Emergencies

Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of computer-networking equipment, Monday introduced software designed to aid communications among emergency workers responding to disasters. The software lets people using two-way radios, mobile phones, wired phones and various other devices communicate with one another, San Jose-based Cisco said.

Following a two-year series of sexual attacks on women on what some students and officials consider a dark college campus, students passed a Cal State University Northridge ballot measure this week approving installation of an emergency telephone system next fall. The system will cost each student an extra one-time fee of $5.

An American Airlines plane made an emergency landing at Orlando International Airport after smoke appeared in the cabin, officials said. No injuries were reported, and there was no fire. The Boeing 757 was carrying 187 passengers and six crew members on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles. Passengers smelled smoke about 20 minutes into the flight. The plane landed in Orlando shortly after noon, said Kathleen Bergen, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman.

Fire departments could respond more quickly to emergency calls if they installed special devices that switch traffic signals to red when fire engines and ambulances speed through intersections, according to an Orange County Grand Jury report released Tuesday. Several cities including Huntington Beach and Newport Beach already use the system, which emergency vehicles activate by flashing strobe lights that turn signals red in three directions, giving firetrucks the only green light.

County transportation officials will decide Monday whether to give the green light to a countywide system allowing police and firefighters on emergency calls to control traffic signals from their vehicles--despite some resistance from cities worried about snarled traffic.

The Westminster School District will permit its schools to be used by the Red Cross for shelters during public emergencies. The school board unanimously approved the resolution as part of its consent calendar. Under the agreement, school officials would allow the Red Cross to use schoolrooms, equipment and cafeteria food as needed to provide for those seeking disaster relief.

A major government casualty of the riots was paperwork. The usual fire and police reports of damage, injuries, arrests, looting, financial losses and even locations of fires have been abandoned in the attempt to cope with flames and violence. "We will be going back and (reconstructing) what we can," said Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Don Anthony. "We haven't been keeping the records that we normally keep."

The foreign ministers of 35 European and North American nations agreed here Thursday to set up a new emergency procedure that will let a handful of members call a meeting to consider situations that might endanger peace. Until now, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) could not act to debate so-called emergency situations without a consensus agreement of all its members.

Burbank is looking for a low-band AM radio frequency for use as an emergency radio station to broadcast information to residents during the next earthquake or other disaster. Disaster coordinator Rich Baenen said city officials realized the radio station, to be heard only in Burbank, was necessary because the city had problems getting information out to the public in the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake.