Conclusion
Thousand Oaks’ transportation network allows for evacuation north, west, and east during a disaster. However, due to the population density, an evacuation event could still put a burden on the transportation network. In compliance with SB 99, we have identified 33 neighborhoods that have a single entry or exit point throughout the city. The analysis according to AB 747 shows that in the case of a large wildfire, large portions of the City’s evacuation network could become unviable. Depending on the direction of the wildfire, northbound/southbound Highway 101 and SR 23 could become affected thus prompting emergency traffic management and the use of alternative evacuation routes.
Implementing traffic management strategies will aid in efficient and expeditious flow of evacuation traffic, which is the most critical and challenging element in a successful evacuation.
Communication during an evacuation event is found to be an extreme challenge due to the coordination between agencies responsible for communication. Improved training, procedures, platforms, and public educations are all strategies that can occur pre-emptively to improve communication among entities
APPENDIX B: EMERGENCY EVACUATION ANALYSIS
CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS GENERAL PLAN UPDATE |B-14
involved in the management of response, and communication between the City and the general public. Vulnerability of residents should be considered in determining which areas may need to be prioritized by first responders during an evacuation. Areas within the city with a greater percentage of elderly people, disabled people, households that do not own vehicles (i.e., transit dependent populations), and institutionalized populations require a greater amount of support during an evacuation. Other vulnerable groups should be evaluated relative to evacuation route vulnerability.
It is recommended that the results of these analyses be considered to frame supportive policies for the Safety Element Update. These policies can be used to identify potential evacuation capacity and resiliency improvements throughout the city.
Public Draft
June 02, 2023
THOUSAND OAKS
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