May Lake LA WATCH draws 29 participants

Lake Los Angeles – The May meeting of the Lake Los Angeles Community WATCH meeting drew 29 participants, the pace was brisk and several people contributed to the conversation.

Between the participation and the number of people attending, it is safe to label the meeting as an informative success.

So much of the conversations cannot be put into writing. It is imperative to attend WATCH meetings to receive the full benefit of people exchanging experiences and ideas. Please plan to attend the next WATCH meeting to listen and speak and be part of the united direction we want Lake Los Angeles to travel.

LLA Resident/Resource Deputy Borruel opened the meeting discussing the fire situation and how the fire department could not attend. The firefighters just got back to the station from a run around 6:15pm and then we heard the sirens as they turned around to go right back out on another run. At 7:35pm more sirens and another run took place.

This is going to be a rough fire reason which we need to recognize and prepare. It will not be as quiet as it was last year according to Chuck Bostwick, Senior Field Deputy for Supervisor Barger. He spoke on a number of situations regarding fires and how to prepare for the inevitable. Borruel also advised on Shelter in Place and Evacuations, blocked streets for emergency equipment movement in any emergency. If streets are shut down it is to make sure the Fire Department can get through wherever the need. Fire can create its own weather and cause unpredictable damage.

Borruel pleaded that if a Volunteer on Patrol team (VOP), which are unsworn and only following Sheriff’s orders, is at a shut down, please obey their instructions.

Borruel explained the recent collision on 170th Street East and East Avenue P involving a 15-year old on a motorcycle, how emotional it was for his family and how Borruel had to step in and control the family situation so the medics could do their job. Borruel reported he is OK.

Borruel is continuing to work with the LASD Mental Health unit helping the homeless in the community. Loose animals continues to be a serious threatening issue, with one resident losing 5 goats that were mauled by dogs. Borruel and Animal Care & Control will work on this issue together.

Pastor Wesley McKinney and Adam Diamond spoke on the recent tire roundup by the group named Lake Los Angeles Rubbish Rush. Their ambition and goals are impressive. Their plans will be written in an article separately.

Resident Chuck Tedeschi spoke about CERT which is an acronym for Community Emergency Response Service, and invited people to take the training and be prepared to help themselves and others during an emergency. Dan and Adrian Sherwood who are long term active members of ARES, Amateur Radio Emergency Services and voluntary examiners for Amateur FCC radio licenses and CERT were present to help answer questions.

The meeting was also a ‘First’ for being bilingual. A Spanish-speaking gentleman was able to address the group and receive feedback on his concerns.

Carlos Baltazar, Community Organizer with SBCC, came to pitch the proposed youth soccer league. Carlos reported, “Francisco Panchito Ramirez & I are seeking feedback and insights for a soccer league in the near future. Personal conversations between folks at our weekly soccer scrimmages say that the interest is there. But to what degree? While we feel the league compliments the interest, we want to know what other folks think.” You can take the survey, the link and QR code is on Facebook.

Borruel reminded us that summer is coming and kids will not be in school or supervised so an uptick in trouble is anticipated.

After the meeting ended, conversations directly with Borruel continued as well as other residents exchanging conversation for 30 minutes after.

You are invited to attend the June meeting. Watch for the announcement.

Pictured with Resident/Resource Deputy Borruel are Tom and Julie Fischer with Volunteers on Patrol (VOP). They invited others to join them in the LLA VOP and rebuild the group we once had in LLA.

By : Shirley Harrinan