Washoe County’s emergency manager told the Sun Valley Citizens Advisory Board on March 3 that county emergency planners are expanding digital mapping and alerting tools and have secured private funding for a countywide evacuation study.

Kelly Escheria, Washoe County’s emergency manager, described the county’s use of perimeter mapping to draw incident perimeters and publish evacuation areas, and promoted Smart911 (Smart911/RAID Smart 911) for household registration so emergency managers can identify residents who need extra evacuation time. “If you have something … I could put all your household detail in there,” Escheria said, explaining that Smart911 enables emergency managers to target alerts to people who need additional time or assistance.

Escheria described perimeter map (perimetermap.com) as a web tool first responders use to draw evacuation perimeters and publish them for public viewing and said the county is integrating live incident perimeters, road‑closure and shelter information into a regional “dashboard.” She said the tool worked well during the Davis Fire and the balloon race operations, allowing real‑time updates from field responders.

The emergency manager announced that a private donor recently funded an evacuation study the county will carry out with participation from Reno and Sparks. Escheria said the study will combine evacuation and fire‑modeling software with analysis of cellphone and movement data to identify bottlenecks and recommend mitigation actions. She said the study will include a public input phase this year and that the county accepted the donor’s offer at its board meeting.

Escheria outlined broader preparedness work including the county’s accredited emergency‑management program, a regional hazard‑mitigation plan that is updated every five years, and the county’s fuel‑reduction and green‑waste programs. She noted libraries have been designated as temporary evacuation points and described ongoing efforts to make mitigation resources more equitable, including assistance for residents who cannot haul vegetation to disposal sites.

The county described an events working group that co‑locates public safety, dispatch and event organizers during large events to coordinate resources and published examples where that expedited resource allocation, such as a medical triage determination at the balloon races. Escheria said the county is focused on operational coordination, communications, mass care and community resilience.

Why it matters: improved alerting, mapping and a countywide evacuation study aim to make evacuation decisions clearer for residents and to identify bottlenecks that can be addressed before wildfire season.

Ending: Escheria said the evacuation study will include a public outreach phase and urged residents to sign up for Smart911 and to consult perimetermap.com during incidents.