Richard Odenthal, interview, 1992-08-25

PDF

Download

Open document

Transcript (if available)

Content TERRY W. BIRD
JOEL E. BOXER
MARKT. DROOKS
THOMAS R. FREEMAN
JEROME H. FRIEDBERG
DENISE D. GORGES
SHARON E. JONES
JASON D. KOGAN
VINCENT J. MARELLA
A. HOWARD MATZ
RONALD J. NESSIM
JOHN K. RUBINER
DIANE P. SHAKIN
DARON L. TOOCH
DOROTHY WOLPERT
File:
Re:
LAW OFFICES
BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT & MATZ
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
WEBSTER STUDY/Interagency Group
Summary of Odenthal Interview
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Date:
To:
From:
1875 CENTURY PARK EAST
23rd FLOOR
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
90067
TELEPHONE (310) 201-2100
FAX (310) 201-2110
August 26, 1992
Richard J. Stone
Vincent J. Marella~
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW OF LT. RICHARD ODENTHAL
Lt. Richard Odenthal was interviewed by telephone on
August 25, 1992 at 2:00 p.m. by Vincent J. Marella. The subject
matter of this interview was the nature of the Los Angeles
Sheriff's Department's new Emergency Operation Center ( "EOC") . The
interview also covered the structure of Los Angeles County's
Emergency Operations Organization, which is called the Emergency
Management Council.
The attached memorandum of interview is a summary of my
recollection of the interview, including my questions and comments,
together with my mental impressions, conclusions and opinions.
* * *
C:\WP51\DATA\VJM\9007508a.MS (3)
... __ -
.......
To:
From:
Date:
Re:
OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISOR
TO THE BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
MEMORANDUM
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Richard J. Stone
Office of the Special Advisor
Vincent J. Marella
August 26, 1992
Supplemental Interview of Lt. Richard Odenthal,
Los Angeles Sheriff's Office
On Tuesday, August 25, 1992 at approximately 2:00 p.m.,
I interviewed Lt. Richard Odenthal of the Los Angeles Sheriff's
Office ("LASO") by telephone. The following is a summary of my
recollection of this interview, including my questions and
comments, together with my mental impressions, conclusions and
opinions based upon the interview.
The subject matter of this interview was the nature of
the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department's new Emergency Operation
Center ("EOC"). The interview also covered the structure of Los
Angeles County's Emergency Operations Organization, which is called
the Emergency Management Council.
1. Los Angeles Sheriff's Department's New EOC
I asked Lt. Odenthal to provide some details with respect to
the LASO' s new EOC which is under construction just east of
- 1 -
C:\WP51\DATA\VJM\9007508a.M (3)
downtown Los Angeles. In response to my questions, Lt. Odenthal
explained that Los Angeles County is now in the process of building
a new $24 million facility which will serve as a new County EOC.
In addition to the EOC, the new complex of buildings will also
include offices for the Sheriff's Department as well as for other
County disaster agencies.
Lt. Odenthal said that the new EOC will be a state-of-the-art
facility. It will include a computerized communications system
which will enable the LASO to communicate with each of its
Sheriff's Stations on a computer as well as communicate with all of
the surrounding cities. This equipment will enable the LASO to
receive information if an emergency develops much faster than it
presently does. In addition, the new EOC will have redundant
telephone systems so that if one system is either down or unable to
handle the call load, the second, standby system will become
functional. The new radio system that will be installed in the EOC
will have all LASO radio frequencies as well as the county-wide
frequencies. He said that the facility will be approximately a
45,000 square foot building which will include both the EOC
portion, as well as the County offices described above.
I asked Lt. Odenthal to provide a brief description of the
physical layout of the facility. He said that the EOC will have a
situation room which will be capable of holding as many as 50 to 60
decision makers at any given time. In addition, there will be
several breakout rooms adjacent to the situation room which are
designed to house support staffs and the staff of the County
disaster agencies. These breakout rooms will have a complete array
- 2 -
C:\WP51\DATA\VJM\9007508a.M (3)
of communications equipment as well as computers. The EOC, as well
as the situation rooms and breakout rooms, will all be fitted with
fax machines and photocopiers. In terms of video equipment, Lt.
Odenthal said that an entirely new video system will be installed
which will allow for four large-screen televisions, as well as
monitors on which internal view graphs will be able to be viewed.
The EOC will also have a press room which will accommodate
significant numbers of the press during a county-wide emergency.
2. Los Angeles county Emergency Management Council
I asked Lt. Odenthal to describe the nature and structure of
the Los Angeles County emergency management organization. He
explained that the principal county agency is the Los Angeles
County Emergency Management Council. The chairperson of that
organization is the County Administrative Officer, and the vice
chair is the Los Angeles County Sheriff. On this council are
representatives of the eight lead county departments. Lt. Odenthal
explained that there are two or three layers of subcommittees under
the Emergency Management Council, and it is in these subcommittees
that the planning for disasters and emergencies occurs.
Specifically, he explained that there is the Emergency Management
Steering Committee under which is the Subcommittee of the Emergency
Council Steering Committee. Lt. Odenthal explained that it is in
this latter subcommittee in which the staffs of the lead county
agencies work and prepare on the county level for emergencies.
Lt. Odenthal explained that the structure of the emergency
management organizations on the County level corresponds for the
- 3 -
C:\WP51\DATA\VJM\9007508a.M (3)
most part to the emergency response structure in the City of Los
Angeles. He noted that the City has an umbrella agency, the
Emergency Operations Organization, under which is the Emergency
Operations Board and then the Emergency Management Committee. As
with the County, it is this last level in which the staffs of the
responsible agencies do the planning for emergencies.
The interview was concluded at approximately 2:35 p.m.
* * *
- 4 -
C:\WP51\DATA\VJM\9007508a.M (3)

Linked assets