HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/18/2007 - STAFF REPORTS - 2.H. RESOLUTION NO.
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING PASSAGE
OF ASSEMBLY BILL 451 ESTABLISHING THE
MOUNT SAN JACINTO STATE PARK — GLOBAL
POSITIONING SYSTEM PILOT PROGRAM
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WHEREAS, Mount San Jacinto is one of the largest gains in elevation in the
contiguous United States climbing to over 10,000 feet in less than 7 miles; and
WHEREAS, Mount San Jacinto is part of the 32,000 acres San Jacinto Wilderness
area; and
WHEREAS, there are 48 miles of trails in the San Jacinto Wilderness, including 28
miles of the Pacific Crest Trail; and
WHEREAS, the San Jacinto Wilderness area is quite rugged in places, with
several outdoor hazards that hikers may be unprepared for, including high altitude,
severe weather, steep rock faces, and wild animals; and
WHEREAS, each year, local law enforcement and fire safety personnel are called
upon to search for lost and injured hikers and climbers; and
WHEREAS, the Palm Springs Police Department's Search and Rescue Unit was
called upon at least 20 times in 2006 to search for missing hikers and to rescue
injured individuals from Mount San Jacinto; and
WHEREAS, according to the Riverside County Mountain Rescue Unit, 10% of lost
hikers are found deceased during search and rescue attempts, 3% of searches are
called off, but later found deceased, and 5% are never found; and
WHEREAS, Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia has introduced legislation, Assembly
Bill 451 (AB451) which will establish a Global Position System Pilot (GPS)
Program, and
WHEREAS, under this program visitors to the San Jacinto Wilderness can rent
personal locator beacons (PLBs) or equivalent devices, and
WHEREAS, PLBs will enhance the ability of search and rescue personnel to locate
and rescue persons who become lost or injured in the Mount San Jacinto State
Wilderness; and
ITEM NO.1�
WHEREAS, unlike cell-phones, which have limited range and spotty coverage in
remote areas, PLBs have the capability of being detected anywhere in the world by
the global lifesaving; and
WHEREAS, a person in distress could use a PLB to transmit a distress signal to
alert rescue authorities of their location; and
WHEREAS, a similar test program using PLBs conducted in Alaska since 1994
has about 400 persons saved to its credit; and
WHEREAS, since 1982, 14,471 people worldwide, including 4,440 in the United
States have been rescued through the use of a PLB; and
WHEREAS, PLBs not only save lives by enabling rescue personnel to reach
people in distress much quicker than standard search and rescue techniques, but
they also conserve the resources of rescue agencies by allowing them to go
directly to the point of trouble.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Palm
Springs, California, does by adoption of this Resolution hereby state its support for
AB 451 which will establish a pilot GPS program for the San Jacinto Wilderness
Area.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Palm Springs,
California hereby directs the City Manager to send a letter and copy of this
Resolution to its State Assembly Members and Senators urging them to support
this life saving legislation.
ADOPTED this day of 2007.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
By:
City Clerk City Manager
REVIEWED AND ADOPTED AS TO FORM:
04/04/2007 13:11 FAX Cb001
STANDING COMMITTEES: El CAPITOL OFFICE
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION ,yy j,� [�,�T P.O-BOX 5142849
HCUSING L COMMUNITY SACRAMEN70,CA 05249-0060
DEVELOPMENT VICE CHAIR , (016)319-2060
JOBS,ECgNOMIC DEVELOPMENT FAX FAX(916)31B-21e0
AND THE ECPNOMY ❑RIVFRSIOE COUNTY OFFICE
68"700 AVENIDA LALO GUERRERO,STE.B
CATHEDRAL CITY,CA 92234
r,i:n` (760)321-3522
1�;itl, Y'+'Y' Y,11 y' -� FAX(760)$21-e410
❑IMPERIAL COUNTY OFFICE
' MEII" IE`ICri��CIA- ' 1430 BROADWAY,SUITE e
ASSEMB(yW,OAip,N,EIGHTE -F1 DISTRICT
„I II ^ f -� EL CENTRO CA 92243
(760)336-691:
' FAX(760)336.9914
April 4, n007
City of Palm. Springs
David H. Ready, City Manager
82oo E Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, California 92262
Dear Mr. Ready,
T invite your office to support AB 451,which will establish the Mount San Jacinto
State Park-GPS Pilot Program.
AS 451 would appropriate funds to the Mt. San Jacinto Winter Park Authority to
purchase Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) or an equivalent technology,for the
implementation of this pilot program. This pilot program will enhance the ability
of search and rescue personnel to locate and rescue persons lost in the Mt. San
Jacinto Park,by offering, for rental, PLB'S or an equivalent device to visitors.
According to the Riverside County Mountain Rescue Unit lo% of lost hikers are
found deceased during search and rescue attempts, 3% of searches are called off
but later found deceased, and 5% are never found"
The deeply weathered summit of Mount San.Jacinto stands 10,834 feet above sea
level, and is the second highest mountain range in Southern California. Starting
in Chino Canyon near Palm Spriggs, the tram takes passengers from Valley
Station at 2,643 feet elevation to Mountain Station on the edge of the wilderness,
elevation S,g16 feet.
Please join me in supporting this legislation to help reduce the amount of bodies
that are recovered and increase the amount of lives that are saved. Should you
have any additional questions or comments please contact Steve Sanchez in my
Sacramento Office, g16-319-2080.
Thank You,
Bonnie G cia
Assemblywoman, District 80
Serving Imperial and portions of Riverside County
E:MAILt g9uEMBLYWOMAN.GARCIAQ ASSEMBLY CA.GOV
WEBSITE,W W W.ASSEMBLY.CA.GOVIGARCIA
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