Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley has openly criticized the city's handling of the recent Southern California wildfires, citing staffing and resource deficiencies as contributing factors to the difficulties faced by over 100,000 displaced residents. In a candid interview with KTTV, a Fox News affiliate, Crowley affirmed that the City of Los Angeles, under Mayor Karen Bass's leadership, had indeed failed its citizens in this crisis.
Crowley emphasized the impact of personnel shortages on the department's response time, stating that budget cuts inevitably hinder their service capabilities. "Any reduction in our budget directly affects our ability to respond effectively," she explained. "Cuts necessitate reallocations, leading to either tasks being neglected entirely or significant delays in service delivery." She highlighted the strain on the department, noting that firefighters typically handle over 1,500 calls and transport 650 patients daily, even before the added burden of the recent wildfires.
The Chief revealed that these resource limitations are not new, referencing memos she has consistently sent to city officials detailing the department's needs. "From my first day, we've identified critical gaps in our service delivery and the ability of our firefighters to perform their duties," Crowley stated. "This is my third budget cycle, and we remain understaffed, under-resourced, and underfunded." She pointed to a budget reduction of $17,553,814, from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423, as directly impacting their capacity to respond effectively.
Crowley stressed that the volume of calls handled by firefighters has doubled since 2010, coupled with a 55% increase in workload and 68 fewer personnel. "This is not a recent development," she reiterated. "I have been raising the alarm about our needs for the past three years." She passionately advocated for adequate funding, stating, "We are pleading for the necessary resources to ensure our firefighters can fulfill their duties and serve the community effectively. This situation is no longer sustainable."
Crowley highlighted the department's identified need for 62 new fire stations and a doubling of firefighter personnel, emphasizing that the city's population has doubled since 1960 while the number of fire stations has decreased. She underscored the data-driven justification for these budget requests, asserting that they are essential for the fire department to effectively serve the city and its residents.
In a separate interview with CNN, Crowley revealed that she had been asked to prepare a budget reduction plan, which could have led to the closure of 15 fire stations and the elimination of 300 firefighter positions. She cautioned against such drastic cuts, warning of their potentially devastating impact on public safety. Crowley affirmed that she had submitted a comprehensive budget proposal that would adequately equip firefighters to perform their duties effectively.
