Following devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is advocating for the addition of 227 jobs in the fire department, even as city faces budget cuts elsewhere. This proposal aims to bolster a department previously criticized for being underfunded. Current personnel shortages have hindered the fire department's efficiency during emergencies, with calls for increased funding resonating among city officials. Past fire chiefs have openly acknowledged that budget constraints have hampered their operational effectiveness, highlighting the urgent need for resource allocation within the department.
In the days after the Palisades fire broke out, then-Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said that budget cuts had hampered the fire department's ability to fight the wind-driven blaze.
Genethia Hudley Hayes, president of the city's Fire Commission, said Monday that the fire department has been under-resourced for more than a decade.
I feel very hopeful, she said about Bass' budget proposal. The mayor has absolutely said that she understands we are going to have to have more funding.
During an interview, Crowley admitted that budget cuts negatively impacted the fire department's readiness, saying, 'I want to be very, very clear. Yes.'
Collection
[
|
...
]