Comments on: In Reporting Recent Incident, Los Angeles Fire Department Adds A Human Touch To Its Pioneering Emergency Response Alerts http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2010/08/01/in-reporting-recent-incident-los-angeles-fire-department-adds-a-human-touch-to-its-pioneering-emergency-response-alerts/ A Citizen’s Eye View of Public Preparedness Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:57:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: H A Marnell http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2010/08/01/in-reporting-recent-incident-los-angeles-fire-department-adds-a-human-touch-to-its-pioneering-emergency-response-alerts/comment-page-1/#comment-73835 H A Marnell Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:33:08 +0000 http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/?p=11099#comment-73835 You mention the generally infrequent inclusion of "humanity" and the "personal touch" in most governmental communications, and I salute your bringing attention to the Los Angeles City Fire Department's longstanding tradition of doing so in the internet age. I first specifically noticed a similar very human and humane element several years ago in LAFD's report on a multiple-fatality traffic accident. It said in part, which I've abbreviated significantly, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LAFD/message/915 "On Monday, March 13, 2006 at 10:59 PM, ... LAFD .. responded to a Traffic Collision with Fire and Multiple Civilian Fatalities on the Golden State Freeway in Sylmar. "One of the vehicles was engulfed in flames [and] Firefighters discovered the remains of as many as three persons within the one burnt car. "Firefighters remained at the scene for nearly an hour to assist the California Highway Patrol, and later returned to assist the Coroner's Office with the dolorous ninety-minute task of disentangling remains from the wreckage in a discrete and dignified manner. "Brian Humphrey Firefighter/Specialist Public Service Officer Los Angeles Fire Department" Public servants such as Mr. Scott and Mr. Humphrey (and their cohorts) certainly deserve much credit for the manner in which they invariably use the utmost sensitivity and careful phraseology, while still reporting the significant details of what are often unspeakably horrendous events. While this small group of people, because of their duty assignment, are the ones we hear from regularly, I can't help but believe the sentiments and sensitivity they display publicly mirrors that of the vast majority of the thousands of other employees and the management of their department. We hear of the occasional scandals and other unfortunate events that a few bad apples will always get involved in, but the day-in and day-out actions (often genuinely heroic) and attitudes of the rank and file members of the LAFD must certainly be much more closely aligned with those which the likes of Firefighters Scott and Humphrey display. You mention the generally infrequent inclusion of “humanity” and the “personal touch” in most governmental communications, and I salute your bringing attention to the Los Angeles City Fire Department’s longstanding tradition of doing so in the internet age.

I first specifically noticed a similar very human and humane element several years ago in LAFD’s report on a multiple-fatality traffic accident. It said in part, which I’ve abbreviated significantly,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LAFD/message/915
“On Monday, March 13, 2006 at 10:59 PM, … LAFD .. responded to a Traffic Collision with Fire and Multiple Civilian Fatalities on the Golden State Freeway in Sylmar.

“One of the vehicles was engulfed in flames [and] Firefighters discovered the remains of as many as three persons within the one burnt car.

“Firefighters remained at the scene for nearly an hour to assist the California Highway Patrol, and later returned to assist the Coroner’s Office with the dolorous ninety-minute task of disentangling remains from the wreckage in a discrete and dignified manner.

“Brian Humphrey
Firefighter/Specialist
Public Service Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department”

Public servants such as Mr. Scott and Mr. Humphrey (and their cohorts) certainly deserve much credit for the manner in which they invariably use the utmost sensitivity and careful phraseology, while still reporting the significant details of what are often unspeakably horrendous events.

While this small group of people, because of their duty assignment, are the ones we hear from regularly, I can’t help but believe the sentiments and sensitivity they display publicly mirrors that of the vast majority of the thousands of other employees and the management of their department.

We hear of the occasional scandals and other unfortunate events that a few bad apples will always get involved in, but the day-in and day-out actions (often genuinely heroic) and attitudes of the rank and file members of the LAFD must certainly be much more closely aligned with those which the likes of Firefighters Scott and Humphrey display.

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