The LA Fire Chief warned in the weeks before the devastating Palisades fire that the decision to cut the department's budget by nearly $18 million would diminish its ability to prepare for and respond to large scale emergencies.
The budget reduction, approved last year by Mayor Karen Bass, was mostly absorbed by leaving many administrative jobs unfilled, but that left about $7 million that was cut from its overtime budget that was used for training, fire prevention, and other key functions.
"The reduction... has severely limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires," Chief Kristin Crowley wrote in a memo Dec. 4, 2024.
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The variable overtime hours, called "V-Hours" within the LAFD, were used to pay for FAA-mandated pilot training and helicopter coordination staffing for wildfire suppression, the memo said.
"Without this funding, pilot compliance and readiness are jeopardized, and aerial firefighting capabilities are diminished," it said. "Changes to the Air Operations Section impact the Department's ability to adhere to current automatic and mutual aid agreements, provide air ambulance service, and quickly respond to woodland fires with water dropping helicopters."
The memo also highlighted other programs that would suffer under the cuts, including the Disaster Response Section, which funds the bulldozer teams that cut breaks and control lines around wildfires, and the Critical Incident Planning and Training Section, which develops plans for major emergencies.
The Palisades Fire started Tuesday and, fanned by powerful winds, destroyed hundreds of buildings and burned about 15,800 acres. It is one of five wildfires burning in Southern California.
