2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. You must enable JavaScript in your browser to view and post comments. Marcel Melanson, 37, was arrested Wednesday without incident at his Torrance home on charges of felony arson and grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). He pleaded no contest in April to charges of felony arson of property and embezzlement by a public official. COMPTON (CBSLA.com) A former deputy chief for the Compton Fire Department has been arrested for allegedly starting a fire at headquarters and stealing thousands of dollars in radio equipment. The departments paramedics, a small subset of the agencys employees, continue to carry defibrillators and are dispatched with lower-skilled firefighters on most 911 calls. Compton-born Oscar winners Travon Free and Samir Hernandez were in attendance and were recognized for their film "Two Distant Strangers". The Compton Fire Chief requested the LASD's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau to assist in looking into the case on January 4, 2012. Salton Community Services District Fire Dept, California State Prison-Los Angeles County Fire Department, Linden-Peters Rural County Fire Protection District, General Dynamics NASSCO - Fire Department. An obituary later said . firefighter pleads guilty to 3 counts of manslaughter, is sentenced to probation, 3 demoted FDNY chiefs sue to get positions back after dramatic shakeup, Open the tools menu in your browser. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website. Firefighters battle a fire at a commercial yard in Compton, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. An investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department found that many of the radios were sold to private buyers or on EBay and that Melanson had been selling Compton-owned radio equipment since 2008. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. I am glad that we are taking the first step.. COMPTON, Calif. A former Compton Fire Department battalion chief pleaded no contest Tuesday to felony charges of arson of property and embezzlement by a public official. COMPTON, Calif. (AP) A huge fire visible across Los Angeles burned stacks of pallets in a commercial yard and buses parked in a neighboring lot Friday. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. In a letter to the board, the groups called for a 90-day delay in the vote to allow for a more thorough search for the next chief. The defendant allegedly set the fire to conceal the theft of the radio equipment. As you stay cozy and warm this winter season, be fire smart! Your subscription has been confirmed. Thank you to Chief Jack Ambrose from the Morris County Sheriff's Office for taking the time to speak with a group of our Criminal Justice Students on February . Marrone has been serving as interim chief of the department since July 2022. Home fires occur more in winter than in any other season. Marrone will earn $441,792 a year as county fire chief. For the latest on this developing story follow @palewire. We carry out our business on the ancestral and unceded homelands of thekikm (Kwikwetlem), slilwta (Tsleil-Waututh), xmkym (Musqueam), Swxw7mesh (Squamish), qicy (Katzie), qa:n n (Kwantlen), qiqyt (Qayqayt), and St:l (Sto:lo) Peoples, and extend appreciation for the opportunity to work on this territory. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs . Administration Office 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. This process is automatic. By clicking I Accept or using our site, you are consenting to the use of cookies unless you disable them. We do have paramedic services. Melanson had served with the fire department for 17 years. He is expected to be sentenced to three years and four months in state prison, a prosecutor said. Through a repeat buyer, investigators discovered that Melanson had been selling other Compton-owned radio equipment since 2008, Rose added. 2009-2022 USA Fire Departments usfiredept.com All Rights reserved. The flames burned through the roof of the building, which was heavily damaged. LITTLE COMPTON, R.I. (WPRI) When Steven Velozo died on Oct. 2, little about his death was made public. Cardiac arrests are among the most time-sensitive medical emergencies. He is also a co-founder of the California Civic Data Coalition, a network of journalists and computer programmers dedicated to opening up public data, and the leader of Pastpages, an open-source effort to better archive digital news. CITY CAREERS Browse & Apply for Jobs . The resolution of the case came as a surprise to Fire Department employees who appeared at a downtown courthouse prepared to testify against someone they said was like family. You can find more information about our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Enter your phone number to be notified if you win. The arrest stems from what investigators say was a suspicious fire that broke out at Compton Fire Department headquarters on Acacia Avenue on December 11, 2011. Fire Chief? Stay safe this holiday season Port Moody! Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Chief Compton was the Fire Chief in Mesa, Arizona, for 5 years and Assistant Fire Chief in Phoenix where he served for 27 years. Inside were about 200 radios valued at more than $1 million. Douglas Compton, Ed.D. Apr 16, 2014. You've been added to our list and will hear from us soon. The service requires full JavaScript support in order to view this website. He had faced up to 10 years and eight months in prison, Rose said. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). The Los Angeles County Fire Department is responsible for protecting the lives and property of 4 million residents living in 1.25 million housing units in 60 cities, including the City of La Habra in Orange County, and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. According to authorities, a fire broke out at Compton's Fire Station No. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, LODD: Buffalo firefighter dies after being trapped in blaze, N.Y. authorities release name of Buffalo firefighter killed in downtown fire, Ala. FD lieutenant fights to keep rank after scheduling incident, Mo. 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We are able to provide high-quality political journalism to you for free thanks to our advertisers. Marrone has been serving as interim chief of the department since July 2022. Melanson was an employee of the Compton Fire Department for over 15 years. LOS ANGELES The county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Anthony C. Marrone as the next county fire chief Feb. 28, but board members made clear they wanted to see improvements in the numbers of women and people of color in the agency's ranks. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Copyright 2023 In the meantime, if units without a paramedic arrive first at the scene of a cardiac arrest, they could be limited to providing CPR until more highly trained rescuers arrive to deliver an electronic shock. May 16, 2013 / 8:56 PM Former Fire Chief Rico Smith will take over day-to-day management of the department and serve as interim chief, Ford said. In 1925, the department converted to professional status, hiring its first paid fire chief and five firefighters, supplementing its current staff of 20 volunteer firefighters. Enter https://www.firerescue1.com/ and click OK. He also conceded the department needs to be streamlined, with a reduction in the overall number of employees. Each member of the group has completed a refresher course, but only one has scheduled and passed the final exam to renew an EMT license. ONLINE PAYMENTS The arrest stems from what investigators say was a suspicious fire that broke out at Compton Fire Department headquarters on Acacia Avenue on December 11, 2011. The countys decision came after The Times disclosed in March that nearly one in four Compton firefighters lacked a permit to perform emergency medical care, a key credential required by other local fire agencies. You can help us to keep this page up to date:Help update this Fire Department's Information. $7.50 + $10.11 shipping. Are you the Compton Fire Department 1 Fire Chief? Copyright 2014 Los Angeles Times Home fires occur more in winter than in any other season. Fire Chief Jon Thompson said he was happy that Melanson's plea saved his department from getting involved in a trial. Marrone has been serving as interim chief of the department since July 2022. Irreversible brain damage can begin after four minutes. and suppliers. "By his plea in criminal court, Marcel took responsibility for his actions, for not only a violation of the law, but for a violation of the trust of the residents of Compton," defense attorney George Bird said in a statement. The heavily tattooed Compton Fire Department deputy chief was the star of his own reality series on BET called "First In . Prior to being placed on leave, Thompson maintained that losing defibrillators from most fire vehicles did not put the public at greater risk. We will fix everything thats broke. Smith said. 100 Newport DrivePort Moody, BC V3H 5C3604-469-4500Email Us, Recreation Complex 300 Ioco Drive604-469-4556Email us, Kyle Centre125 Kyle Street604-469-4561Email us. Theres much more work that needs to be done.. Compton Fire Chief Jon Thompson was placed on leave Tuesday as the city launched an investigation after a series of Times reports on breakdowns in the fire agencys management of emergency medical care. Business Hours. Thompson was placed on administrative leave at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Fire Capt. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The equipment, valued at more than $1 million, was bought by the city during a failed attempt to revive its Police Department, which had been disbanded in favor of a policing contract with theLos Angeles County Sheriff's Department. www.firehouse.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Its something thats going to be cleaned up very soon, Gomez said.