Comments on: Where’s The Fire? http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/ Lizard people dude. Seriously. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Brian Humphrey http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17961 Brian Humphrey Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:11:29 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17961 Nixle is an very interesting system, and I wish them well. I had considered adding it last year to the LAFD outreach arsenal (contrary to the popular belief that we only use Twitter, we distribute info across multiple new media channels), I found - at least in their early days, that the greatly expressed emphasis was on Law Enforcement agencies, almost to the point of dissuading Fire Departments. While feeling unwelcome was not a particular barrier, I must admit the user agreement was a profound impediment to my unilaterally pursuing Nixle. That much said, it appears that our friends at LAPD & LASD did not have or overcame such concerns, and they are poised to be/are using the system with demonstrable success. When time permits, I'm hoping to meet with the folks from Nixle to see if our agency can agree to a modified user agreement for what seems like a system with great potential to please. Brian Nixle is an very interesting system, and I wish them well. I had considered adding it last year to the LAFD outreach arsenal (contrary to the popular belief that we only use Twitter, we distribute info across multiple new media channels), I found – at least in their early days, that the greatly expressed emphasis was on Law Enforcement agencies, almost to the point of dissuading Fire Departments. While feeling unwelcome was not a particular barrier, I must admit the user agreement was a profound impediment to my unilaterally pursuing Nixle. That much said, it appears that our friends at LAPD & LASD did not have or overcame such concerns, and they are poised to be/are using the system with demonstrable success. When time permits, I’m hoping to meet with the folks from Nixle to see if our agency can agree to a modified user agreement for what seems like a system with great potential to please.

Brian

]]> By: LuvsTuna http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17960 LuvsTuna Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:59:36 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17960 I am receiving fire news via Nixle (www.nixle.com) They are new, but seem to be reliable and up to date. It is a free service offered to police and fire to reach their community. The LA Sheriff is sending the alerts in real time. I am receiving fire news via Nixle (www.nixle.com) They are new, but seem to be reliable and up to date. It is a free service offered to police and fire to reach their community. The LA Sheriff is sending the alerts in real time.

]]> By: anthony http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17959 anthony Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:05:52 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17959 i was wondering where the fire is at now i was tryna find out but i cant find out i live in barstow ca and i was wondering if it was close or not i was wondering where the fire is at now i was tryna find out but i cant find out i live in barstow ca and i was wondering if it was close or not

]]> By: Jodi Kurland http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17958 Jodi Kurland Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:57:04 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17958 Thank you all for the links. Also, thank you again Brian for your candid information on what is going on in your department, who is actually in charge of what fires, etc. Every time I go outside and complain about the heat, I think of those firefighters up against the flames in their heavy gear. They are true heroes. Thank you all for the links. Also, thank you again Brian for your candid information on what is going on in your department, who is actually in charge of what fires, etc. Every time I go outside and complain about the heat, I think of those firefighters up against the flames in their heavy gear. They are true heroes.

]]> By: wildbarrett http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17957 wildbarrett Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:49:26 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17957 Hiya... This is the most consistently updated info on wildfires (entire USA) that I know of...Please keep the link! A Federal site, the Forest Service. If you click on the tiny fire dot on the map, say the Station Fire for instance, a window will open with all current details. And as the Station fire apparently is not expected to be under control until at least Sept. 8th, as is still only 5% contained, you may wish to keep abreast of fire movements. Hope this helps you get some sleep at nights, and eases the info seeking :) Cheers~ http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/ Hiya… This is the most consistently updated info on wildfires (entire USA) that I know of…Please keep the link! A Federal site, the Forest Service. If you click on the tiny fire dot on the map, say the Station Fire for instance, a window will open with all current details. And as the Station fire apparently is not expected to be under control until at least Sept. 8th, as is still only 5% contained, you may wish to keep abreast of fire movements. Hope this helps you get some sleep at nights, and eases the info seeking :) Cheers~

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/

]]> By: California Wildfires: August 2009 Edition http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17956 California Wildfires: August 2009 Edition Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:17:01 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17956 [...] the actual city, which is why the LAFD might not have fire info for all of Southern California (for those who get understandably frustrated over [...] [...] the actual city, which is why the LAFD might not have fire info for all of Southern California (for those who get understandably frustrated over [...]

]]> By: Leslie http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17955 Leslie Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:34:42 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17955 Brian, You have explained the situation with great eloquence and now I have a much better understanding of the complexity of the situation and I appreciate your response and experience (and also your devotion to the service). I meant no disrespect to the firefighters with my frustration in searching out where the fire is heading. I can see the issue is complex and that funding is needed. In the meantime, I am pleased to have found some sources on this blog to help track the issues nearby at: http://wildfire.cr.usgs.gov/calfireplan/viewer.htm http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1856/ http://www.kfwb.com/pages/5109032.php? http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/StatewideFireMap.pdf http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=p&source=embed&msa=0&msid=117631292961056724014.0004720e21d9cded17ce4&ll=33.975253,-117.603149&spn=2.277601,3.295898&z=8 Brian, You have explained the situation with great eloquence and now I have a much better understanding of the complexity of the situation and I appreciate your response and experience (and also your devotion to the service). I meant no disrespect to the firefighters with my frustration in searching out where the fire is heading. I can see the issue is complex and that funding is needed. In the meantime, I am pleased to have found some sources on this blog to help track the issues nearby at:
http://wildfire.cr.usgs.gov/calfireplan/viewer.htm
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1856/
http://www.kfwb.com/pages/5109032.php?
http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/StatewideFireMap.pdf
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=p&source=embed&msa=0&msid=117631292961056724014.0004720e21d9cded17ce4&ll=33.975253,-117.603149&spn=2.277601,3.295898&z=8

]]> By: Rachel http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17954 Rachel Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:48:38 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17954 Brian, I think most of us citizens understand the strain on your department. I have friends that have just traveled down with a Nevada County strike team, and after speaking with one of them from base camp, it sounds like they're exhausted already. I know for me a lot of frustration is pointed directly at our media. I live in the Sun Valley/Shadow Hills area, and when it seemed like the smoke was coming from right over the next ridge, I scoured the news online and on TV, and all I could find was channel after channel of footage of Ted Kennedy's funeral procession. I would think that the local news would be on a constant fire watch with small breaks to watch a funeral procession instead of the other way around. While your resources are strained to the max, the media has helicopters, they can get a good idea of what's going on without you guys having to have constant contact with them. At the moment, I can look out my window and get more info on the fire than if I turn on the TV. Good luck to your guys out there, this one is a doozy....... Brian,

I think most of us citizens understand the strain on your department. I have friends that have just traveled down with a Nevada County strike team, and after speaking with one of them from base camp, it sounds like they’re exhausted already. I know for me a lot of frustration is pointed directly at our media. I live in the Sun Valley/Shadow Hills area, and when it seemed like the smoke was coming from right over the next ridge, I scoured the news online and on TV, and all I could find was channel after channel of footage of Ted Kennedy’s funeral procession. I would think that the local news would be on a constant fire watch with small breaks to watch a funeral procession instead of the other way around.

While your resources are strained to the max, the media has helicopters, they can get a good idea of what’s going on without you guys having to have constant contact with them. At the moment, I can look out my window and get more info on the fire than if I turn on the TV.

Good luck to your guys out there, this one is a doozy…….

]]> By: Z http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17953 Z Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:44:29 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17953 I should add that any fire in the Angeles National Forest becomes a tangled web of Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, and information flows typically from whatever unified command is set up. This is typically updated a couple of times a day, when someone does a full assessment of what are always highly dynamic and rapidly evolving situations. The places I check in these cases are Inciweb, when it works, and CALFIRE. I can't remember any links offhand, but Google can. I should add that any fire in the Angeles National Forest becomes a tangled web of Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, and information flows typically from whatever unified command is set up. This is typically updated a couple of times a day, when someone does a full assessment of what are always highly dynamic and rapidly evolving situations.

The places I check in these cases are Inciweb, when it works, and CALFIRE. I can’t remember any links offhand, but Google can.

]]> By: Z http://blogging.la/2009/08/27/wheres-the-fire-2/comment-page-1/#comment-17952 Z Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:37:44 +0000 http://la.metblogs.com/?p=33204#comment-17952 Agreed with Brian. LA City FD has a severe staffing problem in its public information office, caused by the economy, the cutbacks, and the failure of California's leaders to create adequately prioritized budgets in a timely manner, year after year. Neither is it LAFD's responsibility to provide information on other agencies' incidents. In fact, it's LAFD's responsibility to defer to the lead agencies and/or their unified commands. In the case of the PV fire, adequate information was tweeted by LA County FD. Follow @lacfd . Now, the commercial news situation. Well, it's bad. I've been complaining about this for years. KFWB, as Brian said, goes talk in early September, though you have probably noticed the station's been deteriorating ever since it was consolidated with KNX. KNX has done an OK job, with the resources they have left, which aren't much. Today they covered the Station Fire command's press conference, in which an incident commander took the TV stations to task for not living up to their responsibility to serve the public with their broadcasting. They've pretty much ignored the Station Fire - and it's the one burning straight toward their transmitters and their power lines!!! My only suggestion for the TV stations is to make your case in e-mail and hope someone reads it. It might be worthwhile to suggest that they re-read the part about public interest, convenience, and necessity in their FCC licenses. Say that if they won't perform their public service responsibility in an emergency, you will let the FCC and their sponsors know this. Agreed with Brian. LA City FD has a severe staffing problem in its public information office, caused by the economy, the cutbacks, and the failure of California’s leaders to create adequately prioritized budgets in a timely manner, year after year.

Neither is it LAFD’s responsibility to provide information on other agencies’ incidents. In fact, it’s LAFD’s responsibility to defer to the lead agencies and/or their unified commands.

In the case of the PV fire, adequate information was tweeted by LA County FD. Follow @lacfd .

Now, the commercial news situation. Well, it’s bad. I’ve been complaining about this for years. KFWB, as Brian said, goes talk in early September, though you have probably noticed the station’s been deteriorating ever since it was consolidated with KNX. KNX has done an OK job, with the resources they have left, which aren’t much. Today they covered the Station Fire command’s press conference, in which an incident commander took the TV stations to task for not living up to their responsibility to serve the public with their broadcasting. They’ve pretty much ignored the Station Fire – and it’s the one burning straight toward their transmitters and their power lines!!!

My only suggestion for the TV stations is to make your case in e-mail and hope someone reads it. It might be worthwhile to suggest that they re-read the part about public interest, convenience, and necessity in their FCC licenses. Say that if they won’t perform their public service responsibility in an emergency, you will let the FCC and their sponsors know this.

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