In addition to the rapid response of local law enforcement and fire personnel following the shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church in the City of Laguna Woods, Village Management Services senior management arrived immediately on the scene and remained on site to assist law enforcement as directed or as needed and communicated news to Village residents as soon as it became available. Social Services staff also was on scene to assist individuals with incident-related concerns and/or trauma.
Security Services personnel is on duty 24/7 and regularly monitors law enforcement activity. Thanks to their vast, previous experience as chiefs of police, VMS Security Services Director Eric Nuñez and Director of Operations Carlos Rojas have exceptional working relationships with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) and the Orange County Fire Authority, which enabled staff to receive timely information as this crisis unfolded. They were also able to approach the OCSD Command Post when it was appropriate and directly relay our concerns for our residents who were displaced due to the extent of the crime scene.
On Sunday, senior VMS staff were informed immediately that the suspect was in custody. As soon as this information was confirmed, it was communicated via CodeRED and a Village-wide email.
Additional security staff and bus drivers were called in to provide services to OCSD and other agencies.
Enroll in CodeRED: Help VMS Reach You in an Emergency
As always, VMS staff continually monitors municipal and government information sources and communicates any potential danger to residents via our CodeRED emergency notification system. In the event of an emergency or the need to broadcast critical time-sensitive news, CodeRED transmits brief, urgent messages to Village residents as quickly as possible via a phone call, a text message and/or email.
CodeRED forms are included in every annual business plan mailing. If you have not already enrolled in CodeRED, simply visit lagunawoodsvillage.com, click the black and red CodeRED icon at the top left-hand corner and fill out the form.
Village Emergency Operations Plan
The Village’s Emergency Operations Plan aligns with industry standard protocols and addresses the specific threats the Village may face. The plan conforms to the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System, and has received the Excellence in Disaster Preparedness award from the American Red Cross. The Emergency Operations Center Activation Guide serves as a quick-start guide to the Emergency Operations Plan. The information contained in the plan details the guidelines and protocols that are essential for handling a disaster as effectively and efficiently as possible.
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