Los Angeles Area Regional Training Group Preps for Disaster Response

Training As One from LACoFD TSS on Vimeo.

Southern California is the perfect place to live, but it is also a perfect target for terrorism. 

In this video, Harrison Ford describes how the 31 fire and emergency service agencies that serve Los Angeles created the Los Angeles Area Regional Training Group (RTG) to work together to provide a coordinated response in the event of a large scale disaster of terrorist event. 

The La Habra Heights Fire Department is a proud members of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association. As a member, our Firefighters receive the same training opportunities afforded to other Los Angeles County Fire Departments.

Whittier Police Offer Amateur Radio Operation Class

Are you interested in serving your community during a disaster? 

LEARN TO BE AN AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR

The program consists of three (3) days of training leading to a Technician Class License.

You must attend all three (3) days AND pass an FCC exam

WHEN:       Friday, November 4, 2016, 6 PM - 9 PM
                     Saturday, November 5, 2016, 8 AM - 4 PM
                     Sunday, November 6, 2016, 8 AM - 4 PM

WHERE:     Whittier Police Department, EOC
                     13200 Penn St. Whittier, CA 90602

COST:          Fee - $10, includes all materials, FCC examination fee and light refreshments.

CONTACT:  Participants must pre-register by calling Whittier’s Emergency Management Division
                     at (562) 567-9810.
                   

Seating is limited to 30 seats.

This class is sponsored by the City of Whittier and Rio Hondo Amateur Radio Club.
.                

Firefighters Respond to Sheared Fire Hydrant

On October 15, 2016, La Habra Heights Firefighters responded to a reported sheared fire hydrant. On arrival, firefighters found a fire hydrant which had been struck by an automobile, flowing like a geyser. The driver left the scene prior to the arrival of fire personnel.

Firefighters assisted the La Habra Heights Water District to shut down the fire hydrant. Fortunately, there was minimal damage to the surrounding properties.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's office is investigating the incident.

La Habra Heights Recommends NFPA Escape Planning

Escape planning

Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.

Create a home escape plan and develop and practice a home fire escape plan using NFPA's home escape plan grid (PDF, 1.1 MB).

Safety Tip: Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Read all of NFPA's escape planning tips and download the NFPA free safety tip sheet.

In 2014, there were an estimated 367,500 reported home structure fires and 2,745 associated civilian deaths in the United States. Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.

Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound. Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.

Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download NFPA's escape planning grid (PDF, 1.1 MB). This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.

Video: Have some fire-safety fun with The Let's Hear It For Fire Safety Kids. They sing and dance about what to do if there's a fire - Get Outside and Stay Outside!

Palm Tree Maintenance Prevents Wildfires

Palm Tree Maintenance: According to the California Invasive Plant Council, Mexican fan palms are extremely invasive, and palm trees with untrimmed fronds harbor rats and snakes, and can be a fire hazard if neglected.

There are many other types of palm trees that are lower-maintenance, more fire-wise and environmentally better choices. Mexican fan palms can become exceedingly tall, and what makes it an extraordinary fire hazard is the “petticoat” of dead fronds that stay on the tree from year to year if not removed.

The dead fronds may be easily ignited, and in a fire, the fronds can fly all over, igniting new fires where they land. Very tall palm trees are dangerous to trim, so it is recommended that you hire only the most qualified personnel to perform the work. If you have Mexican fan palms on your property, check to make sure they are being maintained to reduce fuel for a potential fire.

La Habra Heights Traffic Accident Sends Three to Hospital

On October 1, 2016 at 3 AM, La Habra Heights Firefighters responded to a head on traffic collision on Harbor Blvd near Kashlan Rd. Upon arrival La Habra Heights Firefighters found a two car traffic collision with three patients complaining of injury.



Firefighters used extrication tools to open the drivers door to remove the injured driver.

La Habra Heights Paramedics with AMR Ambulance transported two patients to UCI trauma center in fair condition.

Los Angeles County Fire Department assisted  the La Habra Heights Fire Department by providing patient care and transporting one patient to a local hospital in stable condition.

Harbor Blvd. remained closed for several hours.

Woman Hit By Car Critically Injured

On September 29, 2016, La Habra Heights Firefighters responded to a citizen's report of a pedestrian struck by an automobile on Hacienda Rd. just south of City Hall in front of Osornio Park in the city of La Habra. 

Photos by Rick McClure

Engine 71 and Engine 72 responded and found an adult female in critical condition after being struck by an automobile. Paramedics began rendering Advanced Life Support to the injured woman. 

L. A. County Engine and Squad 191 and La Habra 1 Ambulance arrived on scene and due to the location being in the County area, patient care was transitioned to L.A. County Fire. 

Due to the patients condition, LACo Engine 191 requested an air ambulance to transport the patient to a local trauma center. 

La Habra Heights Engine 71 and 72 set up the helicopter landing zone in the adjacent soccer field to ensure the safety of bystanders. Firefighter Paramedics loaded the patient into the waiting helicopter and the patient was transported to the LAC/USC Medical Center in critical condition.

Patient is loaded into L.A. County Air Squad 11 for transport