L A F D
VALLE VALLEY YVie iew w O PERATIONS V ALLEY B UREAU
I SSUE 12
J AN /F EB 2017
CHIEF’S MESSAGE
BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES Working Together to Increase Safety BUREAU COMMANDER DEPUTY CHIEF Trevor Richmond
ASSISTANT BUREAU COMMANDERS ASSISTANT CHIEF Patrick Butler John Drake Andrew Fox Gregory Reynar
TRAINING OFFICER CAPTAIN II Gregory Galvez
EMS/RESILIENCE OFFICER CAPTAIN I Danny Wu
MANAGEMENT ANALYST II Christal Chacon
Happy New Year! As we look to the year ahead, the staff here at Operations Valley Bureau (OVB) is excited to pursue new opportunities to make our communities safer. At the start of each year, I like to reinforce our mission and vision for public safety in the Valley. Our Mission Statement states: OUR MISSION IN THE LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS VALLEY BUREAU IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, ENSURE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES, AND ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CONSTITUENCY. WE SEEK TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE, TEAM-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT THAT VALUES COMMUNITY INTERESTS, DEPARTMENT PRINCIPLES, AND OUR MEMBERS. OUR GOALS ARE ACHIEVED THROUGH DEDICATION TO TASK, AND COMMITMENT TO OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMPETENCY.
We respect and appreciate the many volunteers that seek to share in our efforts. We rely on our community members to become part of our collaborative public safety enterprise. Considering that we cannot predict when a catastrophic even may occur, we will seek to train and educate our communities on how to respond and recover from unfortunate and unforeseen events. To this end, I request that each of you consider what you can do to help us and therefore yourselves. Over the next year, OVB will continue our efforts in working with the local community groups on disaster preparedness. We will also continue to leverage the talents of our community leaders to assist us with solving complex department issues. We will continue to train and mentor our young adults so that they can become part of our safer community objectives. I am confident and optimistic that 2017 will be a great year for public safety here in the Valley. I look forward to working with you to build strong communities that can assist us with our resilience objectives. Through your help, we will make the communities of the Valley Bureau safe and strong.
SECRETARY Aggie Rodriguez
OFFICE 4960 Balboa Blvd. Encino, CA 91316 818-728-9921 818-728-9931 Fax
lafd.valleybureau @lacity.org
LAFD Valley
RESILIENCE
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM Providing Free Emergency Preparedness and Response Classes Local government prepares for everyday emergencies. However, during a disaster, the number and scope of incidents can overwhelm conventional emergency services. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is an all-risk, all-hazard training. This valuable course is designed to help you protect yourself, your family, your neighbors and your neighborhood in an emergency situation. CERT members are trained in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. You will learn how to prepare for emergencies, what supplies you should NOW have in your house, how much food, how much water but most importantly, how to protect your family in an emergency!
(See CERT continued on Page 3)
Proudly serving: Arleta, Bell Canyon, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, City of San Fernando, Encino, Granada Hills, Lake View Terrace, Mission Hills, Noho Arts District, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima, Panorama City, Porter Ranch, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Sunland/Tujunga, Sylmar, Tarzana, Toluca Lake, Tujunga, Universal City, Van Nuys, Warner Center, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills.
LOS
A NGELES
F IRE
D EPARTMENT
SAFETY
BE PREPARED FOR THE RAIN Staying Safe During Heavy Downpour Safety tips for driving in heavy rain: • If you must drive in the rain, drive slowly and steadily. Pull over and stop if it is raining so hard that you cannot see. • DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODWATERS! • Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling. • One foot of water will float most vehicles. • Two feet of rushing water can sweep away most vehicles — including SUVs and pick-ups. • Stay away from water that electrical or power lines have fallen into; Downed power lines/cables: electric current passes through water easily. • Stay clear of downed lines and if a power line has fallen onto a vehicle, • Stay off your cell phone unless you must report severe injuries or call for stay away from the vehicle. Seek help immediately by calling 911. help.
Natural gas line damage:
Help prevent flooding and keep your neighborhood clean: • Ensure street gutters and alleys are clear of trash and loose items that could potentially interfere with storm drainage. • Avoid placing trash and recyclables in bags or containers directly on drains and inlets. • Avoid placing your trash or recycling carts, trash bags, trash cans or loose items out early on your collection day, especially on days when rain is in the forecast. City rules prohibit trash or recyclables from being placed out for collection earlier than 7 p.m. on the day prior to collection and requires that emptied containers be removed from the collection location by 7 p.m. the day of collection. • When heavy rain is forecast, place trash and recycling bins and items at the end of your driveway close to, but not in, the street to keep the gutter flow line clear and to avoid spillage due to heavy water flow. • Do not rake leaves, grass clippings or yard debris into the street or alley or put them down an inlet. • Never, ever throw lawn clippings and other yard debris into a gulch or stream.
SANDBAGS FREE
SANDBAGS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE STATIONS.
FREE
SAND IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE FIRE STATIONS AND COMMUNITY LOCATIONS LISTED TO THE RIGHT.
SHOVELS
WILL BE PROVIDED AND RESIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO FILL THEIR OWN BAGS.
PLEASE
CALL TO VERIFY AVAILABILITY.
• Natural gas service lines are buried throughout the city, and they can sustain damage in times of heavy rain and flooding. • If you smell natural gas (the odor is similar to sulfur or rotten eggs), it may indicate a gas leak. Immediately leave your home or outside area with gas odor. • Avoid using anything that has the potential to create a spark. • Do not smoke, turn on or off lights, turn on appliances, use garage door openers, start a car, or use phones in an area where gas may be present.
Safety tips for walking or cycling on urban trails: • When rain is falling, it’s best not to walk or bike near a river or stream • Do not walk or bike through moving water. Six inches of moving water can cause a person to fall. • If lightning is present, do not stand under or near an isolated tree or group of trees. • Never allow children to play around streams, drainage ditches or viaducts, storm drains or flooded areas.
COMMUNITY
LOCATION
ADDRESS
PHONE
Beverly Glen
Fire Station 99
14145 Mulholland Dr
(818) 756-8699
Encino Hills
Fire Station 109
16500 Mulholland Dr
(818) 756-8609
Franklin Canyon
Fire Station 108
12520 Mulholland Dr
(818) 756-8608
Granada Hills
Fire Station 87
10124 Balboa Blvd
(818) 756-8687
Granada Hills
Knollwood Country Club
12050 Balboa Blvd
(818) 756-8618
Laurel Canyon/Mulholland
Fire Station 97
8021 Mulholland Dr
(818) 756-8697
Porter Ranch
Fire Station 28
11641 Corbin Ave
(818) 756-9728
Sherman Oaks
Fire Station 88
5101 N. Sepulveda Blvd
(818) 756-8688
Studio City/Valley Village
Fire Station 78
4241 Whitsett Ave
(818) 756-8678
Sunland
Fire Station 77
9224 Sunland Blvd
(818) 756-8677
Sunland
Fire Station 24
9411 Wentworth St
(818) 756-8624
Sylmar
Sylmar Rec. Center
14430 Polk St
(818) 756-8691
Toluca Lake
Fire Station 86
4305 Vineland Ave
(818) 756-8686
Tujunga/Sunland
Council District 2 Office
7747 Foothill Blvd
(818) 756-8674
West Hills
Fire Station 106
23004 Roscoe Blvd
(818) 756-8606
Woodland Hills
Fire Station 84
21050 W. Burbank Blvd
(818) 756-8684
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O PERATIONS
V ALLEY
B UREAU
HEALTH
L.A. MARATHON RUNNING TIPS Training Safely for the Big Run! The Los Angeles Marathon will take place on March 19th this year, and it is important to train properly in order to have a successful run. Running safety tips are common sense steps to being safe, however there are some important considerations to keep in mind: • Identification: Always carry or wear identification in the event of an emergency. Should you be unconscious, you will want your rescuers to know who you are and how to reach your emergency contact(s). Also include your blood type. • Headphones: While you may enjoy listening to music while you run, headphones can be quite dangerous since they limit your ability to hear what is going on in your surroundings. For instance, if you are blaring music into your ears, you might not hear the squealing tires closing in on you or someone coming up behind you. Don’t wear headphones. • Run facing traffic: If running alongside a road, always run facing traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles in the lane closest to you. • Plan your routes: Always know your route and be familiar with the territory. If you are planning to run down a long stretch of road, go for a drive first and make sure there is plenty of room on the shoulder or sidewalk for you to run safely. • Let your friends/spouse know your route: If you are going out for a run, let your spouse, roommate, or friends know where you will be running and roughly what time you expect to be home. That way, should something happen to you, someone will know to look for you if you are late and know where to look. • Be safe at night: Always run in lighted areas when running at night. It is generally safer to run with a partner when running at night. Wear bright, reflective clothing so drivers of vehicles can easily see you. • Stay aware: Always be observant and aware of your surroundings. • Hydrate properly: Remember to regularly drink fluids to maintain
your body’s electrolyte balance.
MAKE SURE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF YOU FEEL • Wear sunscreen: Increased exposure to the sun increases the risk of skin cancer. Always wear sunscreen when running in the sun. OR EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS ABOVE. CERT continued from Page 1
Who can Join CERT? Anyone in good health and with a sense of community can become a part of CERT. If you become a CERT member, you will learn about important life-safety support techniques. You will, however, not be expected to place yourself in dangerous situations, either in the training or when a disaster strikes.
their efforts, and will get to work without any specific order being issued. A CERT member's first responsibility is to his or herself, then his or her family, and finally his or her community.
LAFD CERT members receive 17 ½ hours (one day a week for Training includes: seven weeks) of initial • Learning to suppress small fires training. The 7-week • Basic first aid, treatment for shock, and related techniques course is followed by • Evacuation tactics and how to collaborate with city agencies to support full-day bi-annual refresher drills, and an neighborhood exits opportunity to assist • Search tactics the LAFD at local • Communications, including the use of radios incidents. CERT CERT members receive an opportunity practice their skills at A key factor for CERT members is the ability to spontaneously organize training is provided a bi-annual refresher drill in Sherman Oaks. free of charge within and activate themselves in the event of a major disaster. If there is a significant earthquake, phones and other communications channels may the City of Los Angeles to anyone 18 or over. For more information be interrupted. CERT members will know where to go, how to organize please visit: www.cert-la.com
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L OS A NGELES F IRE D EPARTMENT — O PERATIONS V ALLEY B UREAU
COMMUNITY
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL #1719 Teaching High School Students Hands-Only CPR...and Saving Lives! Hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an easily taught skill that can exponentially increase the chances of survival after a witnessed heart attack—or full arrest. Understanding the importance and usefulness of this medical technique, the California Assembly passed Bill No. 1719 which would require, commencing with the 2018–19 school year, the governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school that requires a course in health education for graduation from high school to include instruction in performing compression-only CPR. The bill would also encourage those entities to provide pupils general information on the use of an automated external defibrillator. Your Los Angeles Fire Department has partnered up with MySafe:LA to deliver an education package that includes introducing Hands-Only CPR, the Automatic External Defibrillation (AED), and related PulsePoint mobile application to high schools in the City of Los Angeles. To date over 2,000 high school students have been taught these valuable skills in Reseda, Panorama, and East Valley High Schools—with future dates already booked in many LAUSD and private high schools throughout the San Fernando Valley.
EVENTS
SAVE A LIFE!
Bring home a new
Family Pet March 26, 2017, 10AM - 2PM Fire Station 83 4960 Balboa Blvd. Encino 91316 LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES COUNCILMEMBER PAUL KORETZ LAFD OPERATIONS VALLEY BUREAU To request LAFD resources at public events (community fairs, school visits, etc.), please send an email to LAFDrequest@lacity.org with the details of your event (date, time and duration, location, etc.). As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities.
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