Emergency Communication In Mandeville Canyon.

The Los Angeles Fire Department is building an Emergency communication System for all of Mandeville Canyon. This is a pilot program which will eventually be duplicated in other Hillside areas. This solar powered system will not be vulnerable to disruption by fire or earthquake, as commercial phone systems may be. Its purpose is to instantly transmit messages from City authorities to our devices with warnings and instructions for evacuation or other actions to take when danger threatens. Cellular “blind spots” do exist in Mandeville on the commercial phone systems. This system aims to reach everyone. It is independent of the commercial phone company equipment. Residents have asked if it will improve the “spotty” performance and eliminate blind spots in our commercial phone service. Unfortunately, it will not. One reason that the emergency system will outperform commercial rivals is that transmission to the Canyon will originate above us at San Vicente Peak rather than projecting up Mandeville from Sunset. The signal has already been tested to reach Vicente Peak, now more work must be done inside the Canyon. The pandemic interrupted work for two years. Now, the logjam at our shipping ports has held back some needed equipment from overseas. Still, progress is being made and we will soon be another degree safer in Mandeville Canyon. We want to thank the Brentwood Community Council for finding funds for this project and LAFD Chief Terrazas for taking charge of it.

Safety is MCA's #1 Priority

Almost every program the MCA supports has to do with SAFETY. These programs include 24-Hour Camera Surveillance, Patrol Service on City streets, maintenance of open sight lines, and construction of People's Paths.   Speed is always an issue on the narrow canyon and ridge roads and MCA works with the City of Los Angeles in surveys and communication programs for its homeowners.

Every year MCA works with the LAFD and the LADWP in their annual efforts to trim the sycamore trees along Mandeville Canyon Road.  An annual programs to cutback and remove overgrowth on Westridge Road is regularly supported.  The Lower Westridge Safety Initiative is program to better maintain lower Westridge Road, build a walking path, improve the condition of the street with markings, and resurfacing, and limit any parking in the lower area of Westridge Road.

On occasion MCA works with the City of Los Angeles in evacuation drills and notification programs, such as Notify LA, to keep the homeowners informed and aware of disaster planning.  LAPD crime reports are shared with homeowners as car break-ins and home robberies have escalated with the increase of construction in the neighborhood.