Officials are demanding a probe into the emergency alert notification system after the Eaton Fire claimed 17 lives and delayed evacuation alerts.
Two weeks after the Eaton Fire started, Representative Judy Chu and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger have both called for independent investigations. Barger and Chu cited articles from the Los Angeles Times that questioned when people in sections of western Altadena were ordered to evacuate.
The 17 Eaton Fire-related fatalities were confirmed to have occurred on the western side by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Around 6:30 p.m. on January 7, the Eaton Fire broke out, and powerful Santa Ana winds swiftly spread it. According to the Times, on Tuesday evening, evacuation advisories and orders were issued for a number of neighborhoods in eastern Altadena. However, the Times reported that evacuation orders for western Altadena areas were not issued until several hours later on Wednesday morning. A warning was never given to certain residents.
The Office of Emergency Management is in charge of running the alert system.
Barger presented a motion on Tuesday to hire a subject-matter expert consultant to examine the emergency alert notification system and evacuation procedures.
According to Barger, the county completes an after-action report following each significant disaster. She wants to give the investigation into the reasons for the delays top priority and move it up quickly.
“The victims of this disaster deserve our transparency and accountability,” Barger stated.
Chu issued a statement urging LA County emergency officials to carry out an impartial inquiry in response to the reporting. According to her, the investigation must examine the alert timeline, agency collaboration, and any adjustments to guarantee the systems save lives.
“We owe it to the victims, survivors, and their families to ensure that these evacuation notification delays and failures are not repeated,” Chu stated.