CHICK SAYS LAFD NEEDS COMPUTERS.Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer Despite a severe budget crunch (1) To process data. See number crunching. (2) To compress data. See data compression. 1. (jargon) crunch - To process, usually in a time-consuming or complicated way. , the Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. should update its ``antiquated'' computer systems, which are making it more cumbersome cum·ber·some adj. 1. Difficult to handle because of weight or bulk. See Synonyms at heavy. 2. Troublesome or onerous. cum and time-consuming to enforce fire codes, an audit released Thursday says. The report issued by city Controller Laura Chick chick abbreviation for chicken (1). found that computers used to track code violations often kick a user out of the system in the middle of inputting data, forcing the inspector to start all over again. The system also allows only one user per station to input data, even if there are multiple computer terminals. The audit also found that outdated out·dat·ed adj. Out-of-date; old-fashioned. outdated Adjective old-fashioned or obsolete Adj. 1. systems also mean it is hard to verify whether the department is accurately tracking its response times to emergencies, because some data is entered by hand, rather than computer, and is therefore subject to human error. Chick recommended that the department upgrade the system, despite the current budget crisis. ``Technology is a vital component of effective public safety, even in tough budgetary tough times,'' Chick said. ``We can't afford to neglect this issue.'' A department spokesman concurred with the report, and said officials are looking into new technologies, such as hand-held and laptop computers A portable computer that has a flat LCD screen and usually weighs less than eight pounds. Often called just a "laptop," it uses batteries for mobile use and AC power for charging the batteries and desktop use. Today's high-end laptops provide all the capabilities of most desktop computers. , but the issue has a lower funding priority. ``I think there are other, more important things we'd like to have - for instance, the staffing of our urban search-and-rescue apparatus and continuing to increase our ambulance capabilities,'' Battalion Chief Bob Franco said. ``But it's something we will ask for, because the need is there.'' |
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