The Topanga Disaster Survival Guide
Topanga is a unique community—both in terms of its community spirit and natural beauty—but natural beauty comes with a price. The same forces of ecology and geography that make Topanga one of the most spectacular places in Southern California have also made it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as wildfires and floods.
The Topanga Disaster Survival Guide, first published in 2005 and then updated in 2017, is a culmination of planning, insights, best management practices, and recommendations into a single booklet for the Topanga community.
“As you read through your Survival Guide, you will find potentially life-saving information. Focus on the Preparedness section and then create your Emergency Plan using the templates in the back of the Guide. Every Topanga resident needs an emergency evacuation plan that includes multiple ways to get early notification of a wildfire,” said Scott Ferguson, Board Chair of the Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP).
Stacy Sledge, Board Member of the Topanga Town Council for over 25 years, expressed gratitude to the many organizations and residents who selflessly contributed their time to both guides— the Survival Guide and Evacuation Guide. “These guides are a true labor of love representing a dedication for the greater good,” she said. “As we have found in past wildfire events, it takes the cooperation of everyone, and their ability to act swiftly and smartly, to help keep each other and Topanga safe. These guides are more than just an opportunity to better understand disasters, it is a tool that can possibly save your life and countless others.”
REVISION NOTE: This Topanga Disaster Survival Guide is currently going through updates to reflect the most current protocols for emergency preparedness, response and recovery:
Section 3: Pages 52 & 53 have been removed and will be updated soon.
Section 7: The most updated Topanga Zone Maps can be found on OneTopanga.com.
You can download the Topanga Disaster Survival Guide here.