Los Angeles Fire Department
The Los Angeles Fire Department provides Fire Suppression Services, Technical Rescue Services, Emergency Medical Response Services, and Hazardous Materials Response Services to the residents of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The LAFD is responsible for approximately four million people who live in the agency's jurisdiction. The Los Angeles Fire Department was founded in 1886 and is the third-largest municipal fire department in the United States, after the New York City Fire Department and the Chicago Fire Department. The department is sometimes also referred to as the "Los Angeles City Fire Department" or "LA City Fire" to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which serves unincorporated areas and, via contracts, other incorporated municipalities within Los Angeles County without their own fire departments. The department is currently under the command of Jamie Moore after former LAFD chief Kristin Crowley was fired by Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass following the 2025 Southern California wildfires for refusing to write an after-action report.
History
The Los Angeles Fire Department has its origins in the year 1871. In September of that year, 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. 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.
Los Angeles acquired its first "hook and ladder" truck for the Thirty-Eights. It proved to be too cumbersome and was ill-adapted to the needs of the city. It was sold to the city of Wilmington. In 1876, another "hook and ladder" truck was purchased, serving in the city until 1881.
In 1878, a third fire company was formed by the residents in the neighborhood of Sixth Street and Park. It was given the name of "Park Hose Co. No. 1". East Los Angeles formed a hose company named "East Los Angeles Hose Co. No. 2" five years later. The final volunteer company was formed in the fall of 1883 in the Morris Vineyard area. This company was called "Morris Vineyard Hose Co. No.3."
All of these companies remained in service until February 1, 1886, when the present paid fire department came into existence.
File:1890LAFireStn.jpg|thumb|left|Los Angeles Fire House near Olvera Street, 1890
In 1877, the first horses were bought for the city fire department. The department would continue to use horses for its equipment for almost fifty years, phasing out the last horse drawn equipment on July 19, 1921.
By 1900, the department had grown to 18 fire stations with 123 full-time paid firefighters and 80 fire horses. The city had also installed 194 fire-alarm boxes allowing civilians to sound the alarm if a fire was spotted. 660 fire hydrants were placed throughout the city, giving firefighters access to a reliable water source. In 1955 Station 78 in Studio City became the first racially integrated station in the department.
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 has helped to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents from Los Angeles. Also, more than 1,800 Los Angeles firefighters have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
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.
- 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.CAD designation of'FC1'and radio designation of'Fire Chief'.The Fire Chief reports directly to the Board of Fire Commissioners.Executive Bureau/Office Of The Chief of Staff
The Executive Bureau/Office Of The Chief Of Staff is commanded by a Deputy Chief 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
Types of apparatus
The department utilizes a wide array of apparatus and equipment. These are most but not all of the apparatus.Triple combination engines
The triple combination fire engine or “triple” 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 apparatus 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 apparatus 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 and a Ladder Truck. Light forces will almost always respond together as one unit or resource.
A Task Force is simply a Light Force coupled with an Engine. An Engine Company is considered a single unit or "resource" when responding to incidents on its own. A Task Force usually responds to larger incidents, such as structural fires, and is made up of an Engine, a 200 Series Engine, and a Truck, all operating together. While a standard Engine is always staffed with a full crew, a 200 Series Engine is only staffed by a driver. The purpose of the 200 Series Engine is to provide support and equipment to the Truck in a Light Force, and either the Truck Company or the Engine Company in a Task Force.
Rescue Ambulances
Rescue Ambulances in the LAFD are often called'rescues'for short.They can be considered either Paramedic Staffed/advanced life support,or Emergency Medical Technician Staffed/basic life support units. Ambulances number 1-112 are frontline Advanced Life Support Units staffed by 2 firefighter / paramedics, while those in the 200 series are Advanced Life Support reserve units. Ambulances in the 800s & 900s are Basic Life Support Units staffed by 2 firefighter EMTs, with 900-series units assigned to Stations identified numerically over 100. Rescue Ambulances have Cardiac Defibrillators and Monitors,Cardiac Drugs,Intubation and Airway Management supplies and other equipment for Emergency Medical Responses.Helicopters
The Air Operations Section of the LAFD operates out of Fire Station 114 at Van Nuys Airport. The helicopter fleet consists of five Medium Duty helicopters 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 205 Jet Ranger X.
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. They also have a firefighting foam capacity.Fireboat 4, also known as the Bethel F. Gifford, was commissioned in 1962 and is the oldest of the fleet. It is capable of pumping water at and carries of foam solution for petrochemical fires. It is equipped with jet-stream nozzles to allow for increased maneuverability.
The newest and most technologically advanced of the fireboats is the long Fireboat 2, also known as the Warner Lawrence, which has the capability to pump up to up to in the air. Boat 2 also has an onboard area for treatment and care of rescued persons.