Topline:
An employee of L.A. County’s Office of Emergency Management has sued his employer, alleging he was retaliated against for making whistleblower complaints about the response to the deadly Eaton Fire.
Why it matters: Nicholas Vaquero, an associate director in the Office of Emergency Management, alleges that officials leading the county office failed to properly staff the response to the fire, that the county’s emergency alerts were inadequate and that it submitted fraudulent data in order to receive FEMA reimbursement.
The background: LAist previously reported on the whistleblower complaint, which contained the allegation that a key county employee was asleep on the job during the first night of the Eaton Fire.
The county's response: A spokesperson said the county would respond to the lawsuit in court.
Read on ... for more details on the lawsuit filed earlier this month.
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