2014-006 - Santa Ana General Plan Housing Element and Public Safety Element Updates

Home Browse Search

PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENT Fire suppression is a major public safety cost for most cities. Fire suppression costs can be significantly reduced by appropriate prevention measures which reduce the incidence of fires and the severity and extent of fires that do occur. Cooperative measures with other cities can reduce the amount of equipment and manpower each jurisdiction must maintain to be prepared for "worst- case" fires. The City contracts fire department services with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) which fulfills both fire protection and emergency medical responsibilities. The OCFA operates ten stations throughout Santa Ana, and has access to an additional 61 stations in its service area. These stations are well distributed, at an approximate of 1 '/z mile service radii throughout the City. However, the overlapping responsibility of fire companies allows adequate response to emergencies. The first Fire unit response goal (travel time) is less than 5 minutes. Emergency Medical Services The provision of emergency medical aid by the OCFA is an important adjunct to general medical care services in the City. Lower - income, elderly, non - English speaking and undocumented persons depend on medical services provided by paramedic personnel for many of their medical needs. The paramedic service fulfills a need not efficiently met by conventional medical services delivery systems. Hazardous Materials Transportation of hazardous materials through the City is an unavoidable consequence of its location along several major transportation routes - interstate 5, interstate 22, Interstate 55, the AT &SF rail line and Southern Pacific rail line. Transportation of hazardous materials is safest if national standards for transportation of such materials are established and carefully monitored. In addition, such national standards should require coordination with local public safety officials so officials are prepared for emergency problems involving release of hazardous materials. Emergency Preparedness A number of emergencies may result in a need for a coordinated governmental response. Disasters can occur in many forms at unexpected times and places and in most instances neither natural or man -made disasters can be fully predicted or controlled. Continued readiness, particularly on the part of the City, is necessary to cope with sudden and varying exigencies of disasters. Flood Safety The City has two major drainage courses with potential for significant flooding: Santiago Creek and the Santa Ana River. The Santa Ana River, with its normally dry riverbed and broad engineered channel and armored levees, does not appear to present a significant flood hazard. However, the Santa Ana River has a long history of overflowing its banks and flooding in the surrounding areas. To reduce m CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN