, but I am interested in the City's resilience.

2. Have you been impacted by a hazard event in your current residence? a. Yes
b. No
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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3. If you answered yes to the previous question, please select the type of hazard event that you have been impacted by (select all that apply).

Adverse Weather – Extreme Heat,
Extreme Cold, Extreme Wind, Tornados Dam Failure
Drought Earthquake Hazards – Ground Shaking,
Surface Fault Rupture, Liquefaction
Flooding Other
Please list any additional hazards that have previously impacted your neighborhood or home.

4. The following hazards could potentially impact the City. Please mark the THREE (3) hazards that are of the greatest concern to your neighborhood or home.

5. The planning team uses various data sources to identify hazards in your community; however, some of these data sources do not provide data at a general citywide level. Are there any small-scale issues that you would like the planning team to consider, such as ponding at a specific intersection during rain?
a. I am not aware of local hazards
b. I am aware of local hazards
Please provide as much detail as possible, including location and type of hazard.

6. How concerned are you that climate change may create new hazardous situations in Pico Rivera or worsen existing natural hazards?
a. Very concerned.
b. Somewhat concerned.
c. Somewhat unconcerned.
d. Not at all concerned.
e. Unsure.

7. When do you think climate change will pose a threat to your health, property, livelihood, or overall wellbeing?
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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a. It already is.
b. Within the next five years.
c. In five to twenty years.
d. Not for at least another twenty years.
e. Never, or not in my lifetime.

8. If you have taken any action to protect yourself against natural hazards, how confident are you that these actions will be sufficient to protect against more severe hazards that are expected because of climate change?
a. Very confident.
b. Somewhat confident.
c. Somewhat unconfident.
d. Not at all confident.
e. Unsure.

9. If you are a homeowner, do you have adequate homeowners' insurance to cover the hazards that could impact your home?
a. Yes, my insurance coverage should be adequate.
b. No, I don't believe my insurance coverage would be adequate for a major disaster. c. Unsure.
d. I do not have an insurance policy.
e. Not applicable; I rent my current residence.

10. If you rent your residence, do you have renters' insurance? a. Yes
b. No
c. Not applicable; I own my residence.

11. Do you have flood insurance for your home?
a. Yes, I own my home and have flood insurance.
b. Yes, I rent my home and have flood insurance.
c. No, but I am interested in reviewing flood insurance options (http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/).

12. Have you done anything to your home to make it less vulnerable to hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and fires?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not applicable; I rent my residence.

If not, do you plan to?

13. If a severe hazard event occurred today such that all services were cut off from your home (power, gas, water, sewer) and you were unable to leave or access a store for 72 hours, which of these items do you have readily available?
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-7
a. Potable water (3 gallons per person)
b. Cooking and eating utensils
c. Can opener
d. Canned / nonperishable foods (ready to
eat)
e. Gas grill/camping stove
f. Extra medications and contact lenses
(if applicable)
g. First aid kit/supplies
h. Portable AM/FM radio (solar-powered,
hand crank, or batteries)
i. Handheld "walkietalkie" radios (with
batteries)
j. Important family photos/documentation
in a water- and fireproof container
k. Extra clothes and shoes
l. Blanket(s) / sleeping bag(s)
m. Cash
n. Flashlight (with batteries)
o. Gasoline
p. Telephone (with batteries)
q. Pet supplies
r. Secondary source of heat
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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For more information on emergency kits, visit: https://www.ready.gov/kit What else do you have in your emergency kit?

14. Are you familiar with the special needs of your neighbors in the event of a disaster situation (special needs may include limited mobility, severe medical conditions, memory impairments)?
a. Yes
b. No

15. Are you a trained member of your Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)? a. Yes
b. No, but I would like to learn more about CERT.
c. No, I am not interested in being a trained CERT member.

For more information about CERT, please visit:
https://picoriveracacert.samariteam.com/

16. How can the City help you become better prepared for a disaster? (choose all that apply)
a. Provide effective emergency notifications and communication. b. Provide training and education to residents and business owners on how to reduce future damage.
c. Provide community outreach regarding emergency preparedness. d. Create awareness of special needs and vulnerable populations. e. Other (please specify)
.

17. Does your employer have a plan for disaster recovery in place? a. Yes
b. No
c. I don't know

18. Does your employer have a workforce communications plan to implement following a disaster, so they can contact you?
a. Yes
b. No
III. Recommendations and Future Participation

19. Would you like to be contacted when the Draft 2024 Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Plan is available for review?
a. Yes; please notify me using my contact information in the next question. b. No
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20. If you would like to be notified of future opportunities to participate in hazard mitigation and resiliency planning, please provide your name and e-mail address. If you do not have an e-mail address, please provide your mailing address.

Full Name:

EMail Address:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

21. Please provide us with any additional comments/suggestions/questions regarding your risk of future hazard events.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. If you have any questions, or if you know of other people/organizations that should be involved, please contact the City’s Senior Planner at hhernandez@picorivera.org or call 562-801-4476. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-10
The City of Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Plan
Survey Results
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-11
If you selected “Other” above, please list any additional hazards that have previously impacted your neighborhood or home.
3 responses
Northridge earthquake took down my chimney.

Traffic accidents involving two to three vehicles then hitting a residential area. Make no left hand turns at Paramount and Maris Ave in both directions. Left turn lanes available south of this intersection, both directions.

Power outages.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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If you selected “Other” above, please list any additional hazards that have previously impacted your neighborhood or home.
4 responses
liquefaction
Power outages.

Power outage
Weather modification/Cloud Seeding
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Please provide as much detail as possible, including location and type of hazard. 12 responses
Street floods during heavy rains -crossway drive.

Flooding under overpass
I have in the past seen big floods along the main streets but can't recall exactly where. Along Passons, by the el rancho, curb sides I remember having to avoid during rainy season. Mines but since construction let's see how that goes this year.

Too much flooding from the sewerage drains
Exessive pooling of water on Crossway Drive.

Pooling of water, corner of Millux Ave. and Balfour St.

Anytime it rains there's significant flooding at the intersection of Gangel and Harrell making it very difficult to walk children to school because there are no sidewalks on Gangel.

Pot holes during rain very dangerous
Water pooling On Durfee north of Whittier blvd under the renovated bridge.

Odors emanating from river bed after prolonged water holding due to excessive ducks and other birds that produce . When sun heats up the smell keeps us from enjoying a walk or even sitting out on our porch. This happens in the section of the river bed between Telegraph and Slauson.

Paramount Blvd going north from Dunlop Crossing to Whittier. Always ponding or flooding. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-14
Balfour by Pico Vista Rd, gets flooded. Partes of Washington going tomares Paramount . Maybe Paramount and Beverly Blvd areas too
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-15
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If not, do you plan to?
11 responses
Yes
If I can afford it, yes.

I would prepare only If I could afford it. Unfortunately I can’t afford it.

Yes , in the future
No
what can i do that doesn't cost money?
If it was not so expensive
Can’t afford it
I do not agree with weather modification.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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What else do you have in your emergency kit?
6 responses
Home fire extinguishers.

Tape,
Matches, towels, toilet paper, candles
Snacks
Ensure protein drinks. This product has a long shelf life if kept in the dark in a cool place. You can survive on this products
Face masks in case of dust
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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For more information about CERT, please visit:
https://picoriveracacert.samariteam.com/
5 responses
I will look into it.

When will you mobilize CERT members so that we can meet quarterly? The website for the city CERT is not updated.

Would be nice to make sub committees within few blocks to congregate and talk about skills of neighbors in case of emergency. Need city services for communication and secure data storing accessible to residents.

I’m trained in every aspect of a disaster. My employer. LADWP trains us to be Emergency Responders. Recognizing potential hazards that occur during all types of disasters. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Can we have retraining also have meetings updates for the team If you selected “Other” above, please describe.
8 responses
Reactivate the pico rivera cert website and organize cert volunteers. Offer/promote cert classes.

Maintain this group, recruit leaders and do not let it wane. where would our citizens go in case of an emergency, maybe some information how the city helps us during emergencies? Yes I need help to plan but if we absolutely cannot stay in our homes during a disaster, what do we do?
Organize current pico rivera CERT certified residents
Host additional trainings, such as ACERT, provide disaster preparedness workshops and supply giveaways, send out local resource and hazard area maps Need a public board where neighbors can socialize and raise concerns. A chat group or website with distinct table of contents.

Identify those that are already trained to spot, remedy, or consult when the power is out, significant damage to the infrastructure of our power system. Have circuit maps of power system showing “direction of feed”. Downed wire. And getting EVERY citizen of our city on being informed on what to do if they see downed power lines and it’s still energized. Edison system will continue to operate when it has a downed conductor. But sometimes it will give the appearance of being out. Bit it isn’t. And how to safely walk away from downed wires without getting electrocuted. Ny understanding “Step Potential “.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Provide discounts or affordable emergency supplies.

Broadcast short videos informing the city residentes how to prepare. And make it bilingual. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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22. If you would like to be notified of future opportunities to participate in hazard mitigation and resiliency planning, please provide your name and e-mail address. Please provide your mailing address if you do not have an e-mail address.
20 responses

23. Please provide us with any additional comments/suggestions/questions regarding your risk of future hazard events.
7 responses
This survey is very long and I am losing interest.

Disseminate flyers with QR codes to take this survey at places of faith. 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
B-22
what would happen if we have a nuclear threat? what disaster conspiracy theories could you help clear up by giving out facts?
Thank you for always gathering input from the community in planning.

Affordable solar battery backup options or rebates for power banks.

Identify any overhead electrical equipment that is either too damaged to operate safely. Or the potential to fall from the power pole
Weather modification affects our health, animals, food, nature, air we breath and can affect our homes.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. If you have any questions, or if you know of other people/organizations that should be involved, please contact the City's Senior Planner at [email protected] or 562-801-4476.
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Appendix C - Resolution of Adoption
(to be inserted after City Council approval)
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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Appendix D- List of Key Facilities
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D-2

CITY OF PICO RIVERA CRITICAL FACILITIES AND FACILITIES OF CONCERN Asset Name
Critical
Facility /
Facility of
Concern
Asset Type
Category Asset Type
CITY HALL X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES
(City Hall, etc.)

PARKS & REC

ADMINISTRATION
OFFICE
X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES
(City Hall, etc.)
CITY YARD X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES
(City Hall, etc.)
COMMERCIAL BUILDING X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES
(City Hall, etc.)

PICO RIVERA GOLF
COURSE X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES (City Hall, etc.) PARCEL NUMBER 6374
017 900 - PARKING LOT X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES (City Hall, etc.)

PARKING LOT FOR CITY
HALL X City Facilities CITY FACILITIES (City Hall, etc.)

PICO RIVERA SPORTS
ARENA X Community Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

BICENTENNIAL PARK

AND ANCILLIARY

FACILITIES
X Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

OBREGON PARK X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

CAMPGROUND AND

FACILITIES X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

STREAMLAND PARK X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers
PICO PARK - OLD BLDG. X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers
RIO HONDO PARKYOUTH CENTER,

SENIOR CITIZEN

BUILDING, SPORT
FIELDS
X
Community
Facilities Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

VETERAN'S & LADIES
AUX. PARK X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

AL NATIVIDAD CENTER X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

SMITH PARK - AQUATIC

CENTER, SKATE PARK,

AND FACILITIES
X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
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RIO HONDO PARK -

COMMUNITY CENTER X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

RIO VISTA PARK -

RECREATION CENTER X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

HISTORY & HERITAGE

MUSEUM X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

SENIOR CENTER X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

PICO PARK -

COMMUNITY CENTER,

SPORTS FIELDS
X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers

RIVERA SPORTS

FIELD/RIVERA PARK X
Community
Facilities
Parks, Senior
Centers, and
Community Centers
Not all critical facility locations are listed here. Only those locations that have been made accessible to public records have been listed to maintain facility site integrity and security.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Appendix E – Hazard Mitigation
Implementation Handbook
E-2
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PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Implementation
Handbook
April 2025
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
What Is This Handbook?
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) for the City of Pico Rivera features an evaluation of the City's hazards as well as a variety of corresponding mitigation actions. These actions are intended to preserve public safety, maintain critical municipal government operations and services when hazard events emerge, and empower community members to take on hazard mitigation at an individual level. This Implementation Handbook (Handbook) is intended for use by City staff and decision-makers after the LHMP is adopted. It will:
 Give clear instructions following the adoption of the LHMP.  Simplify future updates to the LHMP.
 Assist the City in preparing grant funding applications related to hazard mitigation.  Guide annual plan review actions.

How do I Use This Handbook?
This Handbook can help City staff and decision-makers in several different situations. If and when the events listed below occur, consult the respective sections of this Handbook for advice on how best to proceed:
 A disaster proclamation has been issued by the Pico Rivera City Council  A disaster proclamation has been issued by the State of California  A disaster declaration has been signed by the Federal Government  I want to apply for mitigation grant funding
 Pico Rivera is undergoing its budgeting process
 Pico Rivera is holding its annual meeting of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee  Pico Rivera is updating the following policy and regulatory documents:
• The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
• The Safety Element of the General Plan
• The Housing Element of the General Plan
• The Zoning Code
Who Maintains This Handbook?
The Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) leader is responsible for maintaining this Handbook. At the time of writing, the current HMPC leader is Hector Hernandez from the Pico Rivera Community and Economic Development Department. The HMPC may delegate this responsibility to someone else should they choose.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
What to do when a disaster has been proclaimed or declared Disasters may be proclaimed or declared by the Pico Rivera City Council, the State of California, or the federal government. Responsibilities may differ depending on who proclaims or declares the disaster. If multiple organizations proclaim or declare a disaster, consult all applicable lists.

The Pico Rivera City Council
If the Pico Rivera City Council (or the Director of Emergency Services, if the City Council is not in session) proclaims a Local Emergency, take the following steps:
 Update Attachment 1 with information about the disaster. Include information about cumulative damage, including any damage outside of Pico Rivera.  Discuss opportunities for local assistance with the representatives from the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
 If the disaster damages local infrastructure or City-owned facilities, repair or rebuild the structure to be more resilient, following applicable hazard mitigation actions. A list of actions, organized by hazards, is included in Attachment 4.  Chapter 6 of the Pico Rivera LHMP states that the City should consider updating the LHMP if a disaster causes a loss of life in the community, even if there is no state disaster proclamation or federal disaster declaration that includes part or all of the city. If there is a loss of life in Pico Rivera, consider updating the LHMP. Consult the section on updating the LHMP in this Handbook for details.

The State of California
If the State of California proclaims a disaster for Pico Rivera, or an area that includes part or all of Pico Rivera, take the following steps:
 Update Attachment 1 with information about the disaster. Include information about cumulative damage, including any damage outside of Pico Rivera.  Collaborate with representatives from Cal OES to assess the damage from the event.  Discuss opportunities for local assistance with representatives from Cal OES.  If the disaster damages local infrastructure or City-owned facilities, repair or rebuild the structure to be more resilient, following applicable hazard mitigation actions. A list of actions, organized by hazards, is included in Attachment 4.  If the disaster may escalate into a federal disaster declaration, begin any necessary coordination with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
 Chapter 6 of the Pico Rivera LHMP states that the City should consider updating the LHMP if a disaster leads to a state disaster proclamation or federal disaster declaration that includes part or all of Pico Rivera, even if there is no loss of life. Consider updating the LHMP. Consult the section on updating the LHMP in this Handbook for details.

The Federal Government
If the federal government declares a disaster for Pico Rivera, or any area that includes part or all of Pico Rivera, take the following steps:

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
 Update Attachment 1 with information about the disaster. Include information about cumulative damage, including any damage outside of Pico Rivera.  Collaborate with Cal OES and FEMA representatives to assess the damage.  Determine if Pico Rivera will be eligible for public assistance funds related to the federal disaster declaration. These funds can be used to reimburse the City for response and recovery activities. If the City is eligible, work with FEMA and Cal OES representatives to enact the necessary requirements and receive funding.
 If the disaster damages local infrastructure or City-owned facilities, repair or rebuild the structure to be more resilient, following applicable hazard mitigation actions. A list of actions, organized by hazards, is included in Attachment 4.  The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is a FEMA program that helps fund hazard mitigation activities after a disaster event. Pico Rivera may be eligible for funding because of the federal disaster declaration, although not all activities may meet the program's requirements. If Pico Rivera is eligible, work with FEMA to apply for this funding.  Chapter 6 of the Pico Rivera LHMP states that the City should consider updating the LHMP if a disaster leads to a state disaster proclamation or federal disaster declaration that includes part or all of Pico Rivera, even if there is no loss of life. Consider updating the LHMP. Consult the section on updating the LHMP in this Handbook for details.

I Want to Apply for Mitigation Grant Funding
There are three potential grant funding programs that FEMA administers for hazard mitigation activities. Two of these programs, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)1 and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) funding sources, are available to communities with an LHMP that complies with FEMA guidelines and has been adopted within the past five years.

The third funding program is the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), which is available for communities that are part of a federal disaster declaration. This section discusses the BRIC and FMA programs and how to apply for them. The HMGP is discussed under the "Federal Government" subsection of the above "What to Do When a Disaster Has Been Proclaimed or Declared" section.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) will support states, local communities, tribes, and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. BRIC is a FEMA pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaced the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program.

The BRIC program's guiding principles are supporting communities through capability- and capacity-building, encouraging and enabling innovation, promoting partnerships, enabling large projects, maintaining flexibility, and providing consistency.

Development projects must be identified in a hazard mitigation plan that meets FEMA guidelines and has been adopted within the past five years. When applying to this program, review the list of hazard mitigation actions in Attachment 4 to see which projects may be eligible. Planning efforts for communities that lack a valid hazard mitigation plan may be eligible for funding if the 1 The BRIC Program still exists; however, it is currently not being funded.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
effort would create a valid hazard mitigation plan. All BRIC grant applications are processed through the State. To learn more, consult with Cal OES representatives or visit the FEMA webpage for the program. At the time of writing, this webpage is available at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO APPLY FOR BRIC FUNDING:
 Confirm that the program is currently accepting funding applications. Check with representatives from Cal OES or consult the Cal OES webpage on the BRIC program.

At the time of writing, this webpage is available at
https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities.  Identify the actions from the hazard mitigation strategy (see Attachment 4) that call on the City to pursue funding or list grants as a potential funding source. Confirm that the actions are consistent with the requirements of the BRIC grant.  Coordinate with Cal OES representatives to compile and submit materials for the grant application.

Flood Mitigation Assistance
The FMA grant program is a competitive, national program that awards funding for physical development projects and planning efforts that mitigate against long-term damage from flooding.

The funding is only available to communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which Pico Rivera currently does. Communities must also have a valid hazard mitigation plan that meets FEMA guidelines to be eligible, and all projects must be consistent with the list of actions in the hazard mitigation strategy. When applying to this program, review the list of hazard mitigation actions in Attachment 4 to see which projects may be eligible. As with the BRIC program, applications for the FMA program must be processed through the State. To view more information, consult with Cal OES representatives or visit the FEMA webpage on the program. At the time of writing, this webpage is available at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO APPLY FOR FMA FUNDING:
 Confirm that the program is currently accepting funding applications. Check with representatives from Cal OES or consult the Cal OES webpage on the FMA program. At the time of writing, this webpage is available at
https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods.
 Identify the actions from the hazard mitigation strategy (see Attachment 4) that call on the City to pursue funding or list grants as a potential funding source. Confirm that the actions are consistent with the requirements of the FMA grant.  Coordinate with Cal OES representatives to compile and submit materials for the grant application.

Pico Rivera is going through the budgeting process
Pico Rivera's budget process is an ideal opportunity to secure funding for hazard mitigation actions and to ensure that hazard mitigation efforts are incorporated into the City's fiscal priorities.

Pico Rivera currently operates on an annual budget cycle that runs from July 1st to June 30th.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
During this process, City staff should take the following steps to incorporate hazard mitigation into Pico Rivera's annual budget:
 Include hazard mitigation activities into Pico Rivera's list of Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). Review the list of hazard mitigation actions in Attachment 4 and identify the projects that can be included in the CIP or can support efforts within the CIP.  Review the risk and threat assessments in the LHMP (Chapter 3 and Chapter 4) to ensure that all items in the CIP list are planned, designed, and constructed to minimize the threat from hazard events.
 Identify opportunities to identify stand-alone hazard mitigation actions through the annual budget process. Include appropriate items from Attachment 4 in the budget as standalone line items, particularly items that the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (Planning Committee) considered a high priority.
 Set aside staff to conduct hazard mitigation activities, including time to participate in Planning Committee meetings and research, prepare, and submit BRIC and FMA grant opportunities (consult the "I Want to Apply for Mitigation Grant Funding" section above).  Ensure hazard mitigation activities are reflected in each department's priorities and earmarked time for specific goals.

Pico Rivera is Conducting its Annual meeting of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
The hazard mitigation planning process brings together representatives from multiple City departments as well as other relevant stakeholders. It provides a forum to discuss the hazards in Pico Rivera and how to mitigate them effectively. As mentioned in Chapter 6 of the LHMP, the Planning Committee should meet at least once each year, beginning a year after the LHMP is adopted. During these meetings, the Planning Committee should discuss implementation progress and integration of hazard mitigation actions in other City documents. At these meetings, the Planning Committee can review the status of the hazard mitigation actions and discuss whether completed or in-progress actions are working as expected. These meetings also allow the Planning Committee to strategically plan for the upcoming year.

It may help for the Planning Committee to meet early in the year, in advance of annual budget activities. Attachment 3 contains an example of a Planning Committee Meeting Agenda.

The annual meeting should include representatives from City departments and other organizations that originally prepared the LHMP. Representatives from other relevant organizations should also be invited. During the preparation of the current LHMP, the following individuals were part of the Planning Committee:

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
In advance of Planning Committee meetings, consider using Attachment 1 to maintain an accurate list of recent disaster events that have occurred in and around Pico Rivera since the LHMP was adopted. At the Planning Committee meeting, review the Plan Maintenance Table (Attachment 2) to identify any gaps in the LHMP or any other component of the plan that needs updating. This also allows Planning Committee members the opportunity to review the actions in the hazard mitigation strategy (Attachment 4) and ensure that they are implemented as intended.

PICO RIVERA HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE
Name Title Department
Alvie Betancourt Director Pico Rivera Community &
Economic Development
Julia Gonzalez Deputy Director Pico Rivera Community &
Economic Development
Hector Hernandez Senior Planner Pico Rivera Community & Economic Development
Noe Negrete Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Gene Edwards Deputy Director Pico Rivera Public Works
Pam Yugar Director Pico Rivera Parks & Recreation
Narek Katabayan Senior Analyst Pico Rivera Human Resources Jane Guo Director Pico Rivera Administrative
Services
Aaron Pfannenstiel LHMP Project Manager Atlas Planning Solutions Crystal Stueve LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
Robert Jackson LHMP Planner Atlas Planning Solutions
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Pico Rivera is updating its policy and regulatory documents If Pico Rivera is updating the LHMP, the Safety Element or Housing Element of the General Plan, or the Zoning Code, consult the following applicable section.

Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
All LHMPs should be updated every five years. This helps keep the plan up to date and ensures that it reflects the most recent guidance, requirements, science, and best practices. An updated LHMP also helps keep Pico Rivera eligible for hazard mitigation grants that require a valid, recent LHMP (see "I Want to Apply for Mitigation Grant Funding"), along with an increased amount of post-disaster recovery funds.

The update process for the LHMP takes approximately one year. To ensure that a new LHMP comes into effect before the previous one expires, the update process should begin no later than four years after the plan is adopted. Updates may occur sooner at the City's discretion. Potential reasons for updating the LHMP sooner may include a state disaster proclamation or federal disaster declaration that covers part or all of Pico Rivera, or if a disaster leads to a loss of life in Pico Rivera (see the "What to Do When a Disaster Has Been Proclaimed or Declared" section), as discussed in Chapter 6 of the LHMP.

Take the following steps to update the LHMP:

ASSEMBLE THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE
 Convene a Planning Committee meeting no later than four years after the LHMP is adopted. Invite the regular Planning Committee members, along with representatives from other organizations that may have a role to play in the update process.
 Review the current status of mitigation actions, including if there are any that are not being implemented as planned or are not working as expected. Determine if there have been any changes in hazard events, regulations, best practices, or other items that should be incorporated into an updated LHMP.
 Decide if there is a need for a technical consultant to assist with the LHMP update and conduct consultant selection activities if needed. If a consultant is desired, the selection process should begin a few months before the update begins.  Create and implement a community engagement strategy based on the strategy prepared for the existing LHMP. Describe in-person and online engagement strategies and materials, including ideas for meetings and workshops, draft community surveys, content for websites and press releases, and other materials that may be useful.

UPDATE THE RISK AND THREAT ASSESSMENTS
 Review and update the risk assessment to reflect the most recent conditions in Pico Rivera. Consider recent hazard events, new science associated with hazards and climate change, new development and land use patterns, and other recent changes in local conditions.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
 Evaluate the status of all key facilities. Update this list if new facilities have been constructed or if existing facilities have been decommissioned. Re-assess the threat to key facilities.
 Review the demographics of community residents and update the threat assessment for vulnerable populations and other community members.
 Assess any changes to the threat to all other community assets, including key services, other facilities, and economic drivers.

UPDATE THE MITIGATION ACTIONS
 Update the existing hazard mitigation actions to reflect actions in progress. Remove actions that have been completed or revise them to increase their effectiveness. Revise actions that have been abandoned or delayed to make them more feasible or remove them from the list of mitigation actions if they are no longer appropriate for Pico Rivera.  Develop mitigation actions to improve the status of hazard mitigation activities in Pico Rivera by addressing any issues not covered by the existing LHMP.  The ability to expand current mitigation capabilities will generally be reliant upon the budgeting allocated for each department/program for that fiscal year. The level at which these programs may or may not be expanded upon, will be dependent upon the amount of funding received. FEMA has released a series of guides over the past few years which highlight some of the ways in which jurisdictions can expand mitigation. Some strategies for increasing current mitigation capabilities may include:
 City should actively identify, adopt, and enforce the most current set of development codes and standards available. Strongly encouraging new development to be constructed to higher standards than currently required, increasing resilience within the community.
 Engaging parts of the community that may not be actively involved in mitigation efforts.
 Expanding the number and types of organizations involved in mitigation planning and implementation, increasing both efficiency and bandwidth.  Fostering new relationships to bring underrepresented populations and partners to the hazard mitigation planning process.
 During the annual LHMP review, the HMPC should look for opportunities to fund and expand/enhance the effectiveness of current mitigation actions.  During annual budgeting processes, the City should identify new funding sources (bonds, grants, assessment districts, etc.) that can be used to support existing capabilities enhancements.
 Ensure that the feedback from the community engagement activities is reflected in the new and updated mitigation actions.

REVIEW AND ADOPT THE UPDATED PLAN
 Review the other chapters and appendices of the LHMP to reflect any changes made through the update process.
 Release the updated plan to the Planning Committee members and revise the plan to reflect any comments by Planning Committee members.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
 Distribute the updated Plan to any appropriate external agencies not included in the Planning Committee and revise the plan as appropriate in response to any comments.
 Release the updated plan publicly for review and make revisions to the plan to reflect public comments.
 Submit the plan to Cal OES and FEMA for approval and make any necessary revisions.  Submit the plan to the Pico Rivera City Council for adoption.

The Safety Element of the General Plan
The Safety Element is a required component of Pico Rivera's General Plan. It can be updated as a stand-alone activity or as part of a more comprehensive process to update multiple sections or all of the General Plan. The Safety Element does not need to be updated on any set schedule, but updates should be frequent enough for the element to remain current and applicable to the community.

Local communities can incorporate their LHMP into their Safety Element as allowed under Section 65302.6 of the California Government Code, as long as the LHMP meets minimum federal guidelines. This allows communities to be eligible for an increased share of post-disaster relief funding from the State if a hazard situation occurs, as per Section 8685.9 of the California Government Code.

Take the following steps to incorporate the LHMP into the Safety Element:

INCORPORATE NEW REQUIREMENTS INTO THE SAFETY ELEMENT AND ENSURE THAT THE LHMP IS

CONSISTENT WITH THE SAFETY ELEMENT
 Review the requirements for Safety Elements in Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code and for LHMPs in Section 65302.6. Ensure that both documents meet all state requirements.
 Ensure that the information in both plans does not contradict each other and that any inconsistencies are corrected to use the most accurate and appropriate information. This information should include a community description, a risk assessment, and a threat assessment.
 Ensure that the policies in the Safety Element support the LHMP and provide a planning framework for specific hazard mitigation actions.

The Housing Element of the General Plan
The Housing Element is a required component of Pico Rivera's General Plan. Section 65583 of the California Government Code requires a Housing Element to analyze and plan for new residential growth in a community, including residential growth for households with an annual income below the area median. Like an LHMP, state regulations require the Housing Elements to be updated regularly to remain current and valid.

The Housing Element is not required to contain any information or policies related to hazards, although it may include policies that address retrofitting homes to improve resiliency. However, state law links the regular schedule of Housing Element updates to mandatory revisions to other General Plan elements. For example, Section 65302(g)(2) of the California Government Code E-13
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
requires that communities that update their Housing Element on or after January 1, 2009, also update their Safety Element to include specific information and policies related to flood protection.

As the LHMP is incorporated into the Safety Element, updates to the Housing Element may indirectly trigger updates to the LHMP.

To update the LHMP concurrent with updates to the Housing Element, take the following steps:

ENSURE THAT THE LHMP MEETS ANY NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAFETY ELEMENT THAT MAY

BE TRIGGERED BY A HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE
 Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code lists several requirements for the Safety Element of the General Plan. Some of these requirements are triggered by updates to the Housing Element. Check to see if there are any new requirements of this nature. Note that the requirement is linked to the new Housing Element's adoption date, not the date the update process begins.
 Because the LHMP is incorporated into the Safety Element, any amendments or revisions to the Safety Element triggered by the Housing Element update may be made directly in the LHMP. Requirements triggered by the Housing Element are unlikely to require a full rewrite of the LHMP, but the process should fully involve the Planning Committee and include appropriate community engagement.  Adopt the updated LHMP and incorporate it into the Safety Element. If necessary, amend the Safety Element to ensure the two documents are consistent (review the "Incorporate New Requirements Into the Safety Element, and Ensure that the LHMP is Consistent with the Safety Element" subsection above).

The Pico Rivera Municipal Code
Pico Rivera's Municipal Code contains a set of standards that guide land uses and development in the community. These standards include where different types of buildings and land use activities may be located, how these structures must be built, and how they must be operated or maintained. The Municipal Code may include requirements that structures (particularly new structures or those undergoing substantial renovations) incorporate hazard-resistant features, be located outside the most hazard-prone areas, or take other steps to reduce hazard vulnerability.

All communities in California are required to adopt the minimum state Building Standard Code (BSC), which includes some hazard mitigation requirements for new or significantly renovated structures. The BSC is generally updated every three years, with supplemental code updates halfway into each update cycle. Title 15, Chapter 15.50.155, "Floodplain Management Regulations," of Pico Rivera's Municipal Code contains building regulations and incorporates the BSC. Other sections of the Code adopt additional standards as desired by the City that adapts the BSC to Pico Rivera's local context.

As a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), Pico Rivera is required to incorporate Floodplain Management Requirements in its Zoning Code, which is located Title 15, “Buildings and Construction.” These regulations establish standards for developing and operating facilities within mapped flood-prone areas. Other sections of the Pico Rivera Municipal Code may include additional standards related to hazard mitigation activities.

With the exception of the Floodplain Management Regulations and the minimum standards in the BSC, Pico Rivera is not required to incorporate hazard-related requirements in the Municipal E-14
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Code. However, the Municipal Code is an effective tool for implementing hazard mitigation measures related to the siting, construction, and operation of new buildings and other structures.

Substantial updates to the Municipal Code, including the Buildings and Construction and Zoning Code sections, should be done in a way that is consistent with the LHMP.

INCLUDE HAZARD-RELATED REQUIREMENTS IN APPLICABLE SECTIONS OF THE PICO RIVERA CODE OF

ORDINANCES
 If the BSC is being updated, evaluate the hazard-related requirements of all sections in the new BSC. Identify any areas where it may be feasible to add or revise standards to help reduce the threat from hazard events. Ensure that these standards are consistent with the LHMP. Consider whether standards should be applied to all structures, to specific types of structures, or to structures in a limited area (such as a flood plain).
 If the Zoning Code is being updated, ensure that all requirements do not expose community members or community assets to an excessive risk of harm. Where feasible, use the requirements to strengthen community resiliency to hazard events.

Ensure that these standards are consistent with the LHMP. Consider possible standards such as overlay zones that strengthen zoning requirements in hazard-prone areas, landscaping and grading requirements that buffer development from hazards, siting, and design standards that make structures more resilient, and other strategies as appropriate.

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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Attachment 1: Disaster Information Table
Use this table to fill out the information about any disaster events that have occurred in Pico Rivera or nearby and have affected the community. Include the date and location of the disaster event, the damages associated with the event, and any information about disaster proclamations or declarations resulting from the event.

Date Location Damages * Declaration Details †
* Includes number and type of injuries, number of deaths, and cost of physical damage † If the disaster was proclaimed or declared by the local, state, and/or federal government E-16
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Attachment 2: Plan Maintenance Table
Use this table when reviewing the LHMP as part of the Planning Committee's annual activities.

For each section of the LHMP, note if any changes should be made to make the plan more effective for the community. This includes noting if anything in the LHMP is incorrect or if any important information is missing. Make revisions consistent with these notes as part of the next update to the LHMP.

Section Is Anything
Incorrect?
Is Anything
Missing?
Should Any Other
Changes Be Made?
Multiple sections or
throughout
Chapter 1:

Introduction
Chapter 2:

Community Profile
Chapter 3: Risk
Assessment
Chapter 4: Threat
Assessment
Chapter 5: Mitigation
Strategy
Chapter 6: Plan
Maintenance
Appendices
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Attachment 3: Sample Agenda and Topics for the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
This attachment includes a sample agenda and discussion topics for the annual meeting of the Planning Committee. Meetings do not have to follow this order or structure, but the items included in this attachment should be addressed as part of the annual meeting. During the update process for the LHMP, it is likely that the Planning Committee will meet more frequently. The meetings of the Planning Committee during the update process will involve different discussion topics.

ITEM 1: RECENT HAZARD EVENTS

1.1. What hazard events have occurred this past year in Pico Rivera or nearby in a way that affected the community?
• Identify events that caused loss of life or significant injury to Pico Rivera community members, significant property damage in Pico Rivera, or widespread disruption to Pico Rivera.
• More minor events should also be identified if there is a need for a community response to mitigate against future such events.

1.2. What are the basic facts and details behind any such hazard events? • Consider the size and location of the affected area, any measurements of severity, any injuries and deaths, the cost of any damage, the number of people displaced or otherwise impacted, and other relevant summary information. • Ensure that these facts and details are clearly recorded for future plan updates, including using the Disaster Information Table (Attachment 1).

ITEMS 2: MITIGATION ACTION ACTIVITIES

2.1. What mitigation actions have been fully implemented? Are they working as expected, or do they need to be revised?

2.2. What mitigation actions have started to be implemented since the Planning Committee last met? Is the implementation of these actions proceeding as expected, or are there any barriers or delays? If there are barriers or delays, how can they be removed?

2.3. What mitigation actions are scheduled to begin implementation in the next year? Are there any factors that could delay implementation or weaken the effectiveness of the actions? How can these factors be addressed?

2.4. What resources are needed to support planned, in-process, or ongoing mitigation actions? Does the City have access to these resources? If not, how can the City obtain access to these resources?
ITEM 3: INFORMATION SHARING

3.1. Is the City communicating with all appropriate local jurisdictions, including neighboring communities, Los Angeles County, and special districts? This should include information on district-specific hazard situations, mitigation actions, and other relevant information.

3.2. Is the City communicating with the appropriate state and federal agencies? Is the City receiving information about new regulations, best practices, and data related to hazard mitigation activities?

3.3. Are there opportunities for the City to improve coordination with local, state, and federal jurisdictions and agencies?
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
ITEM 4: BUDGETARY PLANNING

4.1. What are the financial needs for Pico Rivera to support the implementation of planned and in-process mitigation actions, including ongoing items? Is there sufficient funding for all measures in the LHMP that are planned for the next year, including in-process and ongoing items? If sufficient funding is unavailable, how can the City obtain these funds?

4.2. If it is not feasible for the City to support all planned, in-process, or ongoing mitigation actions, which ones should be prioritized?

4.3. Are there hazard-related activities not included in the LHMP that should be budgeted for? Can the City obtain the necessary funding for these activities? ITEM 5: STRATEGIC PLANNING

5.1. Which grants are available for hazard mitigation activities, and which activities are best positioned to secure funding?

5.2. How should the agencies and other organizations represented on the Planning Committee coordinate to maximize the chances of receiving funding?

5.3. Are there any scheduled or anticipated updates to other City documents that could relate to hazard mitigation activities? How can the Planning Committee share information with staff and any technical consultants responsible for these updates and ensure that the updates will enhance community resiliency?

5.4. What capital projects are scheduled or anticipated? Are these capital projects being designed and built to be resistant to hazard events? Are there opportunities for these projects to support hazard mitigation activities?

5.5. How can Planning Committee members coordinate efforts with those responsible for capital projects to take advantage of economies of scale that will make implementing hazard mitigation activities easier?

5.6. Has it been four years since the adoption of the LHMP? If so, lay out a timeline for plan update activities, including additional meetings of the Planning Committee. Identify if a technical consultant is needed and begin the contracting process.

5.7. Are there any other opportunities for Planning Committee members and the organizations they represent to coordinate efforts?
ITEMS 6: NEW BUSINESS

6.1. Are there any other items related to the Planning Committee's mission? E-19
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
Attachment 4: Hazard Mitigation Strategy
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
Emergency Preparedness Activities
P.1 Identify an alternative location for the
Emergency Operations Center.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD
(Emergency
Management
Division)
N/A Short
Term
Low
P.2 Develop a backup communication
system for critical City operations.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Short
Term
High
P.3 Conduct regular emergency
preparedness drills and training
exercises for City staff.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Ongoing
(Annually)
High
P.4 Work with Pico Rivera business
groups to conduct regular workplace
emergency preparedness drills.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Medium
Term
Low
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
P.6 Ensure evacuation plans include
provisions for community members
who do not have access to private
vehicles or are otherwise unable to
drive.

General Fund,
Grants,
Community
Facilities
Districts, Bonds
EMD N/A Short
Term
Low
P.7 Continue to ensure effective
emergency notifications through
multiple media, in English and
Spanish, about pending, imminent, or
ongoing emergency events. Ensure
that information is accessible to
persons with disabilities and
functional needs.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
P.10 Identify mission critical tasks for City
services and develop a Continuity of
Operations Plan to ensure the City
and its critical functions and services
continue to operate during and after
an emergency or disaster incident.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium
P.11 Develop Emergency Operations Plan
functional-based annexes for mass
casualties, evacuations, mass shelter,
terrorist events, train derailments, civil
unrest events and active shooter
events.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
FEMA Hazard
Mitigation
Assistance
(HMA) Grants
PW High Medium
Term
High
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PW-03 Annually conduct safety assessment
training for inspectors and engineers.

Earthquakes Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Medium
PW-04 Purchase gas and diesel fuel tanks for
City yard and install them.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PW Medium Medium
Term
Low
PW-05 Evaluate and implement protective
measures on critical facilities against
natural hazards (dam failure,
earthquake, flood, windstorm).

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PW High Long
Term
High
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PW-08 Develop a Disaster Debris
Management Plan.

Flood Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Low
PW-10 Develop and implement a program to
retrofit existing facilities into
Community Resiliency Centers that
offer heating and cooling sites for
residents during adverse weather and
emergency events.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PW High Long
Term
Medium
PW-11 Continue to promote participation in
Prime Power Choice.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
CEDD, EMD Low Ongoing
(Annually)
Low
PW-12 Creating and maintaining an inventory
of structures within the 100-year
floodplain that are NFIP flood policies.

Flood Staff Time,
General Funds
PW Low Short
Term
Low
Pico Rivera Water Authority (PRWA)
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2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PRWA-01 Upgrade SCADA to include
workstations (new hardware),
historian server for long-term
archiving, uninterruptible power
supplies, and radio communications
to allow more efficient management of
24-hour pumping operations.

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Medium Short
Term
Medium
PRWA-02 Upgrade pipelines to meet existing
and future fire flow requirements
under Los Angeles County Fire
District standards.

Critical
Infrastructure
, Urban Fires
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA High Medium
Term
High
PRWA-04 Purchase and install an air
conditioning system for variablefrequency drives at all pumping plants.

Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Medium Long
Term
Low
PRWA-05 Coordinate with Pico Water District to
establish interconnection(s) to ensure
redundancy and continuity of
operations during emergencies.

Adverse
Weather,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
PRWA Low Ongoing
(As
needed)
Medium
E-25
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PRWA-06 Develop storm drain improvement
project list and pursue funding to
protect vulnerable properties.

Adverse
Weather,
Dam Failure,
Flooding,
Critical
Infrastructure
Staff Time,
Water Funds,

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Low
PWSMD02Purchase additional caches of water
pumps, sandbags, and other
emergency response items for use
during emergencies
Flooding Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Low
PWSMD03Use construction messaging signs
along major streets to inform
residents and visitors of emergency
situations/conditions.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
PWSMD Low Short
Term
Medium
E-26
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
PWSMD04Inventory tree species throughout the
city and create a plant palette to
identify appropriate replacements for
shallow root tree species.

Earthquake Staff Time,
General Funds,

Earthquake Property owner
funds, Staff
Time, General
Funds, FEMA
HMA Grants
CEDBD Medium Medium
Term
Low
CEDBD-03 Establish a program to retrofit homes
in a liquefaction zone with a high risk
of damage from foundation shifting
and structural failure due to a major
earthquake
Earthquake Property owner
funds, Staff
Time, General
Funds, FEMA
HMA Grants
CEDBD Low Medium
Term
Low
Information Systems Division (ISD)
ISD - 01 Develop a City-wide program to train
departmental employees on the use
of the City’s GIS mapping system to
develop a mapping capability.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
ISD Low Short
Term
Low
E-27
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority
ISD - 02 Evaluate and take necessary actions
to ensure effective threat reduction of
utility infrastructure and protection of
critical information systems from
cyber-attacks or incidents.

CEDEMD -
01 Develop a comprehensive public
information and education program
regarding all-hazards, City emergency
operations and response, and public
preparedness and outreach.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
02 Develop a training and review
program for City staff on the hazard
mitigation plan and implementation of
hazard mitigation actions.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium
E-28
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Low

CEDEMD -
05 Coordinate with the Public Works
Department to develop a Disaster
Communications Plan and build upon
the existing two-way radio inventory,
to increase the City's communication
resilience.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Medium Short
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
06 Integrate information from the LHMP
update into the City's EOP and
Annexes where relevant.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds,
Emergency
Management
Grants
EMD Low Short
Term
High
E-29
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

CEDEMD -
07 Work with the Southeast Area Animal
Control Authority to ensure
agreements are in place to provide
appropriate care for animals during a
disaster.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
08 Coordinate with the El Rancho and
Montebello Unified School Districts to
ensure preparation of district-wide
emergency plans consistent with the
City's current emergency plans.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
09 Evaluate Department of Park and
Recreation facilities for suitability as
shelter sites, including ADA
compliance, supplies, and structural
integrity.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
High

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Medium
Term
Low
E-30
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

CEDEMD -
11 Establish an all-hazards disaster
transportation plan to include
alternative routes for vehicles, buses,
and rail in the event of service
disruption or key roads being blocked.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
Low

Dam Failure,
Terrorism
Adverse
Weather,
Hazardous
Materials,
Public Health
Staff Time,
General Funds,

FEMA HMA
Grants
EMD High Medium
Term
Low

CEDEMD -
13 Develop and maintain an evacuation
plan for the City to effectively
distribute evacuation notices and to
ensure that evacuating traffic flows
smoothly.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Medium Short
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
14 Integrate the City’s hazard mitigation
plan into future updates to the general
plan in compliance with California
state mandates (AB 2140, SB 379,
and SB 1000).

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Medium
Term
Medium

CEDEMD -
15 Educate the public about key hazards
of concern within the City.

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
High
E-31
2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Pico Rivera
TABLE 5-4: MITIGATION ACTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Action # Mitigation Action Item
Hazards
Addressed
Potential
Funding Source
Responsible
Dept./Div.

Relative
Cost
Time
Frame Priority

All Hazards Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Ongoing
(Annually)
Low

CEDEMD -
17 Create a funding mechanism to assist
in energy efficient upgrades and
enhancements for residents.

All Staff Time,
General Funds
EMD Low Short
Term
Low
* Relative Cost Categories
$ - Less than $75,000
$$ - $75,001 to $4,999,999
$$$ - Greater than $5,000,000
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
FEMA Region 9
1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607-4052
www.fema.gov
August 11, 2025
Hector Hernandez
Senior Planner
City of Pico Rivera Community and Economic Development Department 6615 Passons Blvd.

Pico Rivera, CA 90660
Reference: Hazard Mitigation Plan Approvable Pending Adoption City of Pico Rivera, CA
Dear Hector Hernandez:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has completed its review of the 2025 City of Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Plan and has determined that the plan is eligible for final approval, pending its formal adoption by the City of Pico Rivera.

Formal adoption documentation must be submitted to FEMA Region 9 within one calendar year from the date of this letter. If the adoption is not received within that timeframe, the plan must be updated and resubmitted for review.

FEMA will issue formal approval of the plan upon receipt of the adoption documentation.

Adoption of the plan is required to maintain eligibility for funding under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs. All funding requests will be evaluated individually based on the specific eligibility criteria and requirements of the applicable HMA program.

Please note that while local hazard mitigation plans may include additional content to meet Element H: Additional State Requirements or other local objectives, FEMA’s Approvable Pending Adoption (APA) status does not constitute review or approval of any content exceeding FEMA’s standard mitigation planning requirements.

If you have any questions regarding the planning or review processes, please contact the FEMA Region 9 Hazard Mitigation Planning Team at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Alison Kearns
Planning and Implementation Branch Chief
Mitigation Division
FEMA Region 9
Enclosure 4
1d
City of Pico Rivera Hazard Mitigation Plan Approvable Pending Adoption Notice August 8, 2025

Page 2 of 2 ends

Pico Rivera City CouncilOctober 28, 2025

Pico Rivera City Council
October 28, 2025