The Los Angeles City Council voted today to order a report on the grievance and disciplinary process at the Los Angeles Fire Department following allegations of a cover-up involving a senior administrative commander who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on duty.
On August 1, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) held a press briefing at Station No. 31 in Paramount to discuss its most pressing challenges in the face of a growing call volume and intensifying wildfires. Fire Chief Daryl Osby and Assistant Fire Chief Eleni Pappas sat on a large panel of firefighters and paramedics, who shared their stories from the frontlines. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn also spoke on the panel, urging the media to inform the public of their role in improving the fourth-busiest fire department in the country.
Excelling in a variety of incidents has helped LAFD chalk-up impressive statistics in preserving life and property and promoting public safety. Last year, the department answered to 382,128 emergency medical calls, 4,024 structural fires and 66,674 additional incidents. Response times to all calls occurred in less than seven minutes, which many consider a significant feat in light of L.A.’s congested streets.
Assistant Fire Chief Kwame Cooper (Courtesy Photo) When Assistant Fire Chief Kwame Cooper joined the Los Angeles City Fire Department 38 years ago, there were less than 80 Blacks out of 3,800 firefighters. Nearly four decades later, and Cooper has played a vital role in creating a more diverse and inclusive population of firefighters in L.A. Cooper is retiring from the department this year, but for the veteran firefighter, the word ‘retirement’ doesn’t mean that his journey is complete. “My philosophy is that this is more of a transformation in my life where although I won’t be committed to going
California law requires the installation of carbon monoxide detectors outside of each sleeping area in a home. For maximum protection against carbon monoxide gas, the LACoFD also recommends installing a carbon monoxide detector inside each bedroom.