A warm and beautiful January morning quickly turned into a test of courage and preparation as Santa Ana winds up to 80 mph fueled the California Palisades Fire, demanding immediate action to ensure resident safety. With time of the essence, Regional Vice President Terri Harmon and Executive Director Joe Saldana faced what Harmon described as “like being in a fire hurricane” – a crisis that put Atria Park of Pacific Palisades’ emergency preparedness to the ultimate test.
Spotting the fire
At 10:30 am, Saldana was notified of a fire 10 miles away and immediately contacted Harmon. Though the winds initially carried the fire away from the community, their experience told them conditions could change fast. Within minutes of the call, the winds had indeed shifted. The fire had reversed its course, and Saldana received the call to evacuate the building. “I knew just from living here, the Santa Anas were so strong that we were possibly going to evacuate,” Harmon recalls.
A hero behind the wheel
As the evacuation order turned urgent, one employee stepped up in an extraordinary way. Under the direction of emergency coordinators, Betty Murrell, a bus driver from nearby Atria Hillcrest, navigated road closures to assist with the Atria Park of Pacific Palisades evacuation – becoming the only driver to make it through.
Braving hurricane-force winds and thick smoke, Betty arrived to find residents struggling to walk in the conditions. Masked against the hazardous air, she methodically loaded and secured residents onto her bus. “Betty stayed calm and collected. As the smoke grew thicker, she continued to safely load the residents and secure them in their seats,” Harmon recalls.
After delivering the first group of residents to safety, Betty turned around and did it again, navigating hours of traffic to ensure every resident made it out of harm’s way. And she didn’t stop there – she checked in on residents the next day in their safe new temporary home at the Conejo Valley Sheraton Hotel. And she was the first on the scene when another fire threatened just days later.
“Betty was truly heroic,” Harmon says. “Lives were saved because of her actions.”
From hotel to haven
While staff ensured residents’ safety, the corporate team was already thinking ahead. “How many wheelchairs do we need? Do we have oxygen? Do we need inflatable beds?” Harmon recalls the corporate team asking.
By the time all 39 Atria Park of Pacific Palisades residents arrived at the Sheraton, the hotel had been transformed into a fully functioning home away from home. Shower chairs were set up, memory care areas were secured, and essentials were in place for an extended stay. “They even kept a 58-passenger charter bus there on standby the whole time, just in case we needed to move again, and fast,” Harmon says. “We didn’t prepare for just one night. We prepared for however long it was going to take.”
Despite the circumstances, Atria life continued for residents. Social activities, exercise programs, and daily routines remained intact. “I’m happy to share that things are going well, and we are in good spirits here at the Sheraton,” Saldana shared on social media.
Training pays off
Atria’s emergency training isn’t just a formality – it’s a priority. “The wildfire training that Atria puts out every year, as soon as it’s that time, I do it right away,” Harmon explains. “We go through every single item and answer questions... Everybody knows their role and what they need to do.”
That preparation made all the difference during this emergency. “It’s kind of like muscle memory,” Harmon says. “Okay, I know what this means. Here’s exactly what I need to do.”
Prepared and committed
The successful evacuation of Atria Park of Pacific Palisades wasn’t just a demonstration of emergency planning – it also reflected Atria’s strong dedication to residents. This level of preparedness isn’t just a policy. It’s a priority. “I’m proud of our company,” Harmon says. “I’m proud of our senior leadership, how they drop everything and are ready at any moment. I’m just so proud of every single piece of it.”
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