A $30 million plan to provide standardized breathing equipment for every fire department in Los Angeles County has been suspended after a lawsuit alleged the contract process was mishandled and firefighters complained about the quality of the equipment. Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment is suing the city and county of Los Angeles, contending the contract process was improperly handled in a manner that ignored firefighter input and unfairly favored the winning bidder, L.N. Curtis and sons.
Pasadena Fire Department officials spent more than $320,000 to purchase breathing apparatus from distributor L.N. Curtis and Sons, which is at the center of a lawsuit filed by rival equipment company, Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment against the city and county of Los Angeles. 57 self contained breathing apparatus remain unused at Pasadena Fire Station 34 pending a judge's ruling next month.
Allstar Fire Equipment Inc., located on Lower Azusa Road in Arcadia, sells firefighting equipment to fire departments throughout California. Joe Sposato, president of the company, is providing supplies to fight the Williams fire.
City Council will be asked to award a $78,349 contract to Santa Rosa based Special T Fire Equipment for purchase of assorted respiratory protection and air monitoring equipment for use by city firefighters. The apparatus would be paid for by the state under its Homeland Security Grant Program.
Arcadia City Council has authorized the Arcadia Fire Department to spend $184,682 to buy an urban search and rescue truck and $64,408 on 100 ballistic vests for the Arcadia Police Department.
Investigators have concluded that the failure of a pump on a fire engine was likely caused by a mechanical and/or design defect. The failure occurred on July 4 at a car accident scene where David Contreras died. Chief Dave Lugo may pursue litigation with manufacturer Kovatch Mobile Fire Apparatus. See related story, Arcadia Weekly, July 11, 2002, p. 8 and Arcadia Weekly, July 18, 2002, p. 1.
All the judges in Los Angeles County are in the process of voting on whether or not to consolidate the municipal and superior courts. Their decision would affect the local Santa Anita Municipal Court District.
In a 50-page ruling issued Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant found the environmental impact report (EIR) faulty in 11 areas ranging from traffic to air quality. This means Caruso's mall project is stalled until changes are made to the EIR.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Thomas L. Willhite, 50, of Arcadia to the State Court of Appeal for the Second District. Willhite has also been a Superior Court judge and a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge.
A court hearing today will provide clarification on Judge James Chalfant's July ruling that stopped progress on an upscale mall proposed by developer Rick Caruso at the Santa Anita Park parking lot. The proposed mall is known as the Shops at Santa Anita. In July, Judge Chalfant ruled that the environmental impact report (EIR) that Arcadia officials relied upon in approving the mall was faulty in 11 areas and would have to be revised before the project can move forward. Chalfant could modify his ruling today, or allow the existing ruling to become final judgment.
The city has taken a second pumper truck out of service following a July 4 incident in which a water pump failed to engage on a fire truck. The two engines that malfunctioned were bought from Kovatch Mobile Equipment Fire Apparatus. David Contreras died in the July 4 incident. See related story, Arcadia Weekly, July 11, 2002, p. 8.
Alhambra Superior Court Judge Alice Hill found "sufficient cause" to hold Isaac Campbell, 34, to be tried for the murder of Liya "Jessie" Lu. He will be arraigned May 7.
Judge James A. Chalfant heard arguments yesterday on two petitions challenging the adequacy of an environmental impact study done for a proposed upscale Arcadia mall, known as The Shops at Santa Anita, developed by Rick Caruso of Caruso Affiliated. The complicated nature of the case could delay a ruling.
Judge David Thomas of Arcadia has been selected to receive the 2003 Trustee of the Year Award from the American Association of the Homes and Services for the Aging.
Registered nurse Shawn Douthit, of Cerner Corp., promotes the "Smart Semi," a mobile caregiver station that travels across the country and is making a stop at Arcadia Methodist Hospital. This new technology integrates different systems and devices, including electronics, IV pumps, monitors, into the electronic medical record. Kara Marx, the hospital's chief information officer, already has plans to install a system similar to Cerner's by August.