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Community Members:
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles were a stark reminder of the importance of community preparedness in the face of natural disasters. In such events, emergency services may be overwhelmed and immediate assistance might not be readily available. This is where the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, managed by the Newport Beach Fire Department, plays a vital role.
Established in 1999, the Newport Beach CERT program has trained more than 1,500 residents to effectively respond during emergencies. CERT volunteers are educated in essential skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. This training empowers you to assist yourself, your family, neighbors and the broader community in an emergency.
Classes are taught by the City's CERT coordinator, Newport Beach firefighters, lifeguards and guest subject-matter experts.
By joining CERT, you become a crucial part of our City's resilience strategy. Your involvement enhances our collective ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. In addition, CERT volunteers often engage in promoting disaster preparedness across Newport Beach, ensuring that our community remains vigilant and ready.
Space is still available for the Spring session that begins on April 29. You can register here.
To learn more about the CERT program and the upcoming training sessions, please visit the Newport Beach Fire Department's CERT webpage.
If you would like a disaster preparedness presentation and more information tailored to your specific community or homeowners assocation, please contact our Disaster Preparedness Line at 949-644-3112 or email us at nbCERT@nbfd.net. The City is ready to provide resources and training to help ensure your neighborhood is prepared.
City Manager, Grace K. Leung
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In a special campaign that will run from late February to early June, the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) will be conducting enhanced enforcement targeting drivers who illegally pass by stopped school buses. Motorists who fail to obey school bus laws can put children in serious danger.
Officers will be monitoring bus routes and utilizing a variety of tactics to identify violators.
Penalties for illegally passing a school bus can be severe, including fines up to $500, license suspension and potential jail time. The department urges all motorists to exercise extreme vigilance around school buses and obey the following laws:
- When a school bus displays flashing yellow lights, this means it is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Drivers must slow down and prepare to stop.
- When the red lights start flashing and the stop arm extends, drivers traveling in both directions must come to a complete stop at least 20 feet away from the bus.
- Drivers must not proceed until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm retracts. Even if you don't see children, there may be children preparing to cross.
The NBPD is committed to keeping our children safe. Drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution around school buses and avoid distractions that could lead to a tragic incident.
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Two significant projects are now underway in the Buck Gully Nature Reserve to enhance fire resilience.
With grant funding secured last year, the Newport Beach Fire Department (NBFD) is establishing 100 feet of defensible space along the Buck Gully perimeter, from Poppy Lane to San Joaquin. An additional initiative approved by the City Council on February 11 will remove invasive species, clear dead vegetation and plant native, firewise-supportive species to strengthen the area’s natural fire resistance.
Beyond these environmental improvements, the NBFD is conducting an extensive public education effort aimed at home hardening. The primary focus is on establishing 5-foot non-combustible perimeters around homes to prevent ember ignition. Residents are also encouraged to upgrade their home vents to reduce ember intrusion -- a critical factor in preventing structure fires.
The NBFD offers free home assessments to support homeowners, providing expert guidance on fire risk mitigation. The department's goal is to empower the community to help prevent wilderness fires from escalating into urban fires.
We encourage all residents to take proactive steps in wildfire preparedness. For more information on individual preparedness for wildfires and other natural disasters, please visit the NBFD's website.
Additionally, the department recently created a video featuring Councilmember Sara J. Weber to highlight the importance of home hardening. We encourage residents to watch the video to learn valuable strategies for enhancing wildfire resilience.
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Registration is now open for the 2025 Youth Track Meet of Champions, Friday, March 28 at Newport Harbor High School, 600 Irvine Ave.
Online registration is open through Monday, March 10.
For more information and to register, please click here.
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Get ready to "ride the wave" of summer fun at Camp Newport, with hundreds of enriching full and half-day camps across Newport Beach.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 13.
Hit the waves in surf and bodyboarding camps or dive into local marine life with ocean adventure programs. Set sail with OCC Sailing & Seamanship or paddle out in a beach camp. Harness skills in active camps like soccer, futsal, pickleball and more. Unleash your inner rockstar, thespian, chef, scientist, or artist in our STEM-focused and creative arts camps.
Secure your spot by April 10 for a 10% or more discount on most camps.
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Beginning on Monday, March 3, the City will be accepting scholarship applications from college-bound seniors and transfer students who can earn up to $700 for educational expenses. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 7, at 5 p.m.
The City's Ackerman Scholarship Program was established to assist qualified students in obtaining a higher education. Funds for the program are provided through an endowment from the Ackerman Trust. Scholarships may be used for tuition, books, laboratory and/or academic fees.
This year there will be seven $700 scholarships awarded.
Students must meet both criteria A and B:
A. Be a child residing in Newport Beach OR be a child of a regular, full-time Newport Beach City employee.
B. Graduate from a high school in 2025 and are accepted to attend an accredited two-year community college or four-year college or university OR are transferring from a two-year community college to an accredited four-year college or university in Fall 2025; AND have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
The criteria used for selection includes financial need, scholastic standing, school or community leadership, school and/or extracurricular activities, and career and life plans.
The deadline to apply is Monday, April 7 at 5 p.m.
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 This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
- Placed two people at the Yale Navigation Center, a County shelter.
- Placed a person at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
- Enrolled three people into services.
- Continued to shelter people. Twenty-five people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Click here to view the latest homeless dashboard.
Click here for information on the City's Good Giving program.
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@cityofnewportbeach
WWW.NEWPORTBEACHCA.GOV | 949-644-3309 | 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
© 2024 City of Newport Beach, All Rights Reserved
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