The families of La Wildfire -victims confront the failures that prevented escape

On By Littum

There were other problems with the county’s alarm system. Evacuation warnings were accidentally sent to almost 10 million homes, lawmakers said. Some residents got the wrong warnings. Others got the same warnings several times or unnecessary warnings. The American Rep. Robert Garcia, D-California and 13 other representatives from the area sent letters demanding answers from the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the software company responsible for the alarms.

Clear, well -developed emergencies mean the difference between life and death, they wrote. But “Unclear messages sent to the wrong places, several times and after the emergency has passed, it can lead to warning fatigue and erosion of public confidence,” they wrote.

‘I have a snake’

In Pacific Palisades, where the fire was first reported on a Ridgegeline at. 10:30, so some residents come and fled immediately. Others waited, and when the first evacuation orders went a little after noon, the few roads that led out of the burning neighborhood were jammed with traffic.

Like many in Los Angeles County, Randy Miod had seen countless fires, including some who came close to his Malibu home but did no harm. The last one had been in December when a fire knocked out his power. When Palisades four started, his mother pleaded with him early to leave.

Miod, 55, a popular local surfer, refused.

“I have a snake,” he told her.

He told her he loved her and it was the last time they spoke, said his mother, Carol Smith.

“He had been through so many of these fires before and had come through rather unharmed by them all,” she said. “And I think he thought this would be someone else that he could skate through.”

Miod’s home, which he had bought 20 years ago, was precious to him, Smith, who lived about two hours away, said in Banning, California. Known as “Crab Shack,” the century -old house on Pacific Coast Highway, doubled as an informal social center for local surfers crashing there.

Randy Miod with her mother, Carol.
As the fire spread, Randy Miod told his mother that he would not leave his home.Courtesy Carol Smith

On January 8, a cousin called the authorities and asked for someone to check Miod, Smith said. They found that they remain outside, she suspects he is his. The identification is awaiting a DNA analysis, Smith said.

“He was just as a delight for so many people, young and old. And Gosh, if you want to leave a legacy, I can’t think of a better one? “Smith said.

Like Miode, Victor Shaw remained behind and tried to save his house, according to his family. He had grown up in the Altadena home and inherited it from his parents, who had originally bought it about half a century ago, said his cousin Darlene Miller.

Victor Shaw.
Victor Shaw’s body was found in his home, a snake in his hand.Shaw -Family

Shaw, 66, was fun and caring and loving, and his rejection of leaving reflected his pride in his home, Miller said. “It was the family’s legacy,” she said.

His body was later found in the house with a snake in his hand, Miller said.

His death has left a massive void and many questions.

Why hadn’t there been previous evacuation orders? Why had firefighters not been on stage to help dampen the flames – or at least persuade him to leave?

“If things were different,” Miller said, “I think he would still be here.”