Governor Signs Sen. Dodd’s ‘Hi-Lo’ Evacuation Warning Bill

SACRAMENTO – With record wildfires driving tens of thousands of Californians from their homes, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would aid in evacuations by authorizing municipalities to use European-style “hi-lo” siren in emergency vehicles.

“Keeping Californians safe is my top priority,” Sen. Dodd said. “This unique warning will do just that by alerting people to approaching threats and getting them out of harm’s way quickly. It was used in my district for the latest wildfires and proved extremely effective. I thank Gov. Newsom for making this important public safety tool available to everyone in our state.”

Existing law restricts the use of hi-lo sirens. However, a pilot program last year in Napa County showed the warning popularized in England works well to get people to flee encroaching wildfires. The alerts were used in the recent LNU Lightning Complex fires by Napa, Sonoma and Solano county deputies. Senate Bill 909, signed Tuesday, allows all public safety agencies to use hi-lo warnings for evacuation purposes.

“I want to thank Gov. Newsom and Sen. Dodd for recognizing the value and impact of the hi-lo siren,” Napa County Sheriff John Robertson said. “We have seen unprecedented wildfires spread rapidly throughout California.  Utilizing the hi-lo siren statewide allows law enforcement to inform rural and urban communities of danger, in a timely and efficient manner.”

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.