LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of city fire captains have been trained to oversee rescue teams during mass shootings following last year's deadly rampage at Los Angeles International Airport, according to a report.
The ambitious project is outlined in an "after-action" report to be presented Tuesday to the city's fire commissioners, said the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1mPgdnT ).
The report like others before it criticizes the emergency response to the November rampage for a lack of communication, coordination and clear command. A federal security officer was killed and five people were injured.
The most significant "gap in performance" during the shootings was the failure of police and fire officials at the scene to quickly establish a unified command as first responders swooped down on the airport, the report said.
"This gap delays the development of unified control objectives and has the potential to place LAFD members at risk, and possibly delay treatment to injured civilians," Interim Fire Chief James G. Featherstone wrote in a summary attached to the report.
The new mass-shooting leadership training was given to all the department's captains. The agency has also begun training with police to improve coordination, the report said.
Suspect Paul Ciancia, 23, has pleaded not guilty to 11 federal charges including murder of a federal officer. Gerardo Hernandez, 39, was the first Transportation Security Administration worker to die in the line of duty.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com
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