An analysis of the Los Angeles Fire Department operation during Watts.

Includes 6 figs and 2 tables

This monograph examines in a sociological framework the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department during the civil disturbance - the so-called Watts riot - in August 1965. The focus of the monograph is on one major type of collective response, that manifested by complex or formal organizations with bureaucratic structures. Three major components of the Los Angeles Fire Department are examined and it is shown how the structure and functioning of the organization was altered during the disturbance. Attention is given to modifications in administrative decision-making procedures, the handling of tasks, and the patterns of communication within the organization. The authors indicate how the larger community context and organizational relationships of the department probably affected its overall response to the crisis .550.