July 9, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Solar Powered Emergency Wifi for Mandeville Canyon.

Pilot program rolls out for Mandeville Canyon. 

By Sam Catanzaro

In a big win for public safety in Brentwood as fire season approaches, the City of Los Angeles’s Innovation and Performance Commission voted in favor of a Solar Powered Emergency Wifi network pilot program that will allow the City’s entire emergency response infrastructure — including Shake LA and Notify LA —  to communicate with residents via wifi during a power outage. 

 The pilot grants $200,000 from the City of LA’s Innovation Fund to the City Emergency Management Department for solar-powered communication equipment, community outreach, integration with the Shake LA mobile app and other ITA systems, and a year’s worth of quarterly testing and maintenance.

“Mike was eager to support the pilot program and has been proud to work with neighbors to better protect our neighborhoods from a natural disaster,” reads Councilmember Mike Bonin’s July newsletter. “The pilot area will cover five miles of the Mandeville Canyon area, where there is a potential of a loss of communication during a major disaster.” 

According to Daniel Branscome, Treasurer of the Mandeville Canyon Association due to the unique geography of the Santa Monica Mountains, signal service in the canyon is much worse than how it appears on a coverage map, an issue that affects thousands of residents in the area.

“Anyone who has ever driven up these canyon roads knows that you’re very likely to lose signal once you leave Sunset. You may reacquire signal once you get to your house, if you live up on a ridgeline or if you get to your house and you have WiFi assist to provide signal. Most likely you’re in a situation where you’re going to have gaps in coverage. Branscome said at a Brentwood Community Council meeting earlier this year. 

A structure fire last year in Mandeville Canyon illustrates that dangers lack of cell service in the canyon presents to the community. According to Branscome, the person who saw the fire was driving out of the canyon. They saw flames, but they didn’t have a cell phone signal and had to drive all the way out to Sunset to place the 9-1-1 call to report the fire. 

The Woolsey Fire that devested the Santa Monica Mountains also demonstrates the hurdles emergency officials face in alerting the community in the event of a natural disaster. 

“Early morning on the 6th [of November], I got a text from one of my neighbors, ‘Did you get the alert?’ I said, ‘What alert?’ The city had used the amber alert system in our community, but because of cell phone service, I didn’t get the alert,” Branscome said. 

As fire season approaches, it remains to be seen how the Solar Powered Emergency Wifi pilot program will play out in the event of an emergency. 

in News
Related Posts

New Agenda Coaching: Changing Lives in LA

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Students Work Toward Applied Success with Executive Function Coaching Services The demands of daily routines and studies sometimes bear weight...

Unmasking ICE: Senators Push for Visible IDs After Secretive LA Immigration Raids

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Bill Requires Federal Agents to Display Visible Identification During Raids U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on...

Bacio di Latte’s Beverly Hills Gelateria Debut Blends Italian Tradition with California Cool

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Gelateria Features In-House Gelato, Espresso Drinks, and Decadent Signature Flavors Bacio di Latte has officially opened its latest U.S. flagship...

Housing for Health Chief Appointed to Lead Unified Homeless Services Department

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Veteran Housing Advocate to Oversee Streamlined LA County Services The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday confirmed the...

Brentwood Feels Impact as Feds Slash Office Leases Across Los Angeles

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

New Tracker Reveals Over 70,000 Square Feet Cut in 2025 Alone Los Angeles County’s office market is experiencing a fresh...

One Last Bite: La Novia Bids Farewell with Final Pop-Up at Cardinale du Vin

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Inventive Latin-Asian Pop-up Serves Seasonal Small Plates for One-Night-Only La Novia, the pop-up kitchen known for its inventive Latin-Asian flavors,...

Interview: The Dinah Creator Mariah Hanson on Legacy, Change, and the Future of Queer Celebration

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

After 34 Groundbreaking Years, Hanson Reflects on Joy, Power, and Her Final Dinah  We spoke with Mariah Hanson, the creator...

Change in LAPD Coverage for Brentwood Residents as Officer Kirk Takes Leave

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Officer Kirk on Vacation Until Late July—Here’s Who to Contact Los Angeles Police Department Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk will...

Shore Hotel: A Local Destination for Summer Fun

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Bring on all things summer. Walking or biking along Santa Monica Pier, you might find yourself taking a pause at...

Governor Newsom Unveils Fast-Track Rebuilding Plan on Six-Month Anniversary of Palisades Fire

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

State Clears Over 5.5 Billion Pounds of Debris From Fires Ahead of Schedule Marking six months since the devastating Eaton...

Soprano Golda Zahra Returns to BroadStage For a One-Night-Only Musical Celebration

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

Hailed as “the rising star of the opera world” by The Hollywood Times, internationally acclaimed soprano Golda Zahra makes her much-anticipated return to BroadStage in...

Transform Your Life: The Free Virtual ONENESS GLOBAL SUMMIT Debuts July 18-20, 2025

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

The ONENESS GLOBAL SUMMIT, a transformative three-day virtual event, is coming, July 18-20, 2025, offering participants worldwide a free opportunity...

Ben Affleck Allegedly Spotted House-Hunting in Brentwood Actor Tours Homes Near Ex-Wife

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

The Oscar Winner Was Seen Leaving His Office and Then Checking Out Luxury Listings Ben Affleck was seen appearing tense...

Bel Air and Holmby Hills Estates Lead May’s List of America’s Top 10 Home Sales

July 7, 2025

July 7, 2025

LA Claims Two of the Top Three Luxury Home Sales Last Month Breaking into the nine-figure range, a recently sold...

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...