Eaton Fire Recovery

Latest Update

January 29, 2025 PM

This statement is in response to questions that have been raised following media reports on body cam videos from the L.A. Sheriff’s Department that show the discovery of a MonteCedro resident still in the building after it was evacuated during the Eaton fire.

On the night of January 7 and the morning of January 8, fire conditions in the Altadena area changed rapidly and dramatically. As late as 3 a.m., the winds in the area were calm, and no warnings or evacuation orders had been issued for areas west of Lake Avenue in Altadena. Even after the winds shifted and picked up, no evacuation order was issued for the zone around MonteCedro, a senior living community operated by Episcopal Communities & Services (ECS).

As conditions worsened, however, in conjunction with the L.A. County Fire Department, the decision was made around 4:15 a.m. to evacuate the 195 MonteCedro residents who had not previously left on their own. These included residents in memory care and the independent living residences where residents manage their own affairs. By the time an order to leave was issued for the neighborhood at 5:50 a.m., the MonteCedro evacuation was well underway.

Eight city transit buses and two belonging to MonteCedro were staged and used to transfer the residents and team from the community to the Pasadena Convention Center. Despite the chaotic situation that included a wall of thick, black smoke, the evacuation proceeded in an orderly fashion. The buses were escorted by L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies, and residents arrived at the Pasadena Convention Center shortly after 7 a.m.

Fire personnel and MonteCedro team members made two complete tours through the building, which included triggering the fire alarm and inspecting every residence. However, two independent living residents were not encountered and did not make it to the buses.

Sometime after 9:30 a.m., sheriff’s deputies found the residents as they swept the building to confirm that it was empty. One resident was found near the building entrance and the other in a hallway.

Around that same time, the ECS team at the convention center completed its headcount of all evacuated residents and discovered that two residents were not present. ECS CEO James Rothrock and another team member immediately returned to MonteCedro, where they were told two people had been found and transferred.

The two residents were settled in other senior living communities that evening and are doing well. It is unclear why they were not encountered in the first or second sweeps of the building.

“Once it was clear that MonteCedro had to be vacated, the ECS and MonteCedro team had one goal—the safe evacuation of every resident,” said CEO James Rothrock. “Working closely with the Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department, we did that. Successfully moving nearly 200 people, some with cognitive issues or other impairments, away from their homes in a couple of hours is cause to give thanks. Having said that, we have discovered gaps in our planning and execution that we are working to understand and correct. Like hundreds of agencies and institutions in the Los Angeles area, we were faced with an unprecedented challenge, and our response to it merits a deep, unvarnished review.”

Refer any inquiries to [email protected].

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Past Updates

January 29th AM

January 29, 2025 A Message from Leadership…

Everyone is eager to reopen MonteCedro. Yesterday, we received structural clearance for both the existing buildings and expansion construction site. As the team readies apartments, common areas, kitchens and dining venues for residents’ return, a tentative timeline is materializing with a staggered reopening targeted to begin the week of February 10^th.

Achieving the targeted reopening depends upon the timely delivery and installation of vital restoration components and Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association, our water utility, clearing its Unsafe Water Alert. The utility must conduct at least 150 sample tests to ensure the water is safe for consumption and be approved by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) to lift its Do-Not-Drink orders. For resident and team safety and assurance, we will also independently test and verify that air and water quality meet health standards.

We will continue to update residents, future-residents, the team and families on progressing toward our targeted reopening. We will provide another update this Saturday, February 1^st.

James Rothrock, President & CEO, ECS

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO, ECS

David Weidert, Executive Director, MonteCedro

January 24th

January 24, 2025 A message from leadership…

As the buildings and expansion site hummed with assessments and healing handiwork this past week, we want to assure all residents, future-residents, the team and families that ECS’s solid financial foundation will enable us to fully restore MonteCedro in the shortest time possible.

Important points to remember in this disruptive time:

Just last month on December 17th, Fitch Ratings affirmed ECS’s ‘A-‘ rating with a Stable Outlook.
ECS’s property insurance covers both the existing buildings and the expansion construction work in progress.
The coverage provides for all repairs, restoration and for business interruption recovery due to the displacement of residents.

The MonteCedro team along with a contingent of supplemental guards are securing the buildings, residences and expansion work site.

We hope to be able to provide an estimated reopening timeline in the coming days and are monitoring the following limiting factors that unfortunately remain unclear:

Healthy indoor and outdoor air quality.
Water potability see Rubio Canyon Water and Foothill Water District.

We will continue to update residents, future-residents, the team and families on all the progress toward welcoming everyone home to MonteCedro.

James Rothrock, President & CEO, Episcopal Communities & Services

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO, Episcopal Communities & Services

David Weidert, Executive Director, MonteCedro

To support MonteCedro team members impacted by the Eaton Fire, please donate to the Staff Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) – Fire Relief at https://www.ecsforseniors.org/montecedro/donate

January 21st

With access restrictions lifted and utilities reestablished, though water remains non-potable, our restoration teams are starting the work to return MonteCedro to the secure and comfortable place we all know. Just some of the work to accomplish:

Remove all storm and fire debris from the grounds and safely dispose.
Inspect tree wind-damage. Remove broken limbs.
Perform a structural assessment. Make repairs, if needed.
Remove spoiled food, clean refrigerators and residences.
Remove ashes and soot that may have penetrated the buildings.
Clear indoor air contaminants. Confirm indoor air quality is healthy.
Repair any wind-damaged roofing, exterior doors and windows.
Replace residence doors/access-controls damaged during evacuation.
Assess for smoke or debris intrusion. As needed, clean hard and soft surfaces such as carpet, upholstery, linens, etc. in common areas.
Replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning filters.
Clear, sanitize and restock the main kitchen.
Coordinate with Phase II expansion site remediation, as needed.

All this work commences as thousands of our friends, neighbors, families, businesses, churches and other organizations in Altadena and Pacific Palisades take the first steps to rebuild their homes, lives and livelihoods. Our contractors will “rush and expedite” all materials and labor, but demand will be unprecedented. We hope to share a tentative timeline in the coming days as we work through details with contractors, water utility and public agencies.

We will continue to update residents, the team and families on all the progress toward welcoming everyone home to MonteCedro.

James Rothrock, President & CEO, Episcopal Communities & Services

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO, Episcopal Communities & Services

David Weidert, Executive Director, MonteCedro

January 20th

January 20, 2025 – A message from leadership…

Today, the Evacuation Order for MonteCedro’s neighborhood was reduced to normal status. An additional security team is supplementing our usual security and building access fobs remain inoperable.

Extensive clean up and restoration work is ongoing in the neighborhood and at MonteCedro. Please do not travel to MonteCedro to allow this work to proceed unimpeded by visitors and comply with our licensing requirements.

Encouragingly, crews restored power and cable/internet service yesterday. SoCalGas expects to inspect pilot-ignition systems and restore gas service later this week. Water service remains unsafe with Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association (water supplier) maintaining an Unsafe Water Alert (https://www.rclwa.org).

This week the team continues to work with our restoration specialists, other contractors, culinary provider and state regulators to establish a timeline for the complete remediation, restoration and re-opening of MonteCedro. The expansion construction site will undergo parallel efforts led by our general contractor.

We will continue to update residents, the team and families on all the progress toward welcoming residents home to MonteCedro. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work to fully restore MonteCedro’s safety and comfort.

James Rothrock, President & CEO, Episcopal Communities & Services

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO, Episcopal Communities & Services

David Weidert, Executive Director, MonteCedro

To support MonteCedro team members impacted by the Eaton Fire, please donate to the Staff Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) – Fire Relief at https://www.ecsforseniors.org/montecedro/donate

January 17th

January 17th…update from Leadership

Although still in a mandatory evacuation zone, today we commenced the steps to ready MonteCedro for residents to return home. This morning, under Sheriff’s Department escort, the ECS and MonteCedro leadership teams accompanied representatives from our general contractor, restoration specialist and property insurer to the community to assess the buildings and grounds and begin to plan the required repairs, re-provisioning and any refinishing.

The absolute destruction of so much of the Altadena foothills neighborhood compared with the relatively unscathed condition of the campus shows the cruel indifference and fickleness of the firestorm. Residents will be returning to the comfortable secure home they know at MonteCedro, but within environs so catastrophically ravaged as to be almost unrecognizable.

We will continue to update residents, the team and families as the evacuation order is lifted, the restoration plan is solidified and the timeline for utilities restoration becomes clear. All efforts are underway to expedite residents’ swift return home.

James Rothrock, President & CEO, Episcopal Communities & Services

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO, Episcopal Communities & Services

David Weidert, Executive Director, MonteCedro

To support MonteCedro team members impacted by the Eaton Fire, please donate to the Staff Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) – Fire Relief at https://www.ecsforseniors.org/montecedro/donate

January 8th

Just before dawn this morning the Los Angeles County Sheriff and Fire Departments imposed a mandatory evacuation for the neighborhood in which MonteCedro is located due to the Eaton Fire. The Departments supervised and carried out the safe evacuation of all residents to the Pasadena Convention Center for their immediate safety. Provisions are being made for meals and residents’ care. All residents have been accounted for with many choosing to go stay with family or friends.

We will continue to update residents, the team and families as developments occur.

January 15th

January 15^th A message from leadership…

The shock of last week’s fires has transitioned into profound sadness and sympathy for the lives and homes so heartbreakingly lost.

Residents and team members may be feeling a sense of anxiety from being abruptly relocated and the uncertainty about the timing of getting back home and resettled. The team understands and is working to retrieve as many essential items for residents as possible to ensure wellness, comfort and the ability to communicate. We are providing outreach to residents and team members to ensure they are receiving information and support.

The damage to Altadena’s critical utility infrastructure (power, water, gas, cable, internet, etc.) and the surrounding neighborhood is overwhelming. As soon as officials permit access, our contractors stand ready to assess and prepare MonteCedro for residents’ return.

We’re moved by everyone’s grace, connection, generosity and resilience. Thank you for being in community with us.

James Rothrock, President & CEO – ECS

Sharon Pewtress, Sr. VP & COO – ECS

David Weidert, Executive Director – MonteCedro

To support MonteCedro team members impacted by the Eaton Fire, please donate to the Staff Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) – Fire Relief at https://www.ecsforseniors.org/montecedro/donate.

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January 13th

January 13th Community Update

MonteCedro remains in a mandatory evacuation zone with no utilities and potential airborne toxins from the burning of lead paint, asbestos and car batteries. While officials estimate the evacuation order could be lifted as early as Thursday, the required repairs, remediation and re-provisioning of MonteCedro will stretch well beyond that day before residents can safely, healthily and comfortably return. We will advise as soon as we have estimated timing.

Today, amid extremely restricted access by the Sheriff’s Department, a small MonteCedro team was able to retrieve essentials for at least 70 more residents. The team is working with officials to determine when we may be able to retrieve residents’ cars and will advise as soon as possible.

To support MonteCedro team members impacted by the Eaton Fire, please donate to the Staff Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE) – Fire Relief at https://www.ecsforseniors.org/montecedro/donate.

January 11th

January 11th Community Update:

Altadena continues to be under mandatory evacuation with robust, highly visible security established and enforced by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and National Guard. There is no power, gas, water, phone or cable/internet service and utility providers have only begun to assess a timeline for re-establishing service.

While authorities are permitting Altadena residents one trip into the evacuation zone for essentials, MonteCedro’s multi-building/multistory size is outside the scope of authorities’ “one trip for essentials” policy because without power the buildings are very dark and simply unsafe for visitors.

Yesterday afternoon, the authorities permitted a small team to travel to MonteCedro to retrieve vital medical items and other resident essentials. The MonteCedro team will continue to work with residents to retrieve essentials. Please do not attempt to visit MonteCedro at this time.

MonteCedro is secured with parking gates closed so that the garage is inaccessible. The team will coordinate with residents when we are able to remove cars.

The team is working to restore MonteCedro so that we are ready when the evacuation mandate is lifted. The community still needs power, gas, water, phone and cable/internet services restored plus a very good tidying up.

We all look forward to welcoming everyone home, and we remain astonishingly grateful for the fate our vegetation and buildings were granted.

January 9th PM

The Eaton Fire has disrupted so many lives, and tragically destroyed the homes of so many Altadena neighbors and several MonteCedro team members. We hold all those who have been so brutally impacted by this firestorm in our thoughts and prayers.

Today, we obtained an escort, by the Sheriff’s Department, to enter MonteCedro, to walk the community and do a preliminary assessment of any damage. There is no obvious sign of water damage or indication that the fire sprinklers were triggered. While unable to inspect every apartment, the preliminary assessment is very promising and provides confidence that the interior of the building is in very good condition. At this time MonteCedro is without water or electricity service, remains in an evacuation and fire zone and is inaccessible due to Sheriff’s Department restrictions.

ECS community, Twelve Oaks, in Glendale, which wound down operations at the end of 2024 for redevelopment is undamaged by the fire.

ECS communities, The Canterbury and The Covington, each welcomed several evacuated MonteCedro residents late yesterday. Most other residents chose to stay with families or friends with a small number of residents relocated to an area hotel with MonteCedro team members onsite for support.

January 9th AM

The building remains standing and has withstood the fire. Staff is awaiting word when they may enter the property to assess damage. All residents have been relocated to other ECS communities, to stay with family, or to a nearby hotel. We will update as soon as we have additional information about the MonteCedro building and Phase 2 construction. Thank You.