Off Topic: Los Angeles Members Please Check In

[gregndodgers]

“Nearly 100 fire engines, trucks, and ambulances are out of service awaiting repairs. LAFD is already severely understaffed and experiencing unsustainable call levels and having these million dollar rigs out of service only makes things worse.”

~ LA Councilwoman Traci Park, Aug 6, 2024.

"As an all-risk fire and rescue agency serving more than four million people, the LAFD is one of the busiest and most understaffed big city fire departments in the entire country." United Firefighters of LA (UFLAC), Sept. 6, 2024

“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded. "It’s not."

- LA Fire Chief Crowley. Jan 10, 2025.

The $7 million reduction in overtime hours "severely limited the Department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.”

- LA Fire Chief Crowley. Dec 4, 2024

“The LAFD is extremely understaffed and under-resourced.”

- LA Fire Chief Crowley. Dec 17, 2024


Right, it does not appear that money was an issue.

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by gregndodgers

“Nearly 100 fire engines, trucks, and ambulances are out of service awaiting repairs. LAFD is already severely understaffed and experiencing unsustainable call levels and having these million dollar rigs out of service only makes things worse.”

~ LA Councilwoman Traci Park, Aug 6, 2024.

“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded. "It’s not."

- LA Fire Chief Crowley. Jan 10, 2025.

The $7 million reduction in overtime hours "severely limited the Department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.”

- LA Fire Chief Crowley. Dec 4, 2024

Right, it does not appear that money was an issue.

Firetrucks, overtime hours, and training is not the droids you're looking for if you actually want things that could have or in the future will help the situation LA is currently experiencing.

This doesn't seem to be a left/right weird ass political issue.

This is a big deal that needs real solutions. The billions of personal property lost is a big deal. The displaced economic resources fighting this fire is a big deal.

If blame is really important, the damage is so extensive this very specific series of fires will be studied and results/suggestions will be made.

This event is so destructive it will change policy. What changes are to be made should matter more than anything. Money, hiring more people, and building new stations will most likely be part of these changes. While labor seems to be a major concern with these current fires, there is no amount of in-house labor or firetrucks driving to locations that have an impact on what is happening as much as water availability, localized water demand issues at a given moment, brush/land management, wind, etc...

[gregndodgers]

Originally Posted by BioCRN

Firetrucks, overtime hours, and training is not the droids you're looking for if you actually want things that could have or in the future will help the situation LA is currently experiencing.

As with any catastrophe which has a multitude of factors / causes all coming together simultaneously, a lack of funding appears to be one of the many problems. As I said in my post, "money was an issue." Never said it was the only one.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Originally Posted by gregndodgers

As with any catastrophe which has a multitude of factors / causes all coming together simultaneously, a lack of funding appears to be one of the many problems. As I said in my post, "money was an issue." Never said it was the only one.

Money wasn't the issue. If you dig deeper the LAFD actually got an increase in budget like they have in previous years. Initially the proposed budget was a decrease but we do know the final budget gave LAFD an overall increase compared to the prior fiscal year.

The real culprit for this once in a generation catastrophe is a confluence of zero rain fall (It's been over 75 years since Los Angeles has had less rain during this period) and hurricane force Santa Ana winds that blow the opposite way of normal wind currents west to east from the ocean. When the high winds downed any air support on Tuesday night, there's no amount of increased budget that would prevent what took place. You also have to remember how spread out Los Angeles is and with 4+ fires starting within 48 hours of one another stretched resources thin. And logistically it takes 2+ days to get personnel and resources from outside the county, state and country to get to the affected areas. Right now there are water planes from Mexico and Canada in the fight as well as firefighters from many neighboring states.

[gregndodgers]

Originally Posted by ajjohnsonsoxfan

Money wasn't the issue. If you dig deeper the LAFD actually got an increase in budget like they have in previous years. Initially the proposed budget was a decrease but we do know the final budget gave LAFD an overall increase compared to the prior fiscal year.

No offense but if I have statements from the Pacific Palisades City Councilwoman and the LA Fire Chief (both made months before the fires started) as well as a respected organization all saying that the LAFD is underfunded, I will believe them before I believe any argument you can make.