Home » Sheriff’s Dept. closes Altadena station after OSHA complaint about Eaton fire contaminants – Jobsmaa.com

Sheriff’s Dept. closes Altadena station after OSHA complaint about Eaton fire contaminants – Jobsmaa.com

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Citing airborne contaminants and a lack of running water, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department closed the Altadena Sheriff's Station Thursday after the Eaton fire.

A day earlier, sheriff's officials He sent an urgent message to the patrol carsHe said the air had become so toxic days after the wildfires that deputies had to wear masks while on the job and disinfect their uniforms before setting foot inside their homes.

Later Thursday, the department received a letter from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health regarding the contamination complaint, according to sheriff's officials.

“Employees are returning to work at the station and are concerned about airborne contaminants from wildfire smoke,” the letter said, adding that regulators have not yet determined whether that is true and do not plan to conduct an inspection at this time.

The department said it is investigating the complaint and will report back to state regulators, which it has two weeks to do. According to the letter.

Meanwhile, the station captain decided to close the station as the department worked to get air purifiers, running water and other necessities.

The closure comes a week after deputies first responded to reports of a Jan. 7 wildfire in Eaton Canyon that killed at least 17 people and chewed through thousands of homes, businesses and historic buildings in unincorporated Altadena and nearby Pasadena.

Even in forested areas, wildfires create a wide array of pollutants that can lodge deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory problems and other health problems. But when flames tore through some buildings — like a local hardware store — with buckets of paint and chemicals — the smoke contained additional toxins, including lead and asbestos, sheriff's officials warned in a news release Wednesday.

A day after it began, the Eaton Fire came so close to burning down the sheriff's station on East Altadena Drive that deputies were forced to remove guns, body cameras and memorabilia from the 1948 building.

The park across the street, the bushes around the station, and even the California flag were engulfed in heat and flames flying overhead.

But after initially relocating to the nearby Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station, deputies soon returned to the station, where they had to use small toilets set up in the parking lot because there was no running water.

“As someone who has worked at the Altadena Sheriff's Station for many years, I can tell you that the deputies assigned there are emotionally invested in the community and are heartbroken by the devastation they have witnessed,” Richard Pippin, president of the Assn. Los Angeles deputy sheriffs said Friday afternoon. “Whether or not they have access to running water and electricity, they will continue to work tirelessly to serve the community in dire circumstances.”

But, the union president continued, the sheriff's station — along with the fire station and schools — should be among the first things to be repaired.

“I sincerely hope our elected officials recognize the importance of investing in this critical infrastructure and public safety,” he added.

The Sheriff's Department said all employees working near the wildfire have been issued masks and have goggles for eye protection.

“Additionally, employees are allowed to wear their cotton-based fabric uniforms for easier cleaning and to reduce the risk of contamination,” sheriff's officials said Friday. “The department continues to explore resources and equipment to ensure the safety of our personnel working on this devastating wildfire.”

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