Bridging Lessons Across Coasts

On a rainy afternoon in Fountain Square Park, phones in Bowling Green lit up with images of Southern California neighborhoods emptying out ahead of a fast-moving Pacific storm. Counties from Los Angeles to San Diego issued targeted evacuation warnings for canyons and recent burn areas during the February 2024 atmospheric river, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (NWS LA/Oxnard; Cal OES). For Kentuckians used to tornado sirens and flash-flood advisories, the scenes offered a clear takeaway: early, specific warnings save lives when water and wind arrive at once.

Emergency managers in Southern California leaned on tools Bowling Green knows well—geofenced wireless alerts, door-to-door notifications in the highest-risk blocks, and multilingual messaging—while contending with mudslide-prone hillsides and clogged freeway chokepoints, according to county readiness portals in Los Angeles and San Diego (Ready LA County; Ready San Diego). The strategies were not flashy; they were coordinated, repeated, and tied to clear thresholds for when to leave.

Those same principles apply here at home. Warren County’s risks look different—fast-rising creeks, sinkholes, and low-lying roadways near the Barren River—but the playbook for getting people out of harm’s way shares common pieces: trusted alerts, clear routes, and shelters that fit how families actually move. That is the bridge between coasts.

Southern California’s Approach to Evacuations

Ahead of the heaviest rain bands in early 2024, Southern California agencies pushed layered alerts: Wireless Emergency Alerts via FEMA’s IPAWS, reverse-911 calls, social posts, and news conferences that named specific streets and canyons, according to Cal OES and county emergency offices (IPAWS; Ready LA County). Officials emphasized “zones” so residents could quickly see whether they were under an order or a warning. That zoning model cut confusion and kept highway volumes steadier by phasing departures.

Experts say the approach works because it couples precise geography with pre-scripted messages and thresholds—rain totals, debris-flow risk, and road closures—shared across agencies before storms land, according to Cal OES guidance and NWS storm briefings (Cal OES; NWS LA/Oxnard). In practice, that meant door-knocking in the most vulnerable blocks while keeping the broader public informed but not panicked.

Logistics were still hard. Freeways quickly became chokepoints, and shelters had to flex for pets, medical needs, and overnight stays as rain bands stalled, county after-action notes show (Ready LA County). Public works teams staged equipment along known slide paths so crews could reopen routes and keep evacuation corridors viable.

Potential Lessons for Bowling Green

Bowling Green’s infrastructure—interstate access on I‑65, high-volume arterials like Scottsville Road, and flood-prone segments near the Barren River and Lost River Cave—creates different evacuation patterns than canyon roads. But the core tactics translate. Warren County can map and publicize “readiness zones” tied to rivers, creeks, and known low spots, then align alert templates to those zones before storms arrive, a practice FEMA and state emergency managers recommend (FEMA planning guidance).

Messaging can be sharper. Pair CodeRED or local alert sign-ups with WKU’s Topper Alerts so students and families hear the same instructions at the same time, and mirror the language used by the National Weather Service in Louisville for flood and tornado products (NWS Louisville; WKU Emergency). Use simple calls to action—“Zone B: move cars to higher lots; avoid 31W underpasses”—and repeat in Spanish and Bosnian to match local audiences.

Shelter planning should match how residents actually move in a storm. That means pet-friendly capacity, backup power for device charging, and wayfinding from major corridors like Nashville Road and Campbell Lane to host sites. The American Red Cross Kentucky Region can help standardize shelter kits and volunteer training before severe-weather season (Red Cross Kentucky).

Quick prep for Warren County residents

• Sign up for local alerts and program a NOAA Weather Radio with Warren County SAME code 021227 (NWS).

• Know your flood zone and closest high-ground route using FEMA’s map viewer (FEMA Flood Map).

• If you live near low crossings or sinkhole-prone areas, pre-identify two alternate routes to I‑65 and to your preferred shelter.

Community Impact and Response

In California’s storm, residents described heeding alerts not because of one push notification but because messages were repeated by multiple trusted sources—county apps, local TV, and neighborhood groups—according to county debriefs and Cal OES summaries (Cal OES). Consistency mattered; people recognized their street name on a map and moved.

Here in Bowling Green, the 2021 tornado outbreak remains the touchstone for why clear warnings and neighborhood-level information matter, a point underscored by Kentucky Emergency Management’s after-action reviews (KYEM). Downtown businesses along the square and student renters around campus often ask the same questions each season: Which lots don’t flood? When do we leave, and where do we go? Those are answerable in advance.

City and county officials already invest in outreach through the City of Bowling Green and Warren County Emergency Management. Adding simple, repeating touchpoints—preseason neighborhood briefings, short video explainers on evacuation “zones,” and a campus drill tied to a WKU home game weekend—would meet people where they are (City of Bowling Green). Local businesses can fold in continuity checklists through the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, so plans for payroll, power, and staff communication are ready before the next watch is issued (BG Chamber).

Next Steps for Bowling Green

• Stand up a “Know Your Zone” pilot: Map two or three flood-prone corridors—e.g., segments along the Barren River and low-lying underpasses—and publish color-coded zones with matching alert templates on city and WKU channels (City of Bowling Green; WKU Emergency).

• Align drills with the National Weather Service’s Severe Weather Awareness Week to test alerts across city, county, and campus in one coordinated window (NWS Louisville).

Formalize shelter partnerships with pet-friendly capacity and clear wayfinding from I‑65, Campbell Lane, and Scottsville Road, with volunteer rosters supported by the Red Cross (Red Cross Kentucky).

Residents and neighborhood associations can help by pressure-testing the maps and language. If something is unclear, say so. The feedback loop now—before the next flood advisory—will save time later.

What to Watch

Planning calendars: FEMA requires local hazard mitigation plans to be updated every five years; watch for Warren County’s next cycle to shape evacuation zones and funding priorities (FEMA guidance).

• Seasonal windows: NWS Louisville’s spring severe weather outreach typically lands in March; expect city-county-campus drills to cluster there (NWS Louisville).

• Tools and alerts: City and county channels may roll out updated sign-up links and zone maps; verify your alert settings and share with neighbors as they go live.