The Los Angeles Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Transportation and City Councilman Eric Garcetti's Office took dramatic steps last weekend to protect LA County residents from what is predicted to be the worst fire season in LA history, by staging a first-of-its-kind, full-scale fire and evacuation drill in the Hollywood Hills.
 | Scientology Volunteer Ministers spokesperson, Ms. Veronica Albano, speaks with city and county emergency response personnel during Saturday's drill, to find out what they need from volunteers when disaster stikes. |
The purpose of the disaster response drill was to let local residents know what to do when a real fire breaks out, how and why they should prepare for one in advance, and exactly how to evacuate their homes if the need should arise.
In a city notorious for its fire season LA brush fires started three months early this year. In May, 150 firefighters battled a blaze that blackened more than 800 acres in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. And with this being the driest year in the 130 years records have been kept for the area, city officials are very concerned.
 | The full battery of monitoring and firefighting units participated in Saturday's drill, the purpose of which was to ensure that the community is fully prepared for this season's fires, predicted to be the worst in LA history. |
Scientology Volunteer Ministers, who were out in force providing help to the firefighters in May, joined the Red Cross and other members of the Cross Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in this Disaster Response Drill. "Our volunteers feel it is very important to support this program," said Veronica Albano, spokesperson for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers. "By holding exercises like this to inform the community about what to do when a real disaster strikes, our city and county agencies are saving lives."
Saturday's exercise was a full-fledged enactment of what will occur in the event of a major brush fire in the Hollywood Hills. Police officers with loudspeakers blaring raced though the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, announcing the drill and calling on residents to evacuate to a local school, while fire fighters and other emergency personnel carried out all the actions they would take when a fire really breaks out in the area.
 | Scientology Volunteer Ministers joined members of the Red Cross, other members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) participating in this important community program. |
At the end of the drill, the "evacuated" families and emergency personnel were enjoying a barbeque at the school that served as the evacuation center, when emergency struck for real—a major fire, less than a mile away from the school. With the fire trucks so close by, in a matter of minutes the fire was under control with no casualties.
"L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, believed that '....a being is only as valuable as he can serve others,'" said Ms. Albano. "Our firefighters and other emergency response personnel put their own lives on the line to protect ours. It is an honor to help them in any way we can."
Spread the News:
|
Vote for or comment on this story:
|
|
