Compton fire chief put on administrative leave following Times reports

July 07--Compton Fire Chief Jon Thompson was put on administrative leave Tuesday following a series of Times reports on shortcomings at the fire agency.

City Manager Johnny Ford said he had notified Thompson that he was relieved of duty pending an investigation into how the city had fallen out of compliance with county regulations on the use of defibrillator machines.

The move comes on the heels of a Times report that most fire trucks and ambulances run by the Fire Department have been stripped of defibrillators, a crucial lifesaving device that rescuers use to deliver a shock and try to restart the heart of cardiac arrest victims.

Former Fire Chief Rico Smith will take over the department and serve as interim chief, Ford said. Thompson will continue to be paid while on leave.

Thompson's staff said he was unavailable for comment.

Smith, 65, previously served as Compton's chief for four years, leaving the office in 2007, he said. In an interview with The Times, he vowed to restore the city's certifications and get defibrillators back on fire apparatus.

"We will fix everything that's broke." Smith said. "I can do this in my sleep."

In March, The Times disclosed that nearly 1 in 4 city firefighters lacked a permit to perform emergency medical care, a key credential required by other local fire agencies.

The move was welcomed by Councilwoman Janna Zurita, who has been a critic of the city's handling of the problems.

"We owe it to the citizens to report out on what is happening inside our Fire Department." she said. "I am glad that we are taking the first step."

For the latest on this developing story follow @palewire.

UPDATE

3:15 p.m.: This post was updated to include a comment from the former fire chief who will serve as interim chief.

This post was originally published at 2:50 p.m.

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