Torrance, Palos Verdes Estates pull out of emergency responders system
Citing concerns over cost and efficiency, Torrance and Palos Verdes Estates have pulled out of a proposed countywide system that would allow emergency responders from different jurisdictions to communicate with one another during major disasters.
Torrance officially did so at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, following Palos Verdes Estates’ lead in May, but the two cities share the same concerns about the interoperability system after four years of planning.
“It’s an open checkbook,” said Tony Dahlerbruch, city manager of Palos Verdes Estates, although it’s unclear how much the system would cost individual cities.
Torrance Mayor Frank Scotto was more blunt.
“In layman’s terms they’re creating a cellphone network that police officers would use,” he said. “If there’s a major catastrophe those networks are going to go down just like all the other (communication) networks.
“It just makes no sense and it’s just so expensive,” he added. “It will probably never get used and when the time comes when we do need it, it probably won’t work. It’s so stupid.”
There’s already an interoperable communication system between South Bay cities.
The cities have the option of rejoining if the countywide system ever gets off the ground.
