Los Angeles Fire Department

The Los Angeles Fire Department has its origins in 1871. That September, George M. Fall, the county clerk for Los Angeles County, organized Engine Company No. 1. It was a volunteer firefighting force with an Amoskeag fire engine and a hose jumper (cart). The equipment was hand-drawn to fires. In the spring of 1874, the fire company asked the Los Angeles City Council to purchase horses to pull the engine. The council refused, and the fire company disbanded. Many of the former members of Engine Company No. 1 reorganized under the name of Thirty-Eights No. 1 in May 1875, Engine Co. No. 2 was organized under the name Confidence Engine Company. , ca.1910 By 1900, the department had grown to 18 fire stations with 123 full-time paid firefighters and 80 fire horses. In 1955, Station 78 in Studio City became the first racially integrated station in the department. , Downtown Los Angeles in 1947 , February 1977 Since 1978, the LAFD has provided emergency medical and fire suppression services to the city of San Fernando by contract. In responses to the 2020 pandemic, the LAFD helped administer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents from Los Angeles. In 2022, Kristin Crowley became the first female, and the first openly gay, chief of the LAFD. ==Modern day==

A 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that more than 54 percent of all fires requiring an LAFD response were associated with homelessness. Most are unintentional, resulting from the use of open-flame cooking equipment or campfires near tents and other flammable materials. Until June 2024, the city could not prohibit unhoused people from performing vital activities like cooking, and attempts to remove encampments from high-risk areas had been blocked by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which had ruled that the city was obligated to provide housing for the residents of a removed encampment. About a third of homeless-related fires are classed as arson by the LAFD. The LAFD only forwards arson cases to the Police Department for investigation when there is significant property damage or they believe the victim was being targeted. Thus, very few homeless-related arsons are prosecuted. The problem of homeless-related fires becomes more grave with each passing year: • In 2021, Los Angeles had, on average, 24 homeless-related fires every day (more than 54% of all fires). • In 2024, Los Angeles had, on average, 46 homeless-related fires every day. ==Organization==

Administration Administration has the official office for the fire chief of the department, with CAD designation of "FC1" and radio designation of "fire chief". The fire chief reports directly to the Board of Fire Commissioners. Executive Bureau / chief of staff Executive Bureau/chief of staff is commanded by a deputy chief (bureau commander) who holds the title of chief of staff. The chief of staff is assisted by an executive administrative assistant II and senior management analyst I. In 2022, the Executive Bureau was changed from the previous name of Administration Bureau. ==Rank structure==

The department utilizes a wide array of apparatuses and equipment. These are most but not all of the apparatus. Triple combination engines The triple combination fire engine or "triple" (as it is commonly called) is the most common type of firefighting apparatus in Los Angeles. The term "triple combination" refers to the apparatus having three components: a water tank, high capacity water pump, and hose. The triple can be found as a one-piece engine company or as two engines assigned to a task force station. The "triples" used by the LAFD have a direct drive, dual centrifuge main pump rated at 1,500 GPM at 150 psi with a 10-foot lift through a 6-inch suction. These apparatuses carry a combination of all of the following sizes of hose: 4″, 2″, 1 3/4″, 1 1/2″ and 1″. The standard hose load is 750' of 4", 750' of 2 1/2" with a 325GPM nozzle, 400' of 1 3/4" with a 200 GPM nozzle, 400' of 1 1/2" with a 125 GPM nozzle and 500' of 1" with a dual gallonage 10/40 GPM nozzle. The water tank carrying capacity of all LAFD engines is 500 gallons. All frontline engines are equipped with a 30-gallon Class A foam injection system with the exception of Engine 51 at LAX that carries Class B foam in the onboard system. These apparatuses are staffed by four members, including a captain who is the company commander, an engineer responsible for driving, maintaining and operating the pump, and two firefighters. A number of triples in the LAFD are also paramedic assessment companies – meaning they include a firefighter/paramedic as part of the crew. All engines are equipped with fire suppression gear as well as basic rescue equipment and emergency medical services equipment. Light forces and task forces The LAFD uses the concept of light forces and task forces, which can be considered one "resource", although comprising more than one unit or company. A light force is composed of a pump engine (200 series, for example Engine 201 or Engine 301 for 100 stations) and a ladder truck. Light forces almost always respond together as one unit or resource. Ambulances in the 800s and 900s are basic life support units staffed by two firefighter EMTs, with 900-series units assigned to stations identified numerically over 100. of the LAFD operates out of Fire Station 114 at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY). The helicopter fleet consists of five medium duty and two light duty helicopters, making the department capable of handling brush fire suppression, air ambulance transport, high rise fire response, and hoist rescues. FIRE 1, FIRE 2, FIRE 3, FIRE 4, and FIRE 5 are all AgustaWestland AW139s. FIRE 6 and FIRE 7 are both Bell 206 B-III Jet Rangers. The department previously operated Bell 205 and Bell 412 types, the last of which was retired in 2017 to make way for the newer AW139s. Fireboats '' The Port of Los Angeles is under the jurisdiction of the LAFD which operates 5 fireboats to provide fire protection for ships and dockside structures. Fireboat 1, Fireboat 3 and Fireboat 5 are identical long aluminum fireboats capable of a top speed of while fully loaded. They are equipped with a pump and a deluge gun. It is equipped with jet-stream nozzles to allow for increased maneuverability. Boat 2 also has an onboard area for treatment and care of rescued persons. California Task Force 1 The Los Angeles Fire Department is the founding member of one of California's eight FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces. California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) is available to respond to natural or man-made disasters around the country and world and assist with search and rescue, medical support, damage assessment and communications. == Command structure ==

The LAFD is divided into four operational Bureaus: Operations Central Bureau (OCB), Operations West Bureau (OWB), Operations South Bureau (OSB), formerly known as South Division, and Operations Valley Bureau (OVB), formerly known as North Division. Each bureau is commanded by a deputy chief, who holds the title of bureau commander. Each bureau also has an assistant chief who serves as the assistant bureau commander. To replicate the former North and South Division, Operations Central Bureau (OCB) and Operations Valley Bureau (OVB) also have three additional assistant chiefs who work 24-hour platoon duty. These assistant chiefs staff marked Dodge RAM SUVs and respond to major incidents - assistant 2 for Operations Central Bureau (OCB) and assistant 4 of Operations Valley Bureau (OVB). • Operations Central Bureau comprises three battalions and 22 fire stations. Battalion 1 (8 fire stations), Battalion 2 (8 fire stations) and Battalion 11 (6 fire stations). Operations Central Bureau headquarters are located at Fire Station 3 located in Civic Center and Bunker Hill. • Operations West Bureau comprises three battalions and 21 fire stations. Battalion 4 (7 fire stations), Battalion 5 (7 fire stations) and Battalion 9 (7 fire stations). Operations West Bureau headquarters are located at Fire Station 82 located in Hollywood • Operations South Bureau comprises three battalions and 25 fire stations. Battalion 6 (11 fire sStations), Battalion 13 (8 fire stations), Battalion 18 (6 fire stations). Operations South Bureau headquarters is located at the San Pedro Municipal Building (638 South Beacon Street, Suite 374). • Operations Valley Bureau comprises five battalions and 31 fire stations. Battalion 10 (9 fire stations), Battalion 12 (7 fire stations), Battalion 14 (7 fire stations), Battalion 15 (8 fire stations) and Battalion 17. Operations Valley Bureau headquarters is temporarily located at Fire Station 83 in Encino. Each of the four operational bureaus house a number of battalions. These battalions are staffed by uniformed personnel who rotate on a 24-hour platoon duty. Each battalion is commanded by a battalion chief, who responds to major incidents within their battalion, usually 20-30 square miles in size. They have the responsibility of commanding these scenes as the Incident Commander (IC). Battalion chiefs drive a Dodge RAM SUV to emergency incidents. Note that stations with a truck and a 200 series engine (pump) will usually respond the two apparatuses together as a light force. For example, Truck 1 and Engine 201 will often respond together as Light Force 1. Engine 29C is housed at Fire Station 29 and is a Type 3 wildland Engine. The LAFD also has four Type 6 OES wildland engines. These engines are property of the State of California OES but are staffed as needed and maintained by the LAFD. Command assignment list CAD designation list ==Station list==

The LAFD has been featured in many TV shows, movies, and video games. Sometimes the LAFD or LAFD equipment is just seen in the background. • (1974) Firehouse, starring James Drury • (1981–1982) Code Red, starring Lorne Greene • (1995–2000) LAPD: Life on the Beat, the fire department was featured often responding to various emergency calls with the "LAPD". • (1999) Rescue 77 • (2004) Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, appears as Fire Department of San Andreas • (2013) Grand Theft Auto V, appears as Los Santos Fire Department • (2015) San Andreas, Dwayne Johnson plays a rescue helicopter pilot who works for the LAFD. • (2018–present) 9-1-1, the show's main characters work for the LAFD in the fictional station 118. • (2018–present) The Rookie, the show's main character dates a firefighter who works for the LAFD. ==See also==