The city of Berkeley is looking for community input through a survey about how people handle emergency evacuations during a wildfire, tsunami or other disasters.
Responses will aid the city in getting an estimate of how long it takes Berkeley’s residents to get out of danger so that the city and authorities can improve evacuation strategies.
The survey, which is available in English and in Spanish, asks about household size, transportation routines, estimated commute times and current household evacuation plans, if any. The city hopes to solicit responses from both those who already have an evacuation plan and those who still need to create one.
Responses from the survey will be used in tandem with a study that will ultimately provide data that will determine the capacities of roads and establish “realistic” time estimates for evacuating during natural disasters, according to a news release from the city.
Funding for the survey comes from Measure FF, which was passed by Berkeley voters in 2020, and dedicates $8.5 million in annual funding towards fire services, emergency response, 9-1-1 communication, hazard mitigation and wildfire prevention. It comes as a part of Berkeley’s broader plan to reduce wildfire risk within the community.
The survey is one of several efforts by the city to better mitigate disaster risk, all of which are funded by Measure FF. One such effort was the creation of the Berkeley Fire Department’s Wildland Urban Interface Division in 2022, which inspects over 8,500 properties in the city’s highest-risk fire zone to provide personalized reports and guidance on reducing risk.
The city is accepting survey responses until Sept. 30.