Fire Blotter: Apparent Paranoid Meth Addict Running Around With Metal Pipe

The Arcadia Fire Department responded to a variety of emergency calls during the week of Feb. 3-9. The following is a breakdown of incident types recorded for this time period:

Fires: 5
EMS/Rescues: 62
Hazardous Materials: 5
Public Service Assistance: 8
Good Intent Calls: 8
False Alarms: 18
Total Incident Count: 106

Medical Assist: Possible Fractured Hip

At 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 3, Engine 106 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical assist in the 600 block of West Duarte Road. Fire crews treated an elderly man who fell and possibly fractured his hip. Paramedics provided basic life support measures on scene and transported the patient to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Aortic Aneurysm Sparks Emergency Hospital Transfer

At 7:50 p.m. on Feb. 3, Engine 106 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical emergency at the Arcadia Methodist Hospital emergency room. Fire crews arrived to find a 79-year-old man who had been admitted to the ER with a life-threatening abdominal aortic aneurysm. He needed immediate transfer to University Hospital for emergency surgery. This type of transfer is typically handled by private ambulance critical care units, but due to the dire nature of the situation, authorization was given for the Arcadia Fire Department to transfer the patient. The patient’s condition deteriorated drastically during the transfer and he went into full cardiac arrest. Fire personnel initiated CPR and diverted to the emergency room at Los Angeles County-USC.

Medical Assist: Chest Pains

At 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 4, Engine 106 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical assist in the 1100 block of De Anza Place. Fire personnel treated a man suffering from chest pain and shortness of breath. Paramedics transferred the patient to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Apparent Paranoid Meth Addict Running Around With Metal Pipe

At 9:47 p.m. on Feb. 5, Engine 105 and Rescue Ambulance 105 responded to a medical assist in the 200 block of West Huntington Drive. Police had arrested a 37-year-old man they found running around with a large metal pipe. The man reportedly told paramedics he had taken methamphetamine and was paranoid about “people trying to get him." Paramedics transported him to Arcadia Methodist Hospital with assistance from Arcadia Police Department.

Vehicle Fire

At 11:50 a.m. on Feb. 6, Engine 105 responded to a vehicle fire in the 100 block of Campus Drive. Upon arrival, fire personnel found an SUV engulfed in flames. E105 extinguished the fire with compressed air foam and water via a hose line. Overhaul of the vehicle determined the fire started due to mechanical failure.

Injury Collision

At 8:16 p.m. on Feb. 8, Engine 105 and Rescue Ambulance 105 responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of North Fifth Avenue and East Huntington Drive. One patient had mild injuries. Paramedics transported the patient to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.