What a week of inclement weather coast to coast. Fires consuming multiple areas of Los Angeles County, to ice and snow covering the south is an ominous start to 2025 😔
Fire and Ice
As a former Angelino, who now lives 90 miles south of LA, here is a fact and a little history about LA and the Santa Ana winds. Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States. In 2023, its population was estimated at 9,663,345, greater than that of 40 individual U.S. states.
I found this Q&A from UCLA Professor Robert Fovell helpful, for those who are curious about the Santa Ana winds (Santa Anas) that impact Southern California from October-March each year.
ABC News reports about the massive winter storm blanketing the South with ice and record-breaking snow, with some cities seeing the most snowfall from a single storm in decades. Twenty states, from Texas to Delaware, were on alert Friday for snow and ice as the storm continued to move across the South.
The storm has prompted governors to declare states of emergency Friday, including in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas, to prepare for and respond to the severe weather.
Billion Dollar Disasters
In 2024, the U.S. experienced 27 weather and climate disasters. Each disaster incurred losses that exceeded $1 billion. 2024 ranked second highest for the number of billion-dollar disasters in a calendar year.
Recovery
Many have not experienced the horror of being displaced from home. Anyone who has lived through any natural disaster knows it is a long road back.
In future posts, I’ll highlight steps you can take before a natural disaster impacts your area and expand steps to include information if you’re away when disaster strikes at home. Today, I’ll focus on resources.
Here are some Federal, State, and Local resources for those impacted throughout Los Angeles County https://www.ca.gov/lafires/ and/or https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ and for Trauma, contact Hope@NAMIGLAC.org
Here are some verified charities from Becca Wood at Today.com if you’re interested:
- California Community Foundation: Its Wildfire Recovery Fund supports both intermediate and long-term relief in underserved areas.
- California Fire Foundation: Provides support to families of firefighters.
- LA Fire Department Foundation: The LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund provides current Los Angeles Fire Department workers with equipment and supplies.
- Pasadena Humane Society: Helps with pet evacuations in the Los Angeles area.
- Ventura County Community Foundation: Its Wildfire Relief & Recovery Fund provides immediate funding for those in most urgent need.
- American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles: Provides shelter, food, water, health and mental health services for those who need to evacuate immediately.
- Center for Disaster Philanthropy: Its California Wildfires Recovery Fund helps communities rebuild after the fires.
- Direct Relief: Delivers medical aid to first responders battling the fires as well as displaced residents.
- World Central Kitchen: Distributes food and water to first responders and residents.
People Helping People
The weather forecast shows high winds continuing in Southern California and Winter Storm Cora sweeping through the Southeast, delivering snow and ice from Arkansas and Tennessee to the Carolinas and Virginia, including Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville. The wintry mess is snarling travel and in some cases, icing could be heavy enough to cause power outages and tree damage.
Seeing the coverage of people helping people during the inclement weather news coverage this week is a humble reminder of our commonalities. There will be time for after-action reports, people helping people now as they seek to process everything is a godsend.
To those working the fire 24/7, those who will be dispatched to repair power, and those who are providing food and shelter thank you. You’ve come from near and far to jump into action. Your bravery and selflessness is appreciated.
As always, know if you have questions about your level of preparedness send me an Email or Message anytime. For additional information about my work check out my website @ The Living Planner or my online DIY information @ The Living Planner.
It was difficult to select a quote this week. This is the one I settled upon. “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu
Stay safe everyone ❣️ Lynn
#Can’tPredictCanPrepare #PlanForTheUnplanned