City’s reverse 911 system keeping a low profile

In early November 1961, the Santa Ana winds kicked up in Los Angeles, coming on the heels of a prolonged dry spell. A fire started, and the rest is history.

A day later, 484 homes in Brentwood and Bel-Air had been consumed by flames. Many of the homes had wood roofs. Most were surrounded by heavy brush.

In last week’s huge wildfires, Los Angeles escaped unscathed. The same pretty much happened in 2003’s huge blazes and recent fires in Griffith Park.

By most accounts, L.A. got lucky.

Which made the events of last Wednesday noteworthy.

Why?

A majority of council members weren’t sure whether the city had a “reverse 911” calling system to allow authorities to phone residents in an emergency.

Such a system was used throughout San Diego County last week.

Although the system was far from perfect -- some who should have received calls didn’t -- many people said it was an effective way to issue evacuation orders.

In its defense, the council had other timely issues to tackle during Wednesday’s meeting. For example, they took a timeout to honor 1984 Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro -- for the second time in three years.

Does the nation’s second-largest city -- the one frequently battered by fires, earthquakes, floods, civil disturbances, etc. -- have reverse 911?

Yes. It’s run by the city’s Fire Department.

Which made it interesting when council members Tom LaBonge and Janice Hahn introduced a motion calling for the city to study implementing a reverse 911 system. Both said later they had not known the city already had such a system.

LaBonge’s district includes the brush-ridden Hollywood Hills. Hahn’s district includes the Port of Los Angeles, which has its own reverse 911 system.

LaBonge and Hahn weren’t alone in their ignorance.

“I don’t know if we have one or not,” said Councilman Dennis Zine, whose district includes the mountains above Tarzana and Woodland Hills. “I think it’s a great system, and we should have it.”

Such a system is “needed in Los Angeles,” said Councilman Jose Huizar, whose district includes the brushy northeastern hills. “We have signs saying no parking on some streets on red flag days, but our residents don’t know it’s a red flag day.”

What can you do on the city Fire Department’s website?

Sign up to receive an automatic reverse 911 call, an e-mail or both on red flag days. It’s at www.lafd.org/redflag.

What are the system’s capabilities?

That’s the big question. The system has 22 outgoing phone lines, and the Fire Department says many more can be obtained in an emergency.

The department also says that, in an emergency, the city can obtain phone numbers from the white pages and Department of Water and Power billing records.

Jim Featherstone, the city’s new emergency preparedness chief, said he would prefer a system that he knows can dial tens of thousands of phone numbers in a citywide crisis.

There is some good news. County officials said they are in the process of obtaining a reverse 911 system that can reach the million-plus residents of L.A. County’s unincorporated areas.

Surely the city has other things to spend taxpayer money on?

That’s right. Last Monday, for example, the city’s claims board gave a $95,000 settlement to the former head of the city Transportation Department who had recently been fired by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Is $95,000 more than twice the average annual household income of Los Angeles residents?

Yes.

What’s the back story?

Gloria Jeff was fired last month. She is African American, and some members of the black community were angry because they thought she was doing a good job.

Not everyone agreed. Councilman Greig Smith said she was likely the worst general manager he’d seen in his 28 years working with the city.

On Oct. 17, Jeff filed an 86-word claim with the city; a claim is often a precursor to a lawsuit. She wrote that her termination arose “out of her advocacy . . . against certain wasteful expenditures of public funds.”

She did not elaborate. Five days later, she was awarded $95,000 by two members of the city’s claims board -- Councilman Bernard C. Parks and a representative of City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo.

Both Parks and Delgadillo declined to comment.

“I think it ended up like it did because no one wanted a public fight,” Smith said. “We’re a litigious society, and we get sued every day we come to work. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes fighting it costs more” than settling.

Smith said, however, that he thought it would be nice if the city fought back occasionally, given that taxpayer funds are at stake.

Who won last week’s caption-writing contest?

Attentive readers may recall last week’s photo of the mayor, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger taken at a news conference to announce a program to synchronize all Los Angeles traffic signals.

Many captions submitted by readers focused on the mayor. Thus, the runner-up, from Chad Weitzman of West Los Angeles: “Traffic lights will synchronize when someone pulls my finger.”

Meanwhile, other readers saw a Three Stooges scenario, including the winner, Jim Faulkner of East Hollywood (see above).

And Faulkner’s prize?

We gave him the chance to spout off about a topic of his choosing:

“Driving in Los Angeles has been my ultimate test of perseverance and patience, thanks to the lack of mass transit,” said Faulkner, a recent transplant from New York.

And then Faulkner added something interesting. He works in Brentwood and has found traffic so horrific on the Westside that, instead of driving directly west from East Hollywood, he takes the 101 north to the Valley and then the 405 south to his destination.

And the remedy for this awful, out-of-the-way commute?

We suggest that Mr. Faulkner file a claim against the city for the extra gas money he spends, the time he loses and the aggravation he endures. Remember, the going rate for legal claims in Los Angeles these days is about $1,105 a word.

Next week: the hot dog item intended for this week.

steve.hymon@latimes.com