Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass responded to KTLA’s report on Friday that dozens of unmanned LA Fire Station vehicles were sidelined and unable to respond during the catastrophic palace and Eton fires.
“We need to make sure there are fire trucks that have had mechanical issues and there are mechanics to take care of them, so we need to have a full investigation,” Bass said at a morning press conference. .
Non-service Los Angeles Fire Station vehicles will be seen at the maintenance yard in Lincoln Heights on February 6th, 2024. (KTLA)
She said firetrucks were also idle due to staffing. “And that’s a matter from a deployment and a pre-deployment perspective. It’s all a matter and all of that is investigated,” Bass said.
The issue was revealed Thursday. KTLA reporter Annie Rose Ramos visited the largest maintenance yard at the Lincoln Heights fire station and saw dozens of unused emergency vehicles.
During her visit, Ramos interviewed LAFD Union Chairman Freddie Escobar. Freddie Escobar said he doesn’t have enough funds to supply the mechanism and buy parts to repair engines, trucks and ambulances outside of service.
Escobar also spoke about staffing, but at least reminded me of some cases when firefighters were available but unable to ride. “We helped report more members in those fires than we had a spot for them,” he said.
Bass said the assessment process will begin once an ongoing emergency is addressed.
“We’re facing rain, but it’s continuing… that’s a potential landslide. That’s when the assessment and all of that process begins,” she said.
The storm heading towards Southern California next week is likely to pack a bigger punch
She added that the fire committee will “independently lead the investigation.”
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