Los_Angeles_County_Fire_Department

Los Angeles County Fire Department

Los Angeles County Fire Department

Firefighting service in California

Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California,[1] as well as 59 cities through contracting, including the city of La Habra,[4] which is located in Orange County and is the first city outside of Los Angeles County to contract with LACoFD.

Quick Facts Operational area, Country ...

As of 2021, the department is responsible for just over 4 million residents spread out in over 1.2 million housing units across an area of 2,305 square miles (5,970 km2).[1] The department is commanded by Chief Anthony C. Marrone and has an annual budget of $1.4 billion.[5] According to Firehouse magazine, the LACoFD is the fourth busiest department in the United States, behind New York City Fire Department, Chicago Fire Department, and Los Angeles City Fire Department.[6] The LACoFD has been featured several times in popular culture, including the 1970s NBC TV series Emergency! and the 1950s TV series Rescue 8.

In 2021, the department engaged in 312,550 emergency medical responses and a total of 403,924 total responses.

History

Patch of the LACoFD, worn on the LACoFD's uniform shirt sleeves.
Badge of an LACoFD firefighter, with badge number 1426.

In 1949, the Consolidated Fire Protection District was established by the Board of Supervisors through the consolidation of numerous fire districts which existed since the 1920s. From 1967 to 1986, there existed four fire protection districts within the Los Angeles County, all of which were governed by the Board of Supervisors: the Consolidated Fire Protection District (CFPD), Universal Fire Protection District, Dominguez Fire Protection District, and Wrightwood Fire Protection District. In addition, there was the Forester and Fire Warden (F&FW) which is a chartered office of the County and was funded by the General Fund. The property tax rate for each district was considerably different. With the property tax limitations and standardization of tax rates established by Proposition 13 in 1978, there was no longer a need to maintain the separate districts. From 1986 to 1992, the F&FW and the CFPD were the two remaining legal entities that made up what is commonly known as the Los Angeles County Fire Department. In 1992, the CFPD annexed all the remaining unincorporated area in with a corresponding property tax transfer to fulfill the chartered responsibilities of the F&FW. The Los Angeles County Fire Department has a very rich and unique history, which is full of innovation, and daring accomplishments. From designing the 9-1-1 system and initiating a paramedic program in the 1970's to the current day Urban Search and Rescue and Homeland Security Sections, our Fire Department is a leader and model to fire departments around the world. Our Department's ability to develop new techniques and tactics to fight fires of all kinds has benefited not only the residents we serve, but the fire service in general, both nationally and internationally.[7]

Emergency operations

The Emergency Operations Bureau includes the Training and EMS Bureau (TEMSB), nine major firefighting divisions, Air and Wildland Division, and Homeland Security Section. The Fire Department's service area includes suburban neighborhoods, city centers, commercial district, sandy beaches, mountain ranges, and more. The region's varying terrain causes unique emergency incident challenges, including increased EMS calls and variety of fires that can take place on a single day (i.e., wildland, structure, railroad, aircraft, vehicle, etc.) as well as ocean rescues and medical calls across 72 miles of coastline.[7]

Fire suppression camps

The LACoFD has 10 fire camps with handcrews which are used for both fire prevention and wildland firefighting. In 2013, to help combat jail crowding as well as increase time served by serious criminal offenders, Los Angeles County sent more than 500 inmates to firefighting camps in mountain and foothill areas.[8] Inmates assigned to the camps are nonviolent offenders who have completed physical and security screenings. They are trained by county firefighters to help fight fires and assist with clearing brush and debris.[9] The camps are run in conjunction with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Los Angeles County Probation Department.

Rank structure

  • Firefighter Recruit
  • Firefighter Trainee (FFT)
  • Firefighter (FF or FF/EMT)
  • Firefighter/Paramedic (FF/PM or FP)
  • Firefighter Specialist (FFS)
  • Fire Captain (CPT)
  • Battalion Chief (BC)
  • Assistant Chief (AC)
  • Deputy Chief (DC)
  • Fire Chief (FC)

Apparatus

The Los Angeles County Fire Department utilizes a wide array of firefighting apparatus, including engines, quints, trucks, light forces (engine + quint or truck), patrol units, and water tenders. Support apparatus include rescue squads, hazardous materials squads, and urban search and rescue squads.[1] LACoFD uses private ambulance providers such as Care Ambulance Service and McCormick Ambulance Service to provide emergency medical services. [10]

LACoFD apparatus are painted reddish-orange as opposed to LAFD apparatus, which are fire engine red.

Tiller trucks

While many modern fire departments have opted to go with trucks/quints that have rear-mounted ladders, the LACoFD has chosen to stay with tiller trucks because of their enhanced maneuverability in tight areas.[11] The benefit of a quint is that it also has a built in pump and water tank and can thus operate without an engine. The Tiller trucks carry fire suppression tools and medical equipment as well as specialized rescue equipment for responses to a variety of emergencies.

Helicopters

Copter 16, a S-70A Firehawk performs a water drop demonstration.

The LA County Fire Department has 10 helicopters available for aerial firefighting.[12][13] The headquarters for the Air Operations Section is located at Barton Heliport, next to Whiteman Airport in Pacoima.[14]

  • Five Sikorsky S-70A/S-70i Firehawks Copter 15, Copter 16, Copter 19, Copter 21, and Copter 22 are fitted with 1,000 US gallons (3,800 L) tanks.[14]
  • One Bell 412 Copter 12 is fitted with a 360 US gallons (1,400 L) tank.[14]
  • Two Bell 412EP Copter 11 and Copter 14 are outfitted with 360 US gallons (1,400 L) tanks.[14]
  • Two Bell 412HP Copter 17 and Copter 18 are outfitted with 360 US gallons (1,400 L) tanks.[14]

Stations and apparatus

Former Engine Company 81, a 1998 KME triple combination pumper at Vasquez Rocks serving Agua Dulce, California.
LA County Engine Company 23, serving the city of Bellflower. Engine 23 has been painted in the latest color scheme, red/orange overall with a reflective yellow stripe down the side and a reflective chevron pattern on the back.

As of September 2020.[15][16]

Some Stations have 2 engines. Engines with a 4+station number are cross-staffed Type 3 wildland engines. Units marked “paramedic/Advanced Life Support” are full medic units (two paramedics on board). Units marked “PAU” are paramedic assessment units (one paramedic on board).

More information Fire Station or Camp Number or Heliport, City/unincorporated area ...

Communications Center

LACoFD Dispatch And Communications Center

The LACoFD is currently dispatched from the P. Michael Freeman Command And Control Facility at the county fire operations center in East Los Angeles. (Location: 34.0526454N, 118.1724628W)

Paramedic Rescue Squad 51 from the NBC-Universal television series, Emergency!.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has been featured in multiple different television series.

  • Volcano, 1997 movie featuring Tommy Lee Jones.

See also

Notes

  1. Originally Engine 216, redesignated in 2009 to honor Firefighter Jim Howe.[17]
  2. Call Fire Fighters
  3. Call Fire Fighters, housed on a separate yard
  4. Supplemented by Call Fire Fighters directly responding to scene
  5. Call Fire Fighters
  6. Call Fire Fighters
  7. Call Fire Fighters
  8. Station 127 served as Station 51 on the famous tv-show "Emergency".
  9. Call Fire Fighters
  10. Call Fire Fighters
  11. Call Fire Fighters

References

  1. [1]
    "2016 Statistic Summary" (PDF). Los Angeles County Fire. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  2. [2]
    "2017-18 Recommended Budget" (PDF). Los Angeles County Fire. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  3. [3]
    "Chief Osby". LA County Fire. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  4. [4]
    McKibben, Dave (February 9, 2005). "L.A. County to Absorb La Habra's Fire Unit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  5. [5]
    "LACoFD Overview March 2017" (PDF).
  6. [6]
    "2017 Run Survey". Firehouse Magazine. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  7. [7]
    https://fire.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/LACoFD-2020-Annual-Report_072822_Final_Sm.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  8. [8]
    Sewell, Abby (September 17, 2013). "L.A. County to use fire camps for some long-term jail inmates". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  9. [9]
    Mehta, Seema (September 17, 2013). "Los Angeles County to send 500 inmates to fire camps". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  10. [10]
    "LOS ANGELES COUNTY 9-1-1 AMBULANCE EXCLUSIVE OPERATING AREAS 2016" (PDF). LACoFD. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  11. [11]
    Vaccaro, Bob (March 20, 2009). "Return of the Tiller Quint". Firefighter Nation. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  12. [12]
    Pociask, Martin. "Los Angeles County Fire Department Air Operations Section" (PDF). Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  13. [13]
    STILES, MATT (November 3, 2019). "Inside a wealthy L.A. man's effort to help pilots fight wildfires from a remote mountain base". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Air Operations". Code 2. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  15. [15]
    "Los Angeles County Fire". Code2High. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  16. [16]
    "Los Angeles County Fire Equipment". FireDepartment.net. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  17. [17]
    "StackPath".
  18. [18]
    "Rescue 8". IMDb. September 23, 1958. Retrieved February 14, 2015.[unreliable source?]
  19. [19]
    "Q & A with Randolph Mantooth". route51.com. February 1, 2014. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  20. [20]
    Carter, Bill (July 3, 1995). "Media: TELEVISION; Stand aside, CNN. America's No. 1 TV export is – no scoffing, please – 'Baywatch". New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
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