LBFD's internal Incident Report indicates an alarm time (when the call came in) of 21:54 (9:54 p.m.) followed by a dispatch time of 21:55 (9:55 p.m.) for both Engine 9 and Rescue 9.

It indicates Engine 9 was enroute from 21:55 to arrival at 22:03 (10:03 p.m.) for 8 minutes from dispatch. It indicates Rescue 9 was enroute from 21:56 with an arrival time of 22:04 (10:04 p.m.) for 9 minutes from dispatch.

Engine 11 also raced to the scene, dispatched at 21:56 and arriving at 22:03, the same time as Engine 9 but with a faster arrival of 7 minutes from dispatch. Various other units from across the city (based at stations 1, 3, 6, 7 and 14) also responded.

The triple fatality occurred just months after LBFD management cited mold as its reason for relocating Engine 9 to LB Airport (Station 16, 2890 E. Wardlow Rd.) and Rescue 9 across the L.A. river to West Long Beach (Station 13, 2475 Adriatic Ave. south of Willow St.)

The former Station 9 at 3917 Long Blvd. was (depending on the route) barely 0.8 to 1.2 miles from the Los Cerritos accident scene. By comparison, Station 13 (at which Rescue 9 is now based) was 3.1 to 4.5 miles from the site, and Station 16 (where Engine 9 is based) was roughly 2.9 to 3.5 miles away (source: Google Maps).

Engine 9 and Rescue 9 could have presumably have reached the accident scene more quickly if they were dispatched from Station 9. However LBFD's Incident Report doesn't indicate from exactly where Engine 9 and Rescue 9 were dispatched and it's possible that one or both were at a location in the field when they were dispatched. LBFD's Sunday-duty Public Information Officer didn't have access to those details over the weekend; LBREPORT.com plans to update this story with further on Monday.

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At an August 27, 2019 public meeting in Bixby Knolls presented by city management and 8th district Councilman Al Austin, audience members repeatedly voiced concern over the anticipated increased response times, especially for Rescue 9 (based across the L.A. River in WLB.) LBFD Deputy Chief of Operations James Rexwinkel acknowledged that response times to locations near former Station 9 would be longer but indicated he anticipated that on average overall response times would be about a minute longer.

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LBFD management (without Council opposition) has indicated those relocations will remain in effect until construction of a new Station 9 is completed or the City finds a more central interim location at which to base Rescue 9 and Engine 9.

Developing. Further to follow on LBREPORT.com.

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