firefighters

The police and firefighters have turned it into a 60 billion company

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It is true that in reality The iPhone did not completely kill Motorola, but it left it very touched. In 2007 their cell phones were selling like hotcakes. Their previous foldables, the RAZR, were part of popular culture thanks to the promotional agreements that made Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria Abril Lavigne or David Beckham They will pose proudly with them non-stop. But then the iPhone arrived and things began to change for many traditional manufacturers. Nokia and Blackberry were never the same again, and something similar—although not as severe—happened to Motorola, which, faced with declining sales, decided to split into two different companies in 2008. The “Motorola” of before is now Lenovo The first of them, Motorola Mobilityit ended up being bought by Google in May 2012 and then to be repurchased by Lenovo in 2014. This manufacturer has kept the brand and has managed to revive that part of the business with a remarkable mobile catalogbut the original company went down a completely different path. In fact, the firm has reinforced its proposal with the new Razrthe “mid-range” folding ones that present a certainly interesting option, especially for small cell phone lovers. The popularity of these devices is not the same as in the past, but this year we experienced a nice nod: Paris Hilton, who was already the star of a limited edition with the original Razr 20 years ago, has returned again. At the beginning of the year we knew the Motorola Razr Plus Paris Hilton Editionvery pink, very “exclusive” and not cheap at all. The real Motorola is now Motorola Solutions Inc. But what is truly striking is that Motorola Solutions Inc.the “boring” part of the company that was split up in 2008, has emerged strongly from the situation. It has done so by focusing on what it already did well then: critical communications. Source: Bloomberg. Their products have become a success among security forces and bodies, who use them massively in the United States, but also in countries such as Bulgaria, Brazil or the United Kingdom. In fact, Bloomberg highlights that since they separated from Motorola Mobility the return for investors has grown by 1,000%more than double what the S&P 500 index has achieved, for example, and much more than what other companies such as Ericsson or Nokia have achieved, to which the iPhone did much more damage. Source: Motorola Solutions Inc. Motorola Solutions’ products are very varied, and range from body cameras for police forces to communication equipment for emergencies in health or fire departments and, lately (of course) drones. Greg Brown, the company’s CEO, has achieved turn it into a 60 billion dollar giant. It has achieved this with a strategy in which acquisitions have been a fundamental part and have accelerated traditional organic growth, often much slower. Brown’s path has not been easy, although the hardest part was that division at a time when the company was suffering a real financial hemorrhage: “we froze pensions, we laid off 15,000 people, we announced that we were getting out of the mobile phone business… which were the true identity of the company.” He ended up surviving that and managed to revive the company precisely by returning to what it had become famous for: Motorola was already providing communication equipment to the police shortly after its founding in 1928, although we met it much later. First, when he developed the famous Motorola 68000 processor which was part of legendary computers from Apple, Commodore or Atari. Then, in 1983, when it began its particular mobile revolution with the legendary DynaTAC 8000X. The future of Motorola Solutions seems promising, although it is not without challenges. The company, which will turn 100 years old in 2028is now starting to integrate AI into its products. The SVX body camera integrates AI functions and is the clear exponent of where the current Motorola (Solutions) is heading. This year they launched a body camera for law enforcement that uses AI to create automatically audio transcripts, provides directions to remote operators, and examines surveillance footage. It is the demonstration that that original Motorola – not the current mobile phone, which is now Lenovo – is still alive and well. In Xataka | What happened to NeXT, the company that Steve Jobs founded when he left Apple and that ended up being his salvation

In China they are deploying metal firefighters. Maybe they are more useful than robo-waiters

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China is obsessed with robots to the point that has made its development a priority. That interest goes beyond humanoid robotsand if something is being tested in the Asian giant, it is that, perhaps, we should put more interest in the ‘robodogs‘that in the’robowaiters‘. It all comes from a video that went viral a few days ago in which we can see a quadruped robot in the style of Boston Dynamics Spot helping to extinguish a fire: The video spread across several networks with comments of the style of “we should apply this soon in the West” and, living in a country where every summer hectares are burned without controlI can only think about how the priorities in robotics should be more focused on these types of devices than on continuing to make demonstrations while someone controlling the robots with a controller. Let’s go with the robot in question. One of the many Chinese robotics companies is Unitreebut this one is not like the others: it is about the new Chinese technological gem. Its humanoid robots are taking giant steps, but the firefighter robot is the Unitree B2. It is a modular robot to which emergency and rescue teams can attach a water cannon, a backpack that receives the supply of liquid or foam and a series of nozzles to launch a pressurized jet or disperse the water, depending on the situation. Also modules to enter buildings and evaluate the level of gaseslocate floodlights or carry supplies in difficult terrain thanks to its load capacity and reinforced joints. But this goes beyond a specific model and, as we say, is part of China’s strategy in robot development. Steel firefighters and the difference in mentality compared to the US Whether they have more or less autonomy, these robots allow something key: do not expose firefighters in phases of the operation that may be dangerous. For example, in conditions where the wind can be another enemy, causing the fire to spread uncontrollably. Also, although the robot is seen in the open field in the video, this tool is most useful in fires in buildings that can collapse due to flames. Beyond the Unitree model, there is a company that has been developing this type of robots for years, such as CITIC (with a caterpillar model similar to that of other crews) or DEEP Robotics (with another quadruped robot, the X30). And they are devices that are not only designed to be deployed in emergency situations, but also to patrol in critical environments. One of those sectors is the petrochemical sector. Shandong Shenchi Chemical Group account with “inspector” robots that constantly patrol the hallways of the production workshops. They have sensors that allow you to anticipate a potential problem, such as leak sensors, as well as video, audio and temperature analysis systems. The data they collect is analyzed in real time to make decisions and, if something happens, they are the first to carry out containment efforts. Obviously, the ones that attract the most attention are the robot dogs. Firefighters in cities such as Qingdao, Changsha they already have these new companions in arms that do not replace humans, but rather complement them. They are weapons against fire, but thanks to cameras, sensors and antennas, they can transmit all kinds of information in real time to the operators so that they can decide what is the best way to proceed. And there are not only robots: there are also drones connected to water cannons and armed with missiles that disperse foam to appease the flames. While robodogs are the ones that climb stairs and do work ‘inside’ danger, drones can reach the upper floors of buildings more quickly. Apparently, this is a win-win for everyone. Firefighters have new tools that help them do their jobs more efficiently, exposing themselves less to some dangers. The companies that build them sell these robots and China continues to push the narrative that they are leading the development of these devices. and there is market: HE esteem that the segment of fire extinguishing robots in the country it was about 100 million dollars in 2024 and will double by 2030. Within the Government’s technological development programs, the priority development of robots and other high-performance equipment for immediate use is contemplated, incentivizing companies to carry out the relevant innovations. because here China has a very specific vision and very far from the Western one: robots have to get to work right now. We have already seen companies that are acting as last mile delivery drivers for businesses, ‘releasing’ their robots in the subwaysharing cars with humans until they reach their destination. Also guide robodogs to help blind people. Because yes, there are already military forces here with robot dogs, but just as before they had remote-controlled drones to defuse bombs, for example. And the approach is very similar to what we are seeing with the development of artificial intelligence: while the US continues to develop and developmaking AI a capital issue for the country in terms of technological supremacy, and being tremendously expensive, China encourages its companies to create a AI that can be marketed as soon as possible. My colleague Javier Pastor I was commenting on this a few weeks ago.: While the US seeks to achieve AGI – artificial general intelligence -, China wants AI to be used in everyday life. In the end, the Asian giant is not alone in this and Japan is also testing the use of robots to extinguish fires that would be of great help in many other corners of the world. Images | Unitree In Xataka | A new unstoppable police robot patrols in China: it identifies targets, launches nets, gas bombs and almost never rests

How to load the mobile to avoid accidents according to firefighters in Madrid

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Let’s tell you How to load your mobile safely To avoid accidents, According to the firefighters of Madrid. Loading your mobile is sure, but that does not mean that accidents do not happen, and those who come in these cases are firefighters, so it is logical that they have detected concrete behaviors that lead to them. That is why The Madrid Security and Emergency Agency has published a series of recommendations for minimize possibilities that misuse of batteries when loading your electronic devices lead to an accident. This applies to both mobiles and tablets and even electric scooters. In addition to these tips, remember that in Xataka Basics we have also taught you How to load your mobile fasterHow to do it maximizing your useful life with The 20/80 ruleeither How to do it when there is no electricity. You also have advice on How to load the mobile at night. Be careful with surfaces One of the first things to take into account when loading the mobile is Be careful with the surface the place where you put them to load. Avoid putting them in a place where they give them the direct light of the Sun, near some device with heat. Come on, nothing to leave them loading on the dashboard of the car in summer or next to a radiator when we are in winter. Neither do you let it carry it on a textile surfacesuch as the bed, a chair or the sofa, and neither close to an easily flammable material such as curtains or cushions. This would make that there is an accident everything accelerated and started to burn. In this aspect, the safest thing is Choose a smooth surface non -fuelone that allows easy ventilation to prevent overheat. In the case of patinetes or electric bikes, it is best to load them outdoors where the dispersion of flammable or toxic gases is facilitated in case of fire. Be careful with the charger you use It is true that technology is increasingly expensive, but using the cheapest charger you find can be dangerous. That is why it is recommended Always use approved loaders. Not only those of the manufacturer itself, but also those of brands with good reputation and that always have security homologation. Nor do you use old loaders who are already deteriorated, however approved they were. In addition, this is important, Disconnect the device when you finish loadingbecause that can lead to overheating. And if when you are going to disconnect the charger you see that it is burning or very hot, again, do not leave it on flammable surfaces or near them. It is also advisable to touch your mobile or device during the load from time to time. If you notice that it is overheating excessivelyyou will have to unplug him and wait for him to return to a normal temperature before starting the load again. This, again, will avoid scares and dislikes. Do not repair the mobile anywhere If something fails on your mobile, do not start opening it and try to repair it on your own. No matter the ability we have, we could always leave something wrong that leads to a bigger problem. That’s why, Repairs must make them a qualified professionalwhat also leaves out that neighbor little hands that makes you quickly. Fume detectors just in case Those who give these advice are firefighters, so it is logical that they also recommend Install smoke detectors in your home. Because sometimes the care you have does not matter, accidents can happen equally, and having a smoke detector can save your life. These devices can warn before a fire occurs, only with the initial smoke, and this It gives you time to act quickly. You can turn off the device or unplug it, and in the event that the fire will start you will have more time to warn of emergency services and evacuate your home.

Much of Spain dismisses its firefighters in low season and that is a problem

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Summer arrives, the fires arrive. Spain has become accustomed to the sad reality that July, August and September are more than months of sun and beach. They are also fire, like the one who hits Three songs, Las Médulas, Galicia either Andalusia. Only so far from 2025 the flames have already calculated more than 69,000 hectaresa figure that reopens an old debate: in what conditions do forest firefighters work? Does it make sense that much of them are operational only in summer and do not dedicate themselves to clean the rest of the year? After all there is Who thinks that the fires ‘go out’ in winter. A percentage: 40%. Mount is all year old. Forest Firefighters, not so much. Although the situation of the brigades is not the same in all regions and there may even be differences between operators (many do not work directly to the administration, but through companies subcontracted) A quick search arrives in the newspaper library to confirm that one of the great ballasts of the collective is temporality. And to show a button, or a few. In A chronicle published today in The world Javier Matinsa, one of the firefighters who is responsible for fighting the forest fires of Madrid, warns that the staff of the public company that assumes those tasks thinns drastically when autumn arrives. “40% of the personnel only work in summer, but the ideal would be for him to do it all year because the prevention work is vital,” Reflect. “They are missing about 40 effects per day and there are more than 30 places to meet.” Is there more data? Yes. On account drops and partials, but that help better understand the context in which many of the forest firefighters who these days are fighting the fires that expand through the Peninsula work. In Another analysis of 2023 on the same subject, The world He slipped that around 25,000 professionals who are responsible for prevention and extinction work in summer is passed to 10,000 in winter. The data is based on union sources, but agrees with others that have been developed from the collective. “They make you a contract in July, you work until September or October and then to the street until the following year,” He reported In 2022 in RTVE Carlos Martín, a firefighter from Castilla y León. The public chain estimated at that time that two thirds of the region agents worked only during summer campaigns. In general, instability is an extended problem in the forest sector. The state employment service calculates that 43% of all contracts They are temporary. Why is it important? Because although the fires They devastate hectares (and they monopolize headlines) in summer they are not really an exclusive problem of July, August and September. His management and prevention extends to the rest of the year, as he remembered and in 2021 Carlos Moreno, promoter of A petition On Change.org with a title that speaks on its own: “Forest fires go out in winter.” “Most forest firefighters work three or four months a year, in summer. And the rest of the year? Who cleans the mountains to prevent fires? Nobody,” CLAIN MORENO. His campaign already accumulates more than 206,000 signatures. “A polvorín ready to burn”. The debate is important because the Spanish mountain has been clearly transforming over the decades, influenced by changes in its use and population movements, especially in emptied Spain. In a recent interview with COPE, Miguel Arroyo, disseminator on forest issues, warned That although Spain has much of its territory classified as Forestry, it only manages a small portion. “This means that 80% is totally abandoned and is a polvorín ready to burn,” he says before warning that the problem is especially serious on the private mountain. “The strong depopulation and rural aging, the cessation of traditional agricultural activities, the absence of forest use and serious policies that manage the territory have drastically transformed the territory and contributed to the increase in forest area,” WWF warns. “(That change) does not translate into the increase in healthy, stable and diverse forests. Cultivated and grazing areas in the past are today covered with thickets, young pioneer or rodal forests that, without adequate management, are sentenced to burn sooner or later.” “It’s a shame”. Temporality is not the only problem denouncing forest firefighters. The photo changes From one autonomous community to another, but in the sector it is cried for the reinforcement of the templates, the coverage of vacancies or the increase of wages, among other demands. “When you live the things you live, it hurts a lot that we are not recognized”, Pablo Antón recognizesone of the troops of the public company Tragsa who works in the Community of Madrid. In A recent interview With RTVE, Jesús Molina, president of the Company Committee of the Forest Firefighters of the region, assured that there are 33 uncovered vacancies and the collective has more than a decade with the frozen salary, which has even led him to convene A strike. Guild complaints extend to other latitudes of the country, such as Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha either Galicia. The guild looks now with expectation THE NEW LAW OF THE SECTOR. The flames advance. As a backdrop are the fires that over the last days and weeks have been extended by Galicia, Madrid, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha or Navarra, leaving several dead and a calcined surface balance that, so far this year, overcomes the long 69,000 hectareswhich exceeds the average of the last 18 years. A time ago Civio published A map which shows that in the last decades that scourge has been felt unequally in the Spanish territory, priming mostly with Galicia, part of the Cantabrian and some points of Extremadura. Images | Ministry for ecological transition 1, 2 and 3 In Xataka | In the middle of the fire, there is something that Spanish firefighters are very aware: the 30-30 rule

China already has an army of drones and firefighters. And fight the fire to cannon

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In recent days, a video has gone viral in Chinese networks: that of a skyscraper 150 meters with flames at the top. The special thing is that, fighting the flames there were no human firefighters, but drones. And, however futuristic it is, the craziest thing is that those drones are not alone: ​​next to you there are dogs, Robot dogs that have already been incorporated into the Fire Department. Fire drones. Fire can appear at any time. In Spain we know well, especially in summerand fighting it is dangerous for specialists. A way to give a first response to fire is Through robots and drones. But apart from being able to fight the fire without putting us at risk, the advantage is that they can reach high points to which a human would take longer to access. That’s why being able to fly, basically. In the video that we leave on these lines we can see some maneuvers in which two strategies against fire are raised. One is the most striking: robots that, armed with hoses, expel water and foam to placate the flames that appear abroad. As we say, it is something we carry years Seeing in different maneuvers in China. Fighting the fire to missile. Thus, there are several drones that can already rise to 200 meters and start fighting the flames in less than 30 seconds. It is a figure that a human cannot match and that gives time to land equipment to address the entrance to the building and rescue work. One of those models is the HZH CF30a drone with six blades capable of loading up to 30 kilos of weight and that has an interesting feature: it can be equipped with a multitude of tools, from emergency equipment for survival work to missile pitchers that are thrown into the interior to placate the flames from within. EHANG 216F. But there are also manned vehicles. An example is the EHANG 216-Fsimilar to the one that has already completed Test flights for the National Police of Spainbut focused on tasks of extinction and fire assessment in upper skyscrapers. With 16 propellers, an electric motor per propeller, a maximum speed of 130 km/Hy a flight time of 21 minutes, firefighters can use it in two ways. One, as an identification vehicle. Thanks to the camera and sensors like lidarThey can identify the location of the most critical points to act. The second, as a direct action vehicle thanks to its pressurized nozzle to expel fire extinction fluid and its six projectiles full of dry dust superfine. The payload they can transport is 220 kilos and the idea is that the cities fire stations can respond to fires in high -rise buildings that are within a three -kilometer radius with respect to the station itself. Special Unitree B2. Beyond the autonomous and manned drones, another recent added to the Fire Response forces are the United Square robots. Yes, the New Chinese technological jewel that has put to fight to two of his robots. A few weeks ago, They announced A version of your UNITREE B2 Designed for emergencies in dangerous environments. It is a modular robot that can be used within flames buildings to locate the focus, evaluate the level of gases or, directly, use a water and foam cannon that can be coupled to the spine. This model is reinforced with more resistant joints that help greater security when the robot is move through complicated landsuch as stairs or collapsed buildings. As we say, it has several modules that can be installed, being one of them a kind of “shield” that expels water not to turn off the fire, but to prevent the robot from overheating and can, thus, continue to operate in complicated conditions with fire. Rescue robots. And that there is so much device focused on rescue and emergency work in China is not a coincidence. It is something that is being promoted from companies and Governmentas demonstrates the recent International Emergency Exhibition of the Yangtze River Delta. Although it seems a specific name, the Expo has become a meeting point in which innovations are shown in the field of security, rescue work and disaster prevention. 500 companies from 20 countries gathered to show their technology, being models such as that of Unitree some of the main dishes of the event. Because, in the end, China is not alone in this. Japan already has its “Dragon firefighter”To combat the fire and we are clear that they can also be Help in natural disastersas forest fires. Images | UNITREE, Ehang In Xataka | In China patrol a new unstoppable police robot: identifies objectives, launches networks, gas bombs and almost never rests

The mountains needs maintenance, but doing so is expensive. In León they have opted for four -legged firefighters and hooves

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Environmental care does not always require large investments or technologies to the last. Sometimes, you just need controlled grazing to prevent problems in electrical networks. Everything may sound very confusing, but a pioneering project has found a great solution. Short. As the saying would say, it is better to prevent than cure, and so is the Redeia project in the Leonese mountain that uses sheep, cows and horses to control the vegetation under high voltage lines. The “Network Pasture” initiative It has joined eight livestock farmsthrough its subsidiary Red Eléctrica, where more than 3,300 animals distributed in different areas of the province, such as La Robla, Villamanín, Pola de Gordón, La Ercina and Cistierna. Grazing. In the Leonese mountain, the project covers 65 hectares and 28 kilometers of electric lines between Soto-Robla and Velilla-Robla. Grazing, which includes a total of 2,900 sheep, 370 cows and 35 horses, improves local biodiversity and reduces the risk of forest fires. This initiative is a clear example of how traditional livestock practices can contribute to the protection of nature. In depth. “Network grazing” is part of your Comprehensive Impact Strategywhich seeks to generate value in the territories where their infrastructure are present, solving social and environmental problems of the communities. Besides, Its objective is Integrate extensive livestock with electrical infrastructure, using cattle to perform vegetation debrote tasks. This approach not only contributes to solving environmental problems, but also socially through employment creation and support for local farmers. Latest technologies. In this project an innovation has been included and it is the use of drones for livestock management. Not only does it improve the efficiency in livestock management, but also offers new opportunities for the adaptation of livestock to the needs of the 21st century. Previously. The initiative was launched in 2022 in Casares de Arbas (Villamanín), where cattle were started to control the vegetation under 3.5 kilometers of lying, about nine hectares. Since then, the project has grown, extending the grazed surface and increasing the number of participating farmers, with the collaboration of the Agrovidar company to manage the project. According to The data collectedthe grazing areas have registered an improvement in biodiversity that other areas where grazing has not been carried out. This translates into a greater presence of arthropods, butterflies, pollinators and floral units. In addition, cattle have reduced biomass volume and modified the type of vegetation, thus reducing the risk of forest fires. Expansion. The expansion of the initiative is taking shape in several locations in the province of León. It is also planned to be extended in the future with more livestock and more grazed areas, which could further benefit biodiversity and reduce the risk of fire in other areas of the region. Image | Unspash Xataka | Australia compared 1,700 sheep and discovered something unexpected: those that graze between solar panels of better quality wool

Firefighters struggle to control large fire north of Los Angeles

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CASTAIC, California, USA — Firefighters were trying to stay ahead of a huge, fast-moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and left more than 50,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings. The Hughes Fire began late Wednesday morning and in less than a day had burned nearly 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreational area about 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. of the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that have been burning for three weeks. Although the region was under a red flag warning for critical fire risk, winds were not as strong as when those fires started, allowing firefighting aircraft to drop tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the new fire. By Wednesday night, approximately 14% of the Hughes Fire had been contained. “The situation we are in today is very different from the situation we were in 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday night. (John Locher/Associated Press) (Café de Leche / Matthew Schodorf) Red flag warnings were extended until 10 a.m. Friday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Officials remained concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could break their containment lines as firefighters continue to monitor hot spots. More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the Hughes Fire, and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. No houses or other structures burned were reported. Parts of Interstate 5 near the Hughes Fire that had been closed reopened Wednesday night. County police officers return to their vehicle after observing flames caused by the Hughes Fire along a road in Castaic, Calif.ornia, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Ethan Swope/AP) A 48-kilometer (30-mile) stretch of the main north-south artery had been reserved for emergency vehicles, to move equipment and to prevent accidents due to smoke crossing the highway. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft attempted to prevent the wind-driven fire from crossing the interstate and heading toward Castaic. Marrone said since the winds were not as strong as they were two weeks ago, aerial crews were able to drop fire retardant on the south side of the fire, where the flames were moving. More than 4,000 firefighters were assigned to the fire, he said. Winds in the area were blowing at 67 kilometers per hour (42 miles per hour) in the afternoon. They had reached 65 mph (105 km/h) in some mountain spots by Wednesday night, according to David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Kayla Amara drove to the Stonegate neighborhood in Castaic to pick up items from the house of a friend who had run out to pick up her daughter from preschool. While Amara was packing up the car, she learned that the fire had dramatically increased in size and decided to spray the property with a hose. “Other people are also spraying their houses with hoses. I hope there is a house to return to,” Amara said as police cars raced through the streets and flames engulfed trees on a hill in the distance. Amara, a nurse who lives in nearby Valencia, said she has been on edge for weeks as massive fires devastated Southern California. “It’s been stressful with those other fires, but now that this one is close to home it’s just super stressful,” he said. To the south, Los Angeles officials began preparing for possible rain as some residents were allowed to return to the charred areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena. The windy weather was expected to last through Thursday and rain could begin as early as Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. “Rain is forecast and the threat of mud and debris flows in our fire-affected communities is real,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a news conference Wednesday morning. Firefighters spray water on the Hughes Fire in Castaic, California, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Ethan Swope/AP) Fire crews filled sandbags for communities while county workers installed barriers and cleaned drainage pipes and basins. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event. Health Director Los Angeles County Public Prosecutor Barbara Ferrer warned that the ash could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful materials. “Even brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning. Low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and high winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they began Jan. 7. The fence on the Palisades fire reached 70%, and the Eaton fire was at 95%. Luna said Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 missing person reports from both fire zones. All of the people reported missing are adults, he said. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings. Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging that Southern California Edison equipment caused the fire. On Tuesday, a judge overseeing one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started.

The private firefighters that the rich in Los Angeles hire to save their properties from fires (and the criticism that this generates)

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Image source, Getty Images photo caption, The fires in Los Angeles have required all the resources of firefighters. Item information Author, Dario M. Brooks Author’s title, BBC News World January 18, 2025 In the midst of the emergency in Los Angeles, a request for help placed in X by a businessman uncovered a controversy a few days ago. Keith Wasserman, a CEO of an investment firm, wrote on the social network: “Does anyone have contacts with private firefighters to protect our house in Pacific Palisades? We need to act quickly. All the neighboring houses are on fire. We will pay any amount. Thank you” . Your house in Pacific Palisadesone of the neighborhoods where wealthy people live and which has been one of the most affected by the fireswas under threat of fire. Shortly afterward it was learned that it was consumed by flames. But Wasserman’s request for help from private firefighters generated a lot of criticism, from those who rejected the availability of resources to fight fires to the highest bidder, to those who considered it unethical to send workers to risk their lives. “So you’re suggesting that potentially vital (even ‘private’) resources be diverted to save your house because you’re rich while tens of thousands of people are trying to evacuate?” questioned a user identified as Renny. “The nerve is incredible… His family is evacuated and he tries to hire private firefighters to risk their lives to save a house that is probably insured,” wrote Sam Vance in another response to Wasserman’s message, who after criticism deactivated your account. However, what Wasserman was requesting is a private fire response service known for several years in Los Angeles and other parts vulnerable to this type of emergency in the United States. In fact, in that same city in 2018 another controversy arose after Kim Kardashian and her then-husband, Kanye West, hired a private fire service to protect their home in Calabasas from a forest fire. Kardashian then defended herself against the criticism, pointing out that the out-of-pocket hire not only saved her $50 million mansion, but helped her neighbors. Image source, Getty Images photo caption, Private fire control services primarily do preventive work. Specialists point out that private hiring of firefighters is more unusual than the current emergency makes it seem. The firms regularly serve businesses, insurance companies and, in the least cases, small clients. This is confirmed by Deborah Miley, director of the National Wildland Fire Fighting Association, which represents more than 300 private firefighting firms. Miley explained to the newspaper The New York Times that almost half (42%) of the firefighters in the United States are hired by this type of company. Joe Torres, from the private services company All-Risk Shield, explains to BBC Mundo that this is his case. “It’s usually an annual subscription. We do a lot of property preparation work long before any fire hits,” he explains. Although the law prohibits these companies from interfering with emergency operations, there are some that can offer their resources on their own. What do private firefighters offer? The firms, of various sizes, have tankers of different capacities, as well as fire crews and experts in protecting buildings against fires, forestry or other types. Regularly retired firefighters join the ranks of these companies. They use their own resources, including water, since they are prohibited from connecting to public service hydrants. In California, a law to regulate these services that emerged in 2018 – after the Kardashian and West controversy – even prohibits these services from having vehicles that look like red emergency vehicles, or that interfere with public operations. In the current emergency in Los Angeles, some private firefighters have been seen guarding residences in wealthy neighborhoods. According to reports, prices vary: from those who offer their services for US$2,000 per hour, to those who guard a property for between US$10,000 and US$14,000 per day. photo caption, The BBC saw several private services guarding residences in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Emma Vardy, a BBC reporter sent to cover the California emergency, found tankers from private companies doing preventive surveillance in the Brentwood neighborhood. “These can only be paid for by the very, very rich,” Vardy said. “There is a small army ready to protect these homes of very, very rich people. People have questioned how ethical this is while there are schools and homes of ordinary people that have been destroyed. And with public fire services in crisis,” he reported from that neighborhood, which still did not have an imminent threat of fire. But the current emergency has put many in the city in a difficult situation. More than 12,000 structures – including homes and businesses – have been consumed by the fire that has devastated some 16,000 hectares, between natural areas and neighborhoods such as Palisades, Eaton or Altadena. Unlike Wasserman, other businessmen have managed to save their properties. The case of real estate developer Rick Caruso has been cited in various media, as he hired a service that traveled from the neighboring states of Arizona and Oregon to protect his residence and a small shopping center in Pacific Palisades. Image source, Getty Images photo caption, Private services offer teams with trucks of different capacity and number of rescuers. BBC Mundo requested comments from the Los Angeles authorities about the private fire operation, but at the time of publication of this article it had not received a response. David Acuña, one of the spokespersons for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, explained to CBS News, a BBC partner in the US, that private firefighters do not respond to emergencies in general. “We do not want nor are we going to delegate to private firefighters the operations that we have to carry out with complex coordination,” he said. To provide help or not? When hired, employees of these private companies prepare property in an area vulnerable to wildfires with controls on the ground: clearing vegetation or flammable materials that cause flames to reach … Read more

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