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Months after the most devastating wildfires in modern-day Los Angeles history, Mayor Karen Bass is about to add a large number of new employees to the fire department, even if many other agencies face layoffs.
The mayor, who has worked to close the nearly $100 million budget gap, has called for the fire department to add 227 positions in the 2025-26 budget proposal released Monday.
Approximately half of new hires become firefighters in the firefighter division with fewer than 3,250 people. The remaining new positions include 25 new emergency medical technicians, in addition to mechanisms and more.
City Fire Department Chairman Genetia Hadley Hayes said Monday that the fire department has been underfunded for more than a decade.
“I feel very hopeful,” she said of Bass’ budget proposal. “The mayor is absolutely saying he understands we need to have more funds.”
Bass ‘Office did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
A few days after the Palisades fire broke out, then-fire Christine Crowley said budget cuts had hampered the department’s ability to combat wind-driven flames. Bass and her team responded by saying that when employee pay increases were considered, the fire department’s budget actually grew this year.
Both Crowley and the firefighters’ union said the department is suffering a severe funding shortage in the wake of a fire that destroyed nearly 7,000 structures and killed 12 people.
In an interview with CNN anchor Jacquetapper on January 10, Crawley said her department doesn’t have enough firefighters and lacks enough mechanics to fix a broken emergency vehicle.
At one point, Tupper asked if he would cut his budget.
“I want to be very clear. Yes,” Crawley replied.
On February 21, the bus kicked out Crawley and complained that she hadn’t heard from the chief amid worsening wind predictions until after the fire broke out. She also questioned the Chief’s decision to develop.
A Times investigation found that LAFD officials chose not to order around 1,000 firefighters to work for the second shift when the wind was built.
Freddie Escobar, president of United Firefighters at Los Angeles City Local 112, claimed there were not enough fire engines and engines for the 1,000 firefighters.
However, several former LAFD chief executives told the Times that by keeping firefighters on duty, the department could send dozens of extra engines to Pallisard and other high-risk areas. Firefighters who are not assigned to additional engines will also be available for other tasks.
On Monday, Escobar said the mayor’s proposed budget was a step in the right direction.
“These are difficult decisions the mayor has to make and she prioritizes the fire department and first responders, and we are grateful for that,” he said.
Still, Escobar said the sector is “severe” shortage of staff and underfunded.
The city council will need to change the mayor’s budget until the end of May and approve it.
Hudley Hayes highlighted the need for additional mechanics to ensure that the fire equipment and vehicles are functioning properly. She said these mechanics need to get better compensation so they don’t leave for a higher pay position. The mayor’s budget includes funding for four heavy-duty equipment mechanics and nine mechanical helpers, along with maintenance workers.
The budget also includes new fire department initiatives, including the creation of homeless fire prevention and street medicine programs, “providing appropriate fire prevention, enforcement and health care to individuals experiencing homelessness.” The new program will feature an array of over 50 firefighters and other employees, accounting for 67 of the 227 new positions in the department.
In 2024, 16,742 fires across the city led to people experiencing homelessness, according to fire department data. This has risen from 4,124 in 2018.
City Councilman Traci Park, who advocates funding for more fire stations, including Pacific Pallisard, said the mayor’s proposal is a good sign, but the city should go further.
“This is a small drop of buckets that you actually need to make the Los Angeles fire department the right size,” she said.
The Park pointed to a motion passed by the council last month and sought voting measures to provide additional funding to the fire station facilities.
Some Palisade residents also expressed their hopes for the mayor’s proposal to provide additional resources to the fire department.
Larry Bain runs the Paris Strong Foundation. This helps people with issues related to the Pallisard fire. Vein’s own home was damaged by smoke in the fire.
“Are many of the residents frustrated? Were there appropriate resources allocations in the right places? We had enough fire budgets? Probably not,” Vein said. “But we have to look forward to it.”
Times staff writer David Zanizer contributed to this report.
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