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EDIS: CHP - AMBER ALERT - SANTA BARBARA - BLUE CHEVROLET IMPALA - HFA Posted: 27 Feb 2009 04:31 PM PST Update: New Born Baby Julian has been found. According to the Santa Barbara Police Department, the suspect Leianna Patricia Arzate was found and arrested in Santa Maria at around 3:30 p.m. Police say the baby was found safe and unharmed. Victim: New born child abduction - 1 month old W/ Hair and Eyes Suspect: 33 year old Hispanic Female - 5' -1" tall 135lbs Brown/Brown wearing pink "Betty Boop scrubs" Vehicle: Blue Chevrolet Impala w/ Chrome wheels - 5TYW619 ----------------------------------------------------- Dear Subscriber, ON FEBRUARY 27, 2009, AT 01:39 PM, JULIAN WAS ABDUCTED FROM SANTA BARBARA, CA. JULIAN IS A 1 MONTH OLD HISPANIC, MALE, 1 FEET 8 INCHES TALL, 7 POUND, JUVENILE WITH HAIR, AND EYES, LAST SEEN WEARING WHITE BLANKET WITH PINK DOTS. OTHER VICTIM INFORMATION INCLUDES: NEW BORN. SUSPECT IS LEIANNA PATRICIA ARZATE, A 33 YEAR OLD, HISPANIC, FEMALE, 5 FEET 1 INCHES TALL, WEIGHING 135 POUNDS, WITH BROWN HAIR, BLUE EYES, LAST SEEN WEARING A PINK HOSPITAL SCRUBS WITH "BETTY BOOP" PATTERN OR TIGHT LIGHT COLORED SHIRT. OTHER SUSPECT INFORMATION INCLUDES: TATTOO OF A PARROT ON BICEP. THE SUSPECT WAS LAST SEEN DRIVING A BLUE CHEVROLET IMPALA, WITH A CA LICENSE PLATE OF 5TYW619. OTHER VEHICLE INFORMATION INCLUDES: CHROME WHEELS. IF SEEN CONTACT SANTA BARBARA POLICE DEPT. AT (805) 897-2355. CHP ENTAC/DHW Area: STATEWIDE Affected Counties or parts of: Yuba, San Diego, Marin, Trinity, Mendocino, Riverside, Calaveras, Madera, Sonoma, San Francisco, Shasta, Sacramento, Inyo, Monterey, Butte, Fresno, Sutter, San Benito, Lake, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Lassen, El Dorado, Alpine, Tuolumne, Tulare, Glenn, San Bernardino, Imperial, Modoc, Plumas, Santa Cruz, Yolo, Mono, Del Norte, Napa, Amador, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, San Joaquin, Humboldt, Mariposa, Merced, Santa Barbara, Solano, Kings, Colusa, Orange, Tehama, Alameda, Nevada, Sierra, Stanislaus, San Mateo, Placer, Siskiyou, Kern, Los Angeles Sent: 2009-02-27T14:44:19-08:00 Original Sender: ENTA

Injured San Francisco Firefighter improving and on the road to recovery. Posted: 27 Feb 2009 09:31 AM PST Ultimate Firefighter that almost gave the ultimate sacrifice improving and on the road to recovery. Injured California Firefighter Making Progress The nightclub Fat City in San Francisco's South of Market district was packed with about 500 people Thursday night for a fundraiser for injured San Francisco Firefighter Christopher Posey Mora and his family. Three weeks ago, Posey-Mora was critically hurt while battling a house fire in the Portola neighborhood on February 5th. He was inside the house when the roof collapsed and his mask got knocked off. Posey Mora inhaled extremely hot gases into his lungs and suffered other burns. At first, his family and friends didn't think he would survive. But now, they say he is improving every day. Fellow firefighter Damian Orduna said, "He doesn't have the tube. He's breathing on his own. He's talking. He walked. It's amazing." Posey Mora's partner, Sonia Posey, said, "Without God, prayers and love, I would never have come through this. I'm humbled and overwhelmed with appreciation." The organizer of the fundraiser said that the live music, the venue and the food all were donated. Darlene Dumpit said she hoped to raise $6,000 for Posey Mora and his family. "It's been amazing. I'm really surprised at the outpouring of generosity that everybody has offered," she said. San Francisco fire investigators say the fire in the unoccupied home was deliberately set. So far, there have been no arrests. The firefighters union is offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible. Firefighter Damian Orduna said, "It's a crime, perpetrated.. basically sets us up to get hurt. Nobody gets hurt in a situation like that but us." Source: KTVU.com - Link Related video: KTVU Video - Link - SAN FRANCISCO: Club Hosts Benefit For Injured SF Firefighter

Hero trucker avoids fire disaster in Ripon Posted: 27 Feb 2009 09:36 AM PST A semi-truck and trailer loaded with chemicals caught fire Thursday morning in Ripon. There were no injuries. (Bart Ah You/The Modesto Bee) (More photos at the link.) After blaze breaks out in trailer, driver moves rig away from other vehicles By Leslie Albrecht lalbrecht@modbee.com last updated: February 26, 2009 09:46:40 PM RIPON -- Police are calling a truck driver who kept his cool as his big rig was engulfed in flames a hero. Randal Taylor, 49, of Salt Lake City was asleep in his truck at Flying J Truck Plaza on Jack Tone Road just before 4 a.m. Thursday when a fire broke out inside the vehicle's trailer. The truck was carrying chemicals, including 908 pounds of sodium hydroxide and 612 pounds of an industrial-strength bleach, according to Chief Dennis Bitters of the Ripon Fire Department. Taylor's truck was surrounded by dozens of other trucks parked in an area where drivers rest between shifts. Instead of fleeing his vehicle, Taylor drove the truck out of the lot and onto Santos Avenue, Ripon Police Chief Richard Bull said. "The driver used courage and he used great common sense and reasoning to try to keep this from becoming a major disaster," Bull said. "We sure commend him for it." As Taylor drove away, flames shot from the trailer in all directions, witnesses said. Clouds of black smoke billowed out of the trailer. The fire destroyed the trailer, leaving only the metal framing. No injuries were reported. Residents in nearby houses were told to stay indoors as firefighters battled the blaze. Workers from a hazardous materials team from the Bay Area worked in the afternoon to remove the chemicals. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. Bee staff writer Leslie Albrecht can be reached at lalbrecht@modbee.com or 578-2378. Source: Modesto Bee This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

SUV crashes, catches fire on 5 Fwy Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:28 AM PST DOWNEY - A sport utility vehicle veered off the side of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Downey this morning, crashed into some brush and caught fire, leaving several lanes blocked before the morning commute, but no one was hurt, authorities said. The accident on the northbound Santa Ana Freeway just north of Paramount Boulevard was reported about 3:50 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. "The SUV went into brush on the right shoulder, then caught on fire," CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos said, adding that fire spread to some brush. Los Angeles County firefighters quickly doused the fire, he said, adding that no one was injured by the crash or the blaze. All northbound lanes except for the No. 1 lane were shut down while Caltrans crews cleared the debris from the area, he said. All lanes were reopened shortly after 7 a.m., the CHP reported. The cause of crash was under investigation. Source: Contra Costa Times - Link

Escondido council breaks firefighters' pay impasse Posted: 27 Feb 2009 08:02 AM PST ESCONDIDO: The City Council voted 3-2 yesterday to break an impasse over pay with the Escondido Firefighters Association and imposed the city's offer on the union. The impasse was over additional pay for advanced training and education, which would have cost the city $21,000 this year. Union representatives told the council that firefighters already had agreed to sacrifice part of their benefits to help the city close its $7.4 million budget gap. The concessions included suspending the city's contribution to their 401(k) plans and pay raises for firefighters who advance on their pay scale. Those concessions already have been made by the California Teamster Local 911, which represents maintenance and operation workers, and the Escondido City Employees Association. The employees association also agreed to a 5 percent pay cut, which was not required of any other union. Yesterday, a council majority – Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler and Councilmen Dick Daniels and Sam Abed – said they could not give the firefighters what they wanted because it would be unfair to other unions that already had agreed to suspend additional pay for advanced training and education. The other two council members – Olga Diaz and Marie Waldron – wanted to give the firefighters the training and education pay. –A.L. Source: http://www3.signonsandiego.com - Link

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Marine accused of setting 4,000-acre fire in SoCal Posted: 25 Feb 2009 10:45 AM PST The Associated Press Posted: 02/25/2009 09:42:11 AM PST CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.—A Camp Pendleton Marine has been charged with recklessly setting a 4,000-acre wildfire that threatened homes in and around the San Diego County base last October. In a prepared statement Wednesday, base officials say Lance Cpl. Nason G. Lamb faces military charges of reckless endangerment, setting fire to and damaging property and making a false official statement. Authorities contend Lamb started a fire during a training exercise. A hearing will determine if he should be court-martialed. Base officials and officers with his unit, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, did not immediately respond to a message seeking contact information for Lamb. Investigators say two fires in the area on Oct. 13 threatened homes on the base and in nearby Fallbrook and Oceanside. No damage or injuries were reported. The other fire remains under investigation. Source: Mercury News - Link

Chico: Firefighters, police cash in on overtime Posted: 25 Feb 2009 08:29 AM PST CHICO — The addition of overtime earnings put firefighters and police officers in the position of the city's top earners in 2008. According to salary information recently requested by the Enterprise-Record, 121 city employees made $100,000 or more last year with the addition of overtime earnings. Of those, 54 are firefighters, many of whom more than doubled their regular pay through overtime earnings. An additional 35 were in the police department. The E-R's online searchable database at www.chicoer.com/salaries also added this week the 2007 and 2008 figures for Butte County employees. The top wage earner in the city last year was City Attorney Lori Barker, who took in $194,654.98. She was followed by Fire Capt. John Probst, who earned $193,385.50 by working 1,567 overtime hours and earning $83,800.18 in overtime; Fire Division Chief Steve Simpson, who filled in as interim fire chief last year and earned an additional $20,390.32 in "special pay," at $188,262.89; City Manager Dave Burkland at $188,191.97; and Fire Capt. David Main, who worked 1,401.50 overtime hours and took in $75,252.63 in overtime pay, at $185,126.42. VIEW Salary Database The majority of the top fire earners also earned "special pay" for their work on special teams, where they receive additional compensation for the extra risk. Historically, many of the top overtime earners in the Fire Department earn a portion of it while helping out with other fires around the state or filling in for those out fighting. Area firefighters were also called to serve in last summer's Humboldt Fire and Butte Lightning Complex. The city is reimbursed its costs and an administrative fee for the out-of-city and emergency fires. The Enterprise-Record requests salary figures each year, beginning with the 2006 calendar year after the California Supreme Court ruled salaries of government employees are public records. Source: Chicoer - link

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