Lawsuit Alleges Retaliation Against LA County Emergency Employee for Whistleblowing on Eaton Fire Response

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Nicholas Vaquero, a senior member of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, has initiated a lawsuit asserting that he experienced retaliation after reporting concerns about the county’s handling of the Eaton Fire. Vaquero, who acted as the Emergency Operations Center director during part of the wildfire response beginning January 7, 2025, previously discussed his claims with ABC7 On Your Side Investigates in March.

During that interview, Vaquero mentioned a now-retired supervisor was reportedly seen sleeping on duty while the fire raged, stating, “They told me that he was sleeping.” He compared the situation to a military commander being absent during a crucial moment, cautioning that such behavior compromised the oversight necessary for issuing alerts. In response to his whistleblowing, Vaquero alleges that leadership subjected him to hostility, removed certain job responsibilities, relocated his workspace, and excluded him from leadership meetings. Los Angeles County has indicated it will address the claims in court but declined to provide further comments. Vaquero stated in a release that government employees should not have to choose between career safety and public protection.