Your Los Angeles Fire Department and the Unified Command Center would like to say-
"Great job, Los Angeles!"  

Thank you for staying out of the closure area and thank you for your help and cooperation in allowing this project to go smoothly and largely, without incident.

The systematic re-opening of the I-405 Freeway has begun. It is expected that the entire Freeway will be fully-opened and accessible by approximately 3:00pm this afternoon.

Your LAFD remains prepared and will maintain its augmented staffing of the affected area until approximately 2:30pm this afternoon. At that time, the LAFD will begin a "demobilization" process that will ultimately put us back at normal staffing and normal, departmental operations by 6:00pm this evening.

A big "thank you" goes to our partners at the Command Post- CHP, LADOT, LAPD and Metro. Also, to the Office of the Mayor and all our local media partners, who played a key role in keeping everyone informed with the most up-to-date information. And, of course, "thank you" to the good people of Kiewet West and the Penhall Company for their efforts in completing this phase of the project well ahead of schedule.

It is to all "Angelinos" and our visiting guests, however, we give "great thanks" for their cooperation throughout.

 

 

Submitted by Matt Spence, Spokesman

Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - I-405 Closure Update - THANK YOU!

Starting tonight, July 15, 2011 through July 18, 2011, the North and Southbound I-405 Freeway and the Mulholland Drive overpass in both directions, will be closed for up to 53 continuous hours. This, due to the demolition of the Mulholland Bridge overpass. The closure may cause widespread and heavy traffic congestion through the Sepulveda Pass and outlying neighborhoods. Consequently, these conditions may impact the response of emergency vehicles into those areas and could have the potential to cause delays in providing medical assistance to residents and passersby.

Our continuous efforts to maintain high standards of service and lower response times, challenge us to be both innovative and consistent. To that end, the LAFD has developed a unique response team for these locations, that will make its debut this weekend. Motorcycle Response Teams ("Motor Teams") will be deployed at two different locations (Fire Stations 99 & 109) to enhance our service to these affected areas. 

Riding Kawasaki  KLR 650 motorcycles (kindly on-loan for the weekend from our friends at Kawasaki Motor Corp.), our Firefighter/EMTs will have the ability to more easily move through traffic enroute to an emergency incident. A two-member team (one team = two motorcycles, each with one Firefighter/EMT) will be strategically placed on both the East and West sides of the I-405 freeway. These teams will also patrol their assigned areas, providing up-to-the-minute intelligence on access and egress issues, as well as continuous monitoring of alternate response routes.

Each Motor Team will be equipped with a cache of Basic Life Support (BLS) equipment, to include an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), oxygen, other essential medical equipment and supplies to handle most medical incidents, until additional assistance arrives. As these motorcycles will be patrolling a largely "brush area," they will also be equipped with "saddle bags" to allow for the stowing of a fire shelter and some brush firefighting personal protective equipment. Each "rider" will also have a GPS unit attached to the motorcycle, a radio and Departmental maps.

Upon an emergency or medical incident, the Motor Team will take appropriate action in managing the incident and rendering basic medical care, as necessary. The Teams offer our response, safe and quick maneuverability, flexibility and the opportunity to render continuous care until a patient is transferred to another LAFD resource for transport. These motorcycles are not equipped with lights or sirens and therefore, will respond with caution. The Motor Teams will be deployed during daylight hours only, from 6:00am - 9:00pm on both Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17.

It should be noted, this is a "pilot program" only and may or may not be continued, based largely on the success of the program over this weekend. Future use of the "Motor Teams" may include deployment at large scale incidents up to and including earthquakes, brush fires and in times of high hazard, extreme weather conditions.

As is always the case, we welcome your feedback.

Submitted by Matt Spence, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD to Debut Motorcycle Response Teams as Pilot Program During I-405 Closure

On Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 7:18 PM, the Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned to assist an animal in peril in the 5300 block of Elvira Road in Woodland Hills.


Neighborhood Firefighters arrived quickly to find a hawk entangled in fishing line strung between a tall tree and utility pole. An LAFD Ladder Truck joined the Engine Company in a delicate effort to rescue the raptor, by carefully extending an aerial ladder 40 feet beyond utility lines.

Firefighters cut the filament line - a possible remnant from a kite, to release the frightened animal. The hawk was gingerly placed in a lightweight sack to protect it from further harm, and entrusted to the care of a responder from the Department of Animal Services.

No persons were injured.

Those who encounter animals in distress in the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to call the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services at (888) 452-7381. Additional information on animal care and control can be found at:

laanimalservices.com

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Video: Firefighters Rescue Imperiled Hawk in Woodland Hills

The Los Angeles Fire Department invites you to become a civilian volunteer member of the Mayor’s Crisis Response Team Program.

The Crisis Response Team (CRT) is composed of professionally trained "civilian" volunteers who respond to traumatic incidents at the request of the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments.

CRT volunteers provide immediate on-scene crisis intervention, attend to urgent victim needs, act as a liaison between the victim and emergency personnel, and give referrals to victims and their families affected by a death, a serious injury, a violent crime or other traumatic incident. These incidents include homicides, suicides, serious traffic accidents, natural deaths, and multi-casualty incidents.

The CRT program is managed by the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security & Public Safety in collaboration with the City of Los Angeles Fire and Police Departments.

The seven-week training session begins Monday, May 2, 2011, and will take place on each Monday and Wednesday evening through June 20, 2011, at the South L.A. Sports Activity Center, 7020 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90003.

The program is particularly in need of volunteers with bilingual capability in Spanish and Korean.

Residents interested in learning more may email: LACRT@lacity.org or call (213) 978-0697.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Help Los Angeles: Become a Crisis Response Team Volunteer

Each Wednesday and Sunday evening, Christine Devine touches the hearts of television viewers with her Wednesday's Child segment on Fox-11 News in Los Angeles.

Working closely with the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Wednesday's Child profiles children looking for loving families to call their own.

It was therefore an honor beyond words when Ms. Devine approached the LAFD to introduce Angel.

(myFOXla.com) - Have you ever looked into the face of a hero? What did you see? Anyone who has done anything courageous has likely had the support of caring individuals in their life. For many children in foster care, they are still looking for that supportive someone to call their own - an act which takes courage to do as well.

Today, we want you to look into the face of Angel and know that while today he is waiting for a heroic family to provide him support, he’s looking to be a hero himself someday because he wants to help others when he grows up.

What better place to meet heroes than the Annual Hope for Firefighters event with the Los Angeles Fire Department?

Here, Angel got one-on-one training from Fire Captain, Rick Godinez and all the gear necessary to play that role of heroic firefighter for the day. First there was the badge which Angel had no problems learning to wear that with pride.

When on the job, a firefighter has to know about buildings and structures and learn everything there is to know about the very cool but heavy equipment that firefighters use.

Equally important is how to take care of yourself when you’re not out saving lives and no one but firefighters know better on how to do that through cooking, so our visit was filled with gourmet food cooked by the various fire houses in a competition to raise money for the fallen heroes. As a new honorary firefighter, Angel got to inspect everything that was going on.

Angel loves to explore. Here we see him as a firefighter but we can visualize him in many other outfits. Perhaps that of a soldier or a police officer or a doctor’s lab coat. He has many more years to explore how he will help others someday. Until then, we’re looking for someone to help Angel and give him the love, safety and security to thrive that only a permanent and loving family can provide.

For an afternoon, Angel was part of the LAFD family and got to be with and model after some of our everyday heroes. There’s more than one way to he a hero, though, and the biggest kind of hero needed by Angel is an adoptive family.

Many Los Angeles Fire Department families have experienced the joy of adoption, and there are hundreds of wonderful foster children available for adoption through the DCFS at any given time.

We wish to thank Christine, the crew at KTTV and especially their sponsor, the Freddie Mac Foundation, for allowing us the honor of introducing Angel. To become the wind beneath his wings - or that of another child, call: (866)921-ADOPT or visit:

www.lacdcfs.org/adoptions

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Putting Wind Beneath the Wings of 'Angel'