Posted on 03/01/2025 11:50:18 AM PST by BenLurkin
Amid scrutiny for how the city of Los Angeles and its agencies handled the response to the Palisades Fire, new reports indicate that repairs to fire hydrants could have been made before the blaze erupted.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Fire Department failed to immediately alert the city’s Department of Water and Power that more than 1,000 fire hydrants needed repairs. LAFD reported the findings of its inspections in mid-February, despite the fact that they were performed months earlier.
The inspections were performed well before the Palisades Fire, which torched tens of thousands of acres of L.A. and destroyed thousands of structures, broke out on Jan. 7.
Despite the timing of the inspections, the DWP wasn’t alerted to the findings until a KCBS-TV report revealed on Feb. 12 that 1,350 fire hydrants needed repairs.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
Ballpark figure around my neighborhood is about one hydrant for every 10 houses. Let's say three people per house so one hydrant per 30 people. If LA has the same rate, there would be around 100,000 hydrants, or a 1% failure rate. That didn't cause the destruction.
If your fire protection plan depends on your response capability instead of prevention, in this case an abundance of fuel, then you are reactive instead of proactively limiting fuel. Having said that, even their reactive plan was doomed by inadequate water volume/pressure. And did the fire hydrants failed inspections indicate failed mechanical valves or just inadequate water supply?
Did they actually still ticket people who parked next to the hydrants or is that just a rumor?
Who the heck knows? I heard it was a water supply issue causing loss of pressure or too much pumping from too many hydrants causing loss of pressure. But this part is absurd - only one department uses the fire hydrants, the fire department, so they should have the budget and responsibility of maintaining them, not the Dept of Public Works. Splitting responsibility just causes inefficiency and a “not my problem” or “I’m overworked” attitude, along with pass the buck style delays.
It was a perfect storm of catastrophe. The winds, the brush, the dry weather caused many homes to flare up at the same time. One hydrant per 10 homes maybe works when dealing with small kitchen fires but when embers are flying and winds pushing flames to cause 5 homes to light up at once, 1 hydrant per 10 homes or 1 hydrant per 5 homes is not enough.
Yeah, whatever happened to the coverage of the fires? Are there still some burning? How is the rebuilding going? Any coverage of the displaced residents? Any reports from FReepers in the area would be appreciated. That reporting has disappeared.
They have horrific conservation policies which are diametrically opposed to fire department policies.
Their problem is they live in a city and expect government to help them. Stupid Democrats.
I’ve lived in rural areas for years, I can’t even get City or county services.
So I am responsible for my homes safety eg the nearest cop may be 20 minutes away. They may be closer but don’t bet your life on it.
The biggest difference I see is my homes are at least 200 feet apart from the neighbors house.
So I can make a fire break.
You city guys are packed in like sardines in a can.
Y’all may enjoy living like that, but I find it repulsive.
I have all the same access to entertainments, and services as you do in a city, Little things called satellites are helpful. Granted my nearest Costco is an hour away if the road is open, but it is available.
I live in Hawaii so rural, emergency services have had to stop and ask me for directions.
Don’t ever become dependent on the government!
The corrupt city government knows if one person out of millions shorted them $10.00 on their taxes, but has no idea there is no water in the fire hydrants.
What a corrupt cesspool. Fire everyone!
There’s no glory keeping existing vital infrastructure intact. Money has to go to the new, shiny toys like a $100billion choo-choo. Filling a reservoir, or a pot hole doesn’t get you votes.
No water in the pipes.
.
Hang on.....
Just exactly can go wrong with a fire hydrant? and 1,000 hydrants? How often do you check them?
This reeks on many levels.
They are checked annually where I live.
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