After Fires: 'LA Times' Launches Joint 'People Finder' Site With Other Newspapers

By: Joe Strupp In a unique collaboration during the Southern California wildfires, several newspapers, headed by the Los Angeles Times, are linking to a Web site that allows residents to register information so that others will know where they are.

The site, http://firesearch.latimes.com, is also being linked to Web sites of the San Diego Union-Tribune, The Voice of San Diego, KTLA-TV, North County Times of Escondido, and The Daily Transcript of San Diego. Users may register with their name and other information about their whereabouts and those who log on can find out where they are and how to contact them.

?The disaster of these fires brings us together as a community to help our friends and neighbors,? said Times Publisher David D. Hiller, in a statement. ?So many of us have asked how we can help."

Meredith Artley, executive editor of latimes.com, estimated at least 1,500 people have registered since the site launched on Wednesday. "A lot of people are creating files to find people," she said.

Chris Jennewein, vice president/Internet operations for the Union-Tribune, said his Web site linked to the service on Wednesday. "We are all in this thing together, so it made sense to get involved," he said. "The L.A. Times created it and it is a brilliant idea."

The Times also announced the creation of a relief fund, along with KTLA-TV, which will match donations at 50 cents per dollar.

The Los Angeles Times Family Fund/KTLA-5 Charities Fire Relief Campaign, is a joint effort of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, The Times, and KTLA, a release stated. "For every dollar donated, up to the first $500,000, the McCormick Tribune Foundation will donate an additional 50 cents and, along with The Times and KTLA, will also absorb all administrative costs, allowing all donations and the matching funds to go directly to agencies supporting disaster response and relief efforts for those affected by Southern California?s massive wildfires," the statement said.

Donations can be accepted at www.latimes.com/firerelief or 877-713-0278.

The Times editorial staff, meanwhile, is preparing a special section on the wildfires for Sunday, October 28.