Responding to the Los Palos Incident and Ratifying the Local
Emergency
11-B.
Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Solis and Hahn: Make a
finding pursuant to Government Code 54954.2(b)(2) that there is a
need to take immediate action to ratify the Proclamation of Local
Emergency and related directives; and that the need to take this action
came to the attention of the Board subsequent to the posting of the
agenda for today's meeting.
Ratify the Proclamation of Local Emergency for the Los Palos Incident
(Boyle Heights Commercial Building Fire) in the County of Los
Angeles. The Proclamation of Local Emergency shall remain in effect
until its termination is proclaimed by the Board. Forward a copy of the
Proclamation of Local Emergency to the Director of California
Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Director), and request the
Director find it to be acceptable in accordance with State law, make
available recovery assistance under the California Disaster Assistance
Act, and expedite access to State and Federal resources and any other
appropriate Federal disaster relief programs. Direct County
Departments to implement all assessment, assistance and monitoring
efforts as applicable.
Direct County Counsel, the Chief Executive Office - Office of
Emergency Management, the Los Angeles County Fire Department,
and the Department of Public Health, to:
Partner with the City of Los Angeles, including the Mayor,
Council District 14, and the City Attorney, as well as relevant
State jurisdictions, to initiate an inspection and investigation of
the facility in question, and determine any actions needed
against the operator to provide recompense to impacted
residents and businesses;
Collaborate with City and State partners to ensure all future
inspections and certifications of the facility upon rebuild meet
needed health and safety codes to prevent such incidents from
repeating in the future;
Report back in writing in 180 days and every 60 days thereafter
on the results of the above actions, until the facility is deemed
adequately safe to operate and community needs are
addressed.
Direct the Department of Public Health and the Chief Executive Office -
Office of Emergency Management to work with State and Federal
regulatory entities to monitor air quality and environmental health
impacts in surrounding communities and disseminate communications
and resources to safeguard residents’ health and safety.
Direct the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), in consultation
with the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, and the Office
of Immigrant Affairs, to:
Identify potentially impacted businesses, and promote and refer
to available services and resources, in addition to hosting job
fairs for workers impacted by the Los Palos Incident, and
Work with County Counsel to establish a claims process for
businesses and impacted workers, and
Work with the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) and
applicable partners, such as the Red Cross, to explore the
establishment of a training option for participants of existing DEO
programs, and DPSS participants enrolled in CalFresh, Medi-Cal
and CalWorks requiring workfare hours, that would prepare
trainees to become disaster service workers, deployable to
assist with temporary shelters and resource distribution.
Report back on the progress of directives 1 and 2 in writing in 30
days, and report back in writing on directive 3 in 90 days.
Direct the Chief Executive Office - Office of Emergency Management
to collaborate with the Department of Public Health, the Department of
Health Services, the Department of Public Works, the Internal Services
Department, and all relevant Departments to conduct an inventory of
available equipment to safeguard residents from public health and
environmental health risks, including personal protective equipment,
N95 masks, respirators, and air purifiers, and report back to the Board
within 30 days with a full inventory of what can be made available to
impacted residents in similar crises.
Provide the Director of Public Works the delegated authority to
adjust disposal facility conditional use permits as-needed to facilitate
waste disposal from the warehouse.
(26-4014)
