Announcements

New Evacuation Alert System Comes To Torrance Beach

TORRANCE — LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, local officials and members of Los Angeles County’s deaf and hard of hearing communities June 18, celebrated the launch of the Beach Emergency Evacuation Lights System or BEELS.

Originally conceived by Department of Beaches and Harbors safety officer Randy Dean and developed with input from the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, BEELS is the first beach evacuation warning system worldwide to incorporate flashing lights specifically designed to alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to an evacuation.

In addition to flashing lights for people who have hearing challenges, BEELS features announcements in English and Spanish that indicate the type of emergency and whether it is a water-only or full beach evacuation. The audio also includes a siren to warn people who may not understand either language.

BEELS’ lights and speakers are mounted on two lifeguard towers, the permanent lifeguard and restroom building, and the restroom building on the north end of Torrance Beach. During tests, the lights could be seen from more than a quarter of a mile away, and the audio measured 109 decibels at the water in front of the lifeguard building.

Once the pilot project at Torrance Beach has finished, DBH plans to expand the system to cover beaches along the LA County coast.

Details: beaches.lacounty.gov/BEELS and bit.ly/BEELSmedia.

Reporters Desk

Recent Posts

He Tells the Truth When He Lies: A JD Vance Primer on Building Conspiracies

By Allison Butler Lately, I’ve had lyrics to ‘I’ve Got No Idols,’ by 1990s indie-darling…

4 hours ago

Long Beach Gears Up for October Arts Month with Open Studio Tours

  LB Open Studio Tour 2025, October is Arts Month In celebration of Long Beach…

4 hours ago

Charge Your Car, Not Your Wallet, Carson Launches EV Charging Wallet Pilot Program

  CARSON — The City of Carson announced the launch of the first-of-its-kind EV charging…

4 hours ago

Washington’s Complex Agenda in the Middle East

Washington hopes with all this firepower to maintain control over oil resources and stave off…

5 hours ago

California Expands Workforce Support and Protects Homeland Security Funding

Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Expanding Workers’ Rights SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Sept. 30 signed…

6 hours ago

Gaza Aid Flotillas Defy Israeli Blockade to Bring Medicine and Food to Palestinians

Denying Gazans humanitarian aid, impeding ships in international waters and arresting at gunpoint those onboard…

6 hours ago