LAFD Engine 11 Alvarado 2015-10-18
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The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD or LA City Fire) provides firefighting services and technical rescue services, hazardous materials services, and emergency medical services to the residents of the city of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture 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 The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fi ...
and the
Chicago Fire Department The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) provides firefighting services along with emergency medical response services, hazardous materials mitigation services, and technical rescue response services in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, un ...
. 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 The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through Contract city, contracting, including the city of ...
, which serves unincorporated areas and, via contracts, other incorporated municipalities within
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...
without their own fire departments. The department is currently under the command of acting Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva after former LAFD Chief Kristen Crowley was fired by Los Angeles Mayor
Karen Bass Karen Ruth Bass (; born October 3, 1953) is an American politician who has served as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Bass previously served in the United States House ...
following the
2025 Southern California wildfires From January 7 to 31, 2025, a series of 14 destructive wildfires affected the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego County in California, United States. The fires were exacerbated by drought conditions, low humidity, a buildup of ve ...
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 (cart). 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. 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 hydrant A fire hydrant, fireplug, firecock (archaic), hydrant riser or Johnny Pump is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. It is a component of active fire protection. Underground fire hydrants have been used in Europe a ...
s were placed throughout the city, giving firefighters access to a reliable water source. In 1955 Station 78 in
Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 19 ...
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.


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 / Chief of Staff

Executive Bureau/Chief Of Staff is commanded by a Deputy Chief (Bureau Commander) 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” (as it is commonly called) 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 (200 Series, for example Engine 201 or Engine 301 for 100 stations) 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 (Pump), and a Truck, all operating together. While a standard Engine is always staffed with a full crew, a 200 Series Engine (Pump)is only staffed by a driver (and one other firefighter if responding as part of a Light Force). The purpose of the 200 Series Engine (Pump) 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 (RAs), often called 'rescues' for short, can be considered either Paramedic/advanced life support (ALS), or Emergency Medical Technician/basic life support (BLS) 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 supplies and other equipment for Emergency Medical Responses.


Helicopters

The Air Operations Section (AIROPS) of the LAFD operates out of Fire Station 114 at
Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport is a public airport in the Van Nuys neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. The airport is operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a branch of the Los Angeles city government, which also operates Los Angeles Internat ...
(KVNY). 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 AW139 The AgustaWestland AW139, now known as the Leonardo AW139, is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo. It is marketed at several differ ...
s. ''FIRE 6'' and ''FIRE 7'' are both Bell 206 B-III Jet Rangers. The department previously operated
Bell 205 The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, i ...
and
Bell 412 The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. It is a twin-turbine helicopter that has been ...
types, the last of which was retired in 2017 to make way for the newer AW139s.


Fireboats

The
Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles. It occupies of land and water with of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "Amer ...
is under the jurisdiction of the LAFD which operates 5
fireboat A fireboat or Fire-float Pyronaut, fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with ...
s to provide fire protection for ships and dockside structures. ''Fireboat 1'', ''Fireboat 3'' and ''Fireboat 5'' are identical long aluminum
fireboat A fireboat or Fire-float Pyronaut, fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with ...
s capable of a top speed of while fully loaded. They are equipped with a pump and a
deluge gun A deluge gun, fire monitor, master stream or deck gun is an aimable controllable high-capacity water jet used for manual firefighting or automatic fire protection Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of ...
. 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 Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable s ...
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 ''Warner Lawrence'' is a fireboat owned and operated by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) in Los Angeles. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. in the early 2000s, ''Warner Lawrence'' was built in Washington and delivered to San Pedro on 21 May 20 ...
'', 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.


USAR Task Force 1

The Los Angeles Fire Department is the founding member of one of California's eight
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Members of FEMA US&R Task Force at World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (US&R Task Force) is a team of individuals specializing in urban search and rescue, disaster recovery, and emergency triage a ...
s. California Task Force 1 (CA-TF1) is available to respond to natural or man-made disasters around the country and world and assist with
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, medical support, damage assessment and communications.


Command structure

The LAFD is divided into four operational Bureaus: Operations Central Bureau (OCB), Operations West Bureau (OWB), Operations South Bureau (OSB); formerly known as 'South Division', and Operations Valley Bureau (OVB); formerly known as 'North Division'. Each Bureau is commanded by a Deputy Chief, who holds the title of 'Bureau Commander'. Each Bureau also has an Assistant Chief who serves as the 'Assistant Bureau Commander'. To replicate the former North and South Division, Operations Central Bureau (OCB) and Operations Valley Bureau (OVB) also have three additional Assistant Chiefs who work 24-hour platoon duty. These Assistant Chiefs staff marked Dodge RAM SUVs and respond to major incidents - Command 22 for Operations Central Bureau (OCB) and Command 42 of Operations Valley Bureau (OVB). * Operations Central Bureau compromises of 3 battalions and 22 Fire Stations. Battalion 1 (8 Fire Stations), Battalion 2 (8 Fire Stations) and Battalion 11 (6 Fire Stations). Operations Central Bureau headquarters are located at Fire Station 3 located in Civic Center and Bunker Hill. * Operations West Bureau compromises of 3 battalions and 21 Fire Stations. Battalion 4 (7 Fire Stations), Battalion 5 (7 Fire Stations) and Battalion 9 (7 Fire Stations). Operations West Bureau headquarters are located at Fire Station 82 located in Hollywood * Operations South Bureau compromises 3 battalions and 25 Fire Stations. Battalion 6 (11 Fire Stations), Battalion 13 (8 Fire Stations), Battalion 18 (6 Fire Stations). Operations South Bureau headquarters is located at the San Pedro Municipal Building (638 South Beacon Street, Suite 374). * Operations Valley Bureau compromises of 5 battalions and 31 Fire Stations. Battalion 10 (9 Fire Stations), Battalion 12 (7 Fire Stations), Battalion 14 (7 Fire Stations), Battalion 15 (8 Fire Stations) and Battalion 17. Operations Valley Bureau headquarters is temporarily located at Fire Station 83 located in Encino. Each of the four operational Bureaus house a number of battalions. These battalions are staffed by uniformed personnel who rotate on a 24-hour platoon duty. Each battalion is commanded by a Battalion Chief, who responds to major incidents within their battalion, usually 20-30 square miles in size. They have the responsibility of commanding these scenes as the Incident Commander (IC). Battalion Chiefs typically respond to these incidents with a Firefighter/Specialist, who holds the title of Emergency Incident Technician (EIT). EITs drive the Dodge RAM SUV to the scenes and act as an assistant to the Battalion Chief. Note that stations with a truck and a 200 series engine (pump) will usually respond the two apparatus together as a lightforce. So, for example, Truck 1 and Engine 201 will often respond together as ''Light Force 1''. The only full time exception is Fire Station 9 where Engine 209 is fully staffed. Truck 9 responds as a single company when appropriate. During "Augmented Staffing" (red-flag brush fire weather, or other increased threat days) the 200 series engines can be fully staffed as a 4-member Engine Company. Each company can then either be dispatched individually or as a "Task Force". 400 series Engines are ready reserve apparatus. These apparatuses are full loaded with equipment and hose. They are used either for short term relief IE when a frontline apparatus is shut down for repair or maintenance. 400 series Engines are also staffed as needed during "High Hazard" days or other augmented staffing times. The LAFD has six Type 3 wildland Engines. Five are property of the State of California OES but are staffed as needed and maintained by the LAFD. Together these 5 Engines form Strike Team 1880C.Engine 482C
is housed at Fire Station 82 and is a ready reserve Type 3 wildland Engine. Command Assignment List CAD Designation List


Station list


In pop culture

The LAFD has been featured in many TV shows, movies, and video games. Sometimes the LAFD or LAFD equipment is just seen in the background. * (1974) '' Firehouse'', starring James Drury * (1981–1982) '' Code Red'', starring
Lorne Greene Lorne Hyman Greene (born Lyon Himan Green; February 12, 1915 – September 11, 1987) was a Canadian actor, singer, and radio personality. His notable television roles include Ben Cartwright on the Western ''Bonanza'' and Commander Adama in ...
* (1995–2000) '' LAPD: Life on the Beat'', the fire department was featured often responding to various emergency calls with the "LAPD". * (1999) ''
Rescue 77 ''Rescue 77'' is an American medical drama television series about the professional and personal lives of paramedics in Los Angeles, California. The series created by Gregory Widen and aired from March 15 to May 3, 1999, on The WB. The creator ...
'' * (2004) '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', appears as Fire Department of San Andreas * (2013) ''
Grand Theft Auto V ''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto, ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and ...
'', appears as Los Santos Fire Department * (2015) '' San Andreas'' * (2018–present) ''
9-1-1 911, sometimes written , is an emergency telephone number for Argentina, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Maldives, Palau, Panama, Iraq, the Philippines, Sint Maarten, the United States, and Uruguay, as well as ...
'' * (2018–present) '' The Rookie''


See also

* Fire Station No. 1 * Engine Company No. 28 * Engine House No. 18 (Los Angeles, California) * Fire Station No. 14 (Los Angeles, California) * Fire Station No. 23 (Los Angeles, California) * Fire Station No. 30, Engine Company No. 30 * Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial * Louis R. Nowell, fire captain who became a City Council member * ''Ralph J. Scott'', formerly known as Fireboat #2 * The Stentorians Fire Station No.46 * Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center Los Angeles


References


External links


Map of all LAFD Fire Stations

Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive

Los Angeles Fire Department News & Information Web Log

LAFD Recruiting
{{Coord, 34, 3, 0, N, 118, 15, 0, W, display=title Ambulance services in the United States Fire departments in California Government agencies established in 1886
Fire Department A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organi ...
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
1886 establishments in California Government agencies of Los Angeles