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.
An apartment fire in Arcadia Wednesday left six people uninjured but looking for shelter. The blaze was reported at about 2:45 p.m. in unit 235 at 425 E. Live Oak.
Arcadia Fire Department received Fire Engine No. 343 from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES). The number is significant and it has been specially dedicated by the state to the memory of the 343 New York City firefighters who died on September 11, 2001.
Arcadia Fire Department's recent reconfirmation of being a "Class 1" department by the Insurance Services office may result in lower insurance premiums for area businesses.
Arcadia Rotary Club collected donations to pay for the Guatemala City Volunteer firefighters to drive a donated firetruck from Arcadia to Santa Cruz del Quiche in Guatemala.
A ceremony was held for the moving of a memorial plaque dedicated to Captain Jerry Broadwell. He is the only Arcadia firefighter to die in the line of duty. The plaque has been moved to Station 2.
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.
In a city that is 50 percent Asian, the first Chinese-American and Cambodian-American firefighters--both bilingual--have joined the Arcadia Fire Department. (Photo of Colorguard, Sun, Pheng and their parents).
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant has voided a $30 million contract that Los Angeles County awarded to L.N. Curtis and Sons for fire equipment. Arcadia-based Allstar Fire Equipment sued the city and county of Los Angeles, claiming the selection process used to award the contract was improperly handled and the judge agreed. The actual funding for the contract came from the federal Department of Homeland Security. The judge's orders require the county to either restart the bidding process or re-evaluate all the bids properly.
A Monrovia firefighter, Fernando Rodriguez, 41, shot his wife, Katherine Rodriguez, and then himself in the parking lot of City of Hope National Medical Center. Arcadia and Los Angeles County fire teams watched over Monrovia after all Monrovia fire personnel were called in to hear the news.
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.