A fire truck, non-potable water tanker and about a dozen civilian firefighters were stationed outside Rick Caruso’s Pacific Palisades home Sunday afternoon.
The firefighters represent five different private fire departments and said they were hired by a Los Angeles real estate developer to protect his property and surrounding area.
“And I heard there were more coming,” said firefighter Laron Whitfield, who arrived Friday from Riverside with a company called Wildland. “He’s smart, so we want to be ready.”
Caruso is one of the residential and commercial property owners who sent private firefighters to help during the deadly firestorm that overwhelmed LA firefighters.
Another firefighter said he had been on duty for 48 hours protecting Caruso’s “particularly his home, but also the surrounding area,” and would be on scene until 9 a.m. Monday.
“And two guys come in place of me and my partner,” he said.
His full-time job is with the Los Alamitos Fire Department, but with the fire raging since Tuesday, he took on the job for the first time while off-duty. He was employed by a company called West Coast Water Tenders. The company’s website says it offers “2,500 to 4,000 gallon tactical water trucks, screening equipment, and mobile retardant stations.”
A third firefighter, who gave his name as Shane, said things appeared to be calm in the area south of Sunset Boulevard, but “we’re just taking precautions.”
They said rates for private fire services are determined by contract, and by one estimate his average hourly rate was about $20.
Caruso, a 2022 Los Angeles mayoral candidate, owns several shopping centers, including the Globe, Americana in Glendale, and Palisades Village, a fire-damaged but still standing retail and residential complex in the heart of Palisades. There is.
He told The New York Times on Wednesday that private fire departments were dispatched to save the complex, which includes a movie theater, Erewhon grocery store, restaurants and retailers such as Lululemon and Reformation.
A call to Mr. Caruso’s attorney Sunday afternoon was not immediately returned.
Private fire brigades have been controversial in recent years, becoming a symbol of access for the wealthy and drawing criticism for increasing class inequality in times of disaster.
Insurers argue that these services are a win-win. If a homeowner’s home is saved, the insurance company doesn’t have to pay out a lot of money. They may be contracted with an insurance company or hired directly by wealthy homeowners.
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