A memo from the Los Angeles Fire Department shows that the city’s chief firefighter said budget cuts had hampered the department’s response to emergencies.
According to documents from the city budget, funding for the fire department of the city decreased by $17.6 millions, or 2% between the fiscal years 2024-25 and 2023-24. The city council approved in November a contract for four years worth $203 million with the union of firefighter to increase wages and benefits. This was funded from the general fund.
As firefighters fought to put out the fires, they were criticized for budget cuts.
In a memo dated December 4, LAFD Fire Chief Kristin CROWLEY wrote to the Board of Fire Commissioners stating that budget cuts have “adversely affected the Department’s ability to maintain its core operations.”
Crowley stated that a reduction of $7 million in overtime hours had “severely restricted the Department’s ability to prepare, train, and respond for large-scale emergency situations” and affected its capacity for brush clearing inspections and residential checks.
Crowley stated in a July 2024 memo that the cuts were due to the elimination of 58 positions, adjustments made to sworn salaries, and removal of one-time expenditures. One-time expenditures, like the purchase of breathing equipment for firemen, have been pointed out as a possible reason why the budget was reduced in the current fiscal period compared to last year.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, when asked about budget cuts during a press conference on Thursday morning, said that they had no impact on the ability of the department to deal with the ongoing fires.
She said that “no reductions were made which would have affected the situation we dealt with in the past couple of days.” She also highlighted the additional funds that the department would receive as a result of the city’s agreement with the union. “We were dealing with a windstorm that was unprecedented, a wind so fierce we hadn’t seen for years.
Crowley’s office and that of the Board of Fire Commissioners did not respond immediately to a comment request. Genethia Hughes, the president of the board at its meeting on December 17, acknowledged the issues with funding and personnel.
Hudley Hayes said that it was not unfair to state that the Los Angeles Fire Department is in crisis mode. “Anyone who knows a city council member really needs to go to the council meeting, talk to their councilperson, or speak in their neighborhood councils. We are really at a critical point.”
This year’s budget shows that the fire department spent more than $66.6 million during the fiscal year 2023-24. Unbudgeted contracts and unused sick leave, as well as overtime, are responsible for most of this overspending.
Bass, in a statement issued after the budget approval, said that the city budget acts as a “reset.”
Bass stated that “this budget is a reset in part because it continues to hire critical positions such as police officers and firemen while eliminating some vacant departmental positions. This prioritizes our City family above empty desks.”
The budget of the police department increased by approximately 7%, while the budget of the fire department was reduced.
In addition to the Los Angeles Fire Department, there are 28 other fire departments throughout Los Angeles County. Firefighters from five other states are also responding to the fires. Gov. Gavin Newsom has activated California National Guard to assist in the fight against the fires. The Defense Department also provided equipment and manpower.
