"The panel of residents urged the federal government to intervene in the process of rebuilding and release funds that would help accelerate restoration of their homes and provide necessary safety improvements to water systems, streets and utilities after January's Palisades fire. "The pattern is clear: local government failed us on January 7 and continues to fail us," said Jessica Rogers, president of the Pacific Palisades Resident Assn. and a geriatric social worker. "We've been forced to lead our own recovery because the city won't.""
"The public hearing - held at an American Legion hall across the street from the burned husk of the private, elementary Village School - was the first following Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin's announcement in September that they would lead a probe into the fire. The investigation, they said, is necessary to "uncover and expose the truth" about how the state and local governments responded to the inferno, which broke out amid hurricane-force winds and quickly overwhelmed firefighting resources."
Six Pacific Palisades residents testified tearfully about lost family memories, an inadequate city response and a burdensome rebuilding process after a deadly inferno that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 12 people. Residents urged federal intervention and release of funds to accelerate restoration and fund safety improvements to water systems, streets and utilities following January's Palisades fire. Jessica Rogers said local government failed on January 7 and continues to fail, forcing residents to lead their own recovery. A public hearing was held across from the burned Village School after Senators Rick Scott and Ron Johnson announced a probe. Questions focused on brush clearance, prescribed burns, evacuations and allocation of state and local funds, and prompted partisan criticism from some local officials.
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