LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today discussed findings and recommendations from the McChrystal Group’s After-Action Report on alerts, warnings, and evacuations during the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Following the discussion, Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement:

“I fully support the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the After-Action Report, and I earnestly advocate for the creation of a dedicated, fully resourced, and fully funded Department of Emergency Management. Emergencies of this scale test every level of government, and it is clear that we must modernize our response systems, strengthen communication tools, and invest in the training and staffing needed to protect and support our communities.

The impacts of the unprecedented wind and fire events earlier this year are still being felt. This includes residents in the Palisades and Altadena, as well as workers and businesses in surrounding communities. While the most severe fires occurred in districts represented by my colleagues, the extreme weather we experienced could have led to devastating fires anywhere in the County, and most certainly made our communities especially mindful of critical emergency preparedness.

As we continue to confront the growing impacts of climate change and increasingly unpredictable weather events, we must ensure that our County’s emergency response system is equipped to assist all residents, no matter where they live. Whether it is a wildfire, earthquake, tsunami, or tropical storm, our communities are counting on us to be prepared and ready to respond.

Unfortunately, during recent emergencies, many residents experienced confusion and frustration due to alerts that either arrived too late or were irrelevant to their area, and caused undue stress. This undermined trust in our emergency communication systems. While I recognize the report identifies some of these issues as stemming from factors beyond our control, such as high-speed winds interfering with surveillance tools, our responsibility now is to turn these lessons into concrete action.

That includes clarifying leadership roles during emergencies, expanding public education on evacuation procedures, and ensuring that every resident receives timely and accurate alerts. We must build a system that earns and maintains the public’s trust.”