Search and rescue teams and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Air-5 were busy last weekend. Crescenta Valley Weekly has reported on the rescues, now see the videos via a Helmet Camera courtesy of LASD.

CVW story title “LASD Air-5 Rescue” for the video go to:

VIDEO – LASD Helmet Camera rescue of 19-year old woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jetV81NH4Zk

“Four Boys Rescued by Air-5″:
VIDEO – LASD Helmet Camera rescue of boys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZNws-j0qY0

“Hiker is Dead, Two Others Injured”:

VIDEO – LASD Helmet Camera Rescue – Angeles Crest Highway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZNws-j0qY0

A 14-year old boy managed to get cell phone reception and called 9-1-1 from an Azuza Canyon cliffside Sunday afternoon. This led to the deployment of the Sheriff’s San Dimas Search and Rescue Team, and Air-5 Rescue pilots & Emergency Services Detail (Special Enforcement Bureau) paramedic deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department flying in and rescuing a total of four boys, one at a time.

The rescue effort began at 3:40PM when one of the boys called 9-1-1 to report he and his friends were on a cliff and needed to be rescued.

Reserve deputies with the San Dimas Search and Rescue team quickly deployed to the area and, using binoculars, spotted the four boys on a mountainside north of Azusa near Garcia Canyon Trail, off of Highway 39, Azusa Canyon.

The four boys, all Azusa residents, were trapped on the mountainside. The steep terrain was made worse by the loose rocks that would cause them to fall if they tried to climb up or climb down. Also, if one boy were to fall, he could knock others off the cliff as well. This also kept ground rescuers from reaching them.

The ground rescuers called in Sheriff’s Air-5 Rescue who were quickly on scene. LASD ESD Paramedic Deputy Rickey Hernandez was lowered from the helicopter by a hoist as it hovered 300-500 feet above Azusa Canyon to rescue the boys. By 4:50PM the boys were safely inside the LASD Air-5 rescue helicopter.

“Those boys were really scared on that cliff. You could see the fear in their faces,” said Sheriff’s SEB Sergeant Tom Giandomenico, Crew Chief of the rescue. “Pilot Deputies Scott Osborne and Mark Burnett repeatedly positioned the aircraft into place, and one by one, we lowered Paramedic Deputy Hernandez down with the hoist and brought them one at a time into the aircraft.”

“Once they were safely in the aircraft, they were all smiles and thank you’s and started saying how much better the helicopter was than video games,” said Sergeant Giandomenico. “We later learned they had gone hiking and gotten lost between two mountain ridges. They were wearing shorts and t-shirts with no hiking equipment. They clearly were not prepared where they ended up.

The flight crew landed at a park in Azusa where they picked up by a mother of one of the boys. They were not injured.

A U.S. Forestry Recreation Technician working in the Angeles National Forest noticed several people who appeared to be trapped on a cliff near Altadena and called in rescuers at 11:57AM on Sunday.

By 12:25PM, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Air-5 Rescue pilots & Emergency Services Detail (Special Enforcement Bureau), had rescued a 19-year old South Pasadena woman who had gone on a day hike with friends and became trapped on a cliff with a 100 foot drop to a canyon below.

A deputy paramedic was lowered from the helicopter via hoist as it hovered hundreds of feet above Millard Canyon to rescue the woman who was trapped on the edge of a cliff. She was hoisted up into the helicopter by deputies and flown uninjured to Farnsworth Park, Altadena.

The rescue was videotaped by deputies who were wearing helmet cameras.

“The young woman was very scared and nearly let go of the cliff to jump into the arms of ESD Paramedic Deputy Ricky Hernandez as soon as he was close enough to reach out to her,” said Sheriff’s SEB Sergeant Tom Giandomenico, Crew Chief of the rescue. “He motioned to her to wait, and was able to attach the safety harness before we hoisted her up into the rescue helicopter. If she had let go before we were ready, she would not have survived the fall.”

Sgt. Giandomenico added, “When we got her into the helicopter it was clear that she was not having fun today and she just wanted to get back onto level ground.”

Meanwhile, two other people were rescued by ground rescuers.

The Sheriff’s Altadena Search and Rescue Team, assisted by Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters from Station 82, used rope lines nearby to assist the 17-year old male and 18-year old female day hikers who were trapped 40 feet above the canyon bottom. It was unsafe for the hikers to climb down and the dirt was too loose above them to climb up.

Deputies and firefighters set up a rope system and provided helmets to the hikers.

Altadena Search and Rescue team reserve deputies then lowered the two people to safety on the canyon floor, where after telling their rescuers how happy they were to see them, all hiked out of the canyon with the deputies, uninjured.

The three rescued teens were reunited with a fourth member of their hiking group, an 18-year old man, who had been able to hike out on his own. All are residents of South Pasadena. The day hikers were all lightly dressed and did not have provisions.

The cliff above Millard canyon is just west of Eaton Canyon in Altadena.

VIDEO of the air rescue has been made available to the news media and will later be loaded onto www.lasd.org

Sgt. Tom Giandomenico , Sheriff’s Air-5 Rescue Crew Chief said: “Always be prepared when you go backcountry hiking and don’t overestimate your abilities. Always tell people where you are going and don’t count on your cell phone to work in nature.”

The Air-5 Rescue helicopter crew and the eight Search and Rescue teams of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department average about 350 search and rescue missions every year, making it one of the most active counties for search and rescue missions in the nation.

Enjoy Nature – Plan your Hike by filling out the Sheriff’s Department’s Hiking Plan Sheet:

Hiking/Camping is a fun way to get family and friends together to enjoy the outdoors, and to get some physical activity. However, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. You should tell family and friends what your plans are and provide a list of who will be going with you. That’s why the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind the residents of Los Angeles County that having a hiking / camping plan is crucial to survival in case of an emergency.

Before you leave, please fill out Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue – Hiking Plan sheet and provide to a loved one to hold onto just in case something happens to a member of your hiking/camping expedition. You can download the form by visiting:

http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_163961.pdf

At about 8:35 p.m. on Saturday night the Montrose Search and Rescue Team was activated to respond to the Mount Wilson area regarding two boy scouts and their leader who had been separated from their group while hiking and were presumed lost.

They were well equipped for the conditions and had planned to camp at a local facility.  When they failed to arrive there, staff notified the Sheriff’s Department.

The Search and Rescue Team located the hikers near their last known location in the Mount Wilson area. They had begun to set up camp and had planned to continue their hike during daylight.  They were all in good health and were all decided to continue camping for the night. Only one of the boys decided to walk out of the area with the Rescue Team and reunited with his family, according to Lt. Angela Shepherd, Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station.

By Mary O’KEEFE

One hiker has been found dead and two others were transported to the hospital after an afternoon hiking accident.

At about 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in the Angeles National Forest, a hiker flagged down a passing motorist after climbing up to the roadway.

He and two other men, all in their 20s, were hiking in the area when they slid about 600 feet down a concrete culvert, Herman said.

“One hiker climbed up to the roadway and flagged down a Good Samaritan,” said Sgt. Debra Herman, Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. “One was transported to the hospital by ground [transportation] and the other by [Los Angeles County Sheriff’s] Air Five.”

Montrose Search and Rescue team, California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles County Fire along with L.A. Sheriff’s responded.  The sheriff’s are still in the area awaiting the L.A. Coroner’s office to respond.

The American Lung Association released the State of Tobacco Control 2012, an annual report that provides grades to the federal government and all 50 states and the District of Columbia on four key tobacco control areas. In conjunction with this national report, the American Lung Association in California released the State of Tobacco Control 2012 – California Local Grades, which issues grades to all cities and counties in California on local tobacco control policies including those for smoke free outdoor environments, smoke free housing, and reducing sales of tobacco products. To view the complete report, visit www.lung.org/california.

Baldwin Park, Compton, and Pasadena all passed ordinances in 2011 and raised their overall grade to an A. They join three other cities in Los Angeles County (Calabasas, Glendale, and South Pasadena) with an overall A grade. The two biggest cities in the region, Los Angeles and Long Beach, both received an overall C grade. Fifteen cities in Los Angeles County passed an ordinance and improved their grade in at least one of the grade categories in 2011. However, there are still many cities in the region that need to do more to adopt local policies to protect residents from the harmful effects of tobacco.

Once a national leader in tobacco control policies, California’s efforts are now lagging. The state received an F for failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention and control programs and a D for its low cigarette tax. California currently ranks 33^rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for its $0.87 per pack tax, far below the national average of $1.46. While California earned an A for smokefree air policies, the state received another F for poor coverage of smoking cessation and treatment services.

The California Cancer Research Act will be on the June 2012 ballot.

“Now is the time for California to raise the grade,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO, American Lung Association in California. “The California Cancer Research Act is an historic opportunity for California voters to provide more than $855 million annually to fund research for cancer and other tobacco-related diseases as well as proven tobacco prevention, education, and law enforcement efforts which will prevent 228,700 kids in California from becoming addicted smokers.” The California Cancer Research Act is strongly supported by the American Lung Association in California, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. More information can be found at www.californiansforacure.org.

The California Cancer Research Act ballot measure would increase the state’s tobacco tax by $1.00 per pack and dedicate revenues to the treatment, prevention and, ultimately, cures for lung disease, heart disease and stroke, cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses. The measure also would triple state funding for tobacco prevention and cessation efforts.

In 2011, a total of 45 cities and counties adopted new tobacco control policies to protect their citizens from the harmful effects of tobacco. While many jurisdictions took action to adopt strong policies and improve their grades, a total of 355 cities and counties – 66 percent of all jurisdictions in the state – received an F for their overall tobacco grade.

“In 2011, cities in Los Angeles County, and especially Baldwin Park, Compton and Pasadena, continued to make tremendous strides in protecting residents from secondhand smoke exposure and keeping tobacco products out of the hands of kids,” said Sue Padernacht, member of the Leadership Board of the American Lung Association in California – Los Angeles. “But in 2012, elected officials and all California voters can do even more to raise the grades and save lives by passing the California Cancer Research Act.”

By Mary O’KEEFE

A 40-year-old man has succumbed to a gunshot wound he received after a confrontation with a Glendale Police Officer this afternoon.

Glendale paramedics responded to a call about 1 p.m. to the 1700 block of Riverside Drive in Glendale, said Sgt. Tom Lorenz, GPD spokesman. The girlfriend of the man made the 9-1-1 call reporting that the man overdosed on medication and was suicidal. When paramedics arrived, the man was violent and throwing things around and was possibly armed. The paramedics contacted Glendale police who confronted the man in a nearby alley. 

In the driveway there were several weapons including baseball bats and a knife. 

“He lunged at the officer with a knife. The officer fired one shot [to the upper torso]. Paramedics were on scene and treated him immediately and transported him to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds,” said Lorenz.

The Glendale Criminal Team Investigation Unit administrative team from the city of Glendale Internal Affairs and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office sent out the “shoot team” to investigate the officer involved shooting. 

“The statement we are getting from witnesses is it looks like [this man wanted] suicide by cop,” said Lorenz.  The investigation is ongoing. 

Like in all officer related shootings, the officer involved has been put on administrative leave. There is counseling available to determine when he can return to duty.

On Thursday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong, calling on USDA to provide answers about the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) report on its investigation into the allegations that phone calls were improperly recorded and withheld during the initial government investigation in response to the Station Fire.

“I am concerned that the Forest Service’s recordings of conversations on two telephone lines at the Angeles National (ANF) Emergency Communication Center (ECC) during the Station Fire appear to have been in violation of federal or state law,” Rep. Schiff wrote. “The OIG report suggests that the law was broken, but inexplicably fails to reach a conclusion. I look forward to a timely response from Inspector General Fong on whether this recording system violated state or federal law, and if so, what remedies are available, and the Forest Service must do to ensure that future calls are not recorded without both parties’ consent.”

Please find the full text of Rep. Schiff’s letter below:

“Dear Inspector General Fong,

“I look forward to your timely response to this request.”

By Mary O’KEEFE

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department patrol unit out of Crescenta Valley Station was involved in an accident at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday on Foothill Boulevard and Moore Street in Glendale.

Glendale police are investigating the incident that involved two vehicles, a patrol unit and another vehicle driven by a woman.

“[The patrol unit was] driving westbound on Foothill [Boulevard] en route to a follow up call,” said GPD Sgt. Dizon. “They were not in pursuit and did not have lights or sirens [on].”

What happened beyond that is still under investigation.

“There are conflicting statements [between the deputies and the other driver]. We don’t know [what happened] and are still investigating,” Dizon said.

At some point, however, the deputy lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a utility pole. Both deputies in the vehicle were transported to the hospital. The injuries appeared to be minor. Both were conscious and talking to emergency responders.

The other driver, whose vehicle was not damaged, did not sustain any injuries.

Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact the Glendale Police Department at (818) 548-4840. Anonymous tips may be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Sacramento, CA – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to California residents and business owners affected by the Los Angeles County High Winds from November 30 through December 4, 2011, announced U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Karen G. Mills. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following a December 13 request from Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.’s designated representative, Mike Dayton, Acting Secretary of California Emergency Management Agency.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Los Angeles County and the neighboring counties of Kern, Orange,San Bernardino and Ventura.

“The U. S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing Californians with the most effective and customer-focused response possible, and we will be there to provide access to federal disaster loans to help finance recovery for residents and businesses affected by the disaster,” said Mills. “Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations whose property was damaged or destroyed by the disaster,” said SBA’s Los Angeles District Director Victor Parker. “Beginning Monday, December 19, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, and help each individual complete their application,” Parker continued.

The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Los Angeles County
Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Pasadena Fire Headquarters
(Across from the Hilton Hotel)
199 South Los Robles Avenue, Suite 550 (5th floor)
(Validated underground parking is available)
Pasadena, CA 91101

Opens Monday, December 19 at 1 pm
Open Tuesday, December 20 through Friday, December 23
9 am to 5:30 pm
Re-opens Monday, January 9, 2012 at 9 am
Open Monday, January 9 through Friday, January 20
9 am to 5:30 pm, Mondays through Fridays.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses of any size and private, nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size and aquaculture businesses, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Interest rates can be as low as 2.063 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for private, nonprofit organizations and 4 percent for businesses, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based upon each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online via SBA’s secure Web site athttps://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling SBA at (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339.

The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is February 17, 2012. The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 19, 2012.

For more information, visit SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov.
SBA Field Operations Center - West, P.O. Box 419004,Sacramento, CA 95841