To the editor: While the town hall on fire debris removal from Pacific Palisades was chaotic, the silence around Eaton Canyon is deadly.
Delivering emergency food aid in Altadena and Pasadena recently, I observed that hardly anyone on the street is masking (including members of the National Guard). After 9/11, the majority of deaths were related to long-term exposure at ground zero. Today, there are multiple ground zeroes across Los Angeles.
Where are the Ghostbuster teams in hazmat suits? Honestly, the state’s lack of a timely coordinated response is criminally negligent.
We need to close the information gap between east and west. As we begin to recover as a community, we cannot leave our neighbors without warning. In the Eaton fire, people east of Lake Avenue in Altadena got emergency alerts hours before those west of it. All deaths in Altadena were to the west of Lake.
No more families should face unnecessary risks. Whatever cleanup standards are established in Malibu and Pacific Palisades must be applied and fully funded in Altadena too.
Shannon Thomas, South Pasadena
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To the editor: Maybe it is time for Altadena to become part of Pasadena. I am a proud Altadenan who values our unincorporated town’s diversity and independent spirit. I also like our lower tax rate. But, the firestorm has highlighted our shortcomings.
First, our reliance on the L.A. County Fire and Sheriff’s departments limited the resources available to fight the fire in its early and more containable stage.
Second, our reliance on nonpublic water systems is a hidden flaw that drought and the fire have revealed. While drinkable water is available in the parts of Altadena served by Pasadena Water and Power, the nonpublic water supply remains contaminated.
Third, as we look to rebuild, we need vigilant oversight of what is built. I hear every day from underinsured or frightened homeowners who do not plan to rebuild. Altadena’s charm is the middle-class homes that make up its neighborhoods. Without local, engaged, strong and effective leadership and oversight, Altadena in the future will not be the place we love.
As much as I hate to say it, the City Council and the Planning and Community Development Department of Pasadena are our best hopes for preserving our town’s character. Kathryn Barger, our L.A. County supervisor, is an admirable successor to Mike Antonovich, but the Board of Supervisors’ focus is L.A. County, not Altadena. Our town council lacks authority to enforce building codes or the oversight authority to develop and mandate a plan for rebuilding Altadena.
So, perhaps reluctantly, we Altadenans must internalize what the firestorm has made apparent: We cannot rebuild our beloved town without help.
Charles Hay, Altadena
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To the editor: I cannot put into printable words my disgust that the president didn’t take the time to visit the Eaton fire devastation during his trip last week.
David Hoffberg, Oak Park
