Los Angeles County has selected the McChrystal Group to conduct an independent review of its emergency response systems following last month’s devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires, which claimed at least 29 lives in the worst fire disaster in modern county history. The review, approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 28, will examine evacuation policies and emergency alert notification systems used during the crisis.
“Ensuring accountability and being analytical about our County’s emergency notification work are both critical to strengthening our disaster response,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “I am pleased our County swiftly engaged the McChrystal Group to conduct an independent review of our evacuation policies and emergency alert systems following the devastating Eaton and Palisades Fires. […] The McChrystal Group’s forthcoming structured, thorough, and objective assessment will help us better protect lives and property in the future.”
The independent review will be conducted under retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal, former leader of the United States military’s Joint Special Operations Command. The McChrystal team of consultants and subject matter experts will be led by Shandi Treloar (principal) and Erin Sutton (partner), both of whom have deep experience in public sector emergency management.
The comprehensive review process has already begun, with the first progress report due within 90 days of the Board’s motion. The review will include gathering and validating the call histories of the fire, interviewing first responders who were on scene as well as incident commanders in the field and overseeing operations, searching and reviewing 911 records, and gathering information from many other relevant sources, including community members.
All county departments have committed to full participation, including the Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, and Office of Emergency Management. The review aims to ensure the County and public will ultimately have a clear understanding of all that was done to prevent the loss of life and property, while determining what factors led to the tragic deaths of at least 29 County residents.
The McChrystal Group brings relevant experience to the task, including an ongoing review concerning the North Carolina hurricane.
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