Eric Alegria doesn't just talk about emergency preparedness — he's led through real emergencies. As a Rancho Palos Verdes City Councilmember, he took action to declare a local emergency when the Portuguese Bend Landslides destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced families, securing state and county resources to protect residents when there was no time to waste. He guided the city through the pandemic, delivering real relief to small businesses and vulnerable residents. And with more than 90% of Rancho Palos Verdes residents living in a CAL FIRE–designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, he helped lead a shift from reactive emergency response to proactive, community-centered resilience.

Eric championed Peninsula-wide investments in cutting-edge wildfire detection technology, including the Pano AI camera network — 360-degree ultra-high-definition cameras that use artificial intelligence to scan up to 15 miles and alert first responders in real time. He helped elevate home hardening and defensible space efforts, giving residents practical, low-cost steps to protect their homes. And he supported the City's expanded year-round vegetation management program, clearing approximately 300 acres annually to reduce wildfire fuel and protect surrounding neighborhoods.

That record matters — because the next emergency isn't a question of if, but when.

The Challenge

The devastating fires that struck the Pacific Palisades and Malibu communities were a tragic reminder that emergency preparedness is no longer optional — it's urgent. Extreme weather disasters driven by climate change are becoming more frequent and more destructive, and our communities need leaders who have actually managed crises, not just debated them.

But emergency preparedness isn't just about the disaster itself. When wildfires, landslides, or floods strike, they create cascading crises — families lose homes, insurance claims stall, businesses close, and entire neighborhoods face long-term economic damage. We need a comprehensive approach that prepares communities before disaster strikes, responds effectively when it does, and ensures families can rebuild without being left behind.

How Eric Will Lead

Eric will bring his proven crisis leadership to the State Senate — applying the same approach that made Rancho Palos Verdes more resilient:

• Expand wildfire prevention and early detection — building on the $170 million recently allocated for early action wildfire response, and scaling the kind of Pano AI fire detection systems, home hardening programs, and brush clearance efforts he championed in Rancho Palos Verdes.

• Invest in community-level preparedness — helping communities develop emergency plans that account for the cascading impacts of disasters on housing, insurance, and local economies.

• Support communities managing water-related emergencies — applying the lessons learned from the Portuguese Bend Landslides to protect families in landslide- and flood-prone areas across our communities.

• Strengthen coordination across jurisdictions — ensuring rapid, seamless communication between emergency response agencies during natural disasters, replicating the Peninsula-wide collaboration he led.

• Recruit the next generation of first responders — investing in local fire academies to build the pipeline of firefighters, paramedics, and lifeguards our communities need.

• Hold insurance companies accountable — demanding that insurers process claims rapidly after disasters so families aren't facing financial crises on top of personal ones.

• Ensure every family can rebuild — because no one who has done everything right should lose everything and be left to navigate recovery alone.