Ever wonder why people choose to align themselves with an organization like the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Foundation? For LAFD Foundation Board member Banyon Hutter, his career-long experience in public safety and service drove his desire to take his support for the LAFD to the next level.

When Hutter considers what he is putting his money toward, he asks himself whether the desired product is a want or a need. “When you look at the things our firefighters are asking for,” he continued, “these are needs. There are no wants here.”

Hutter’s worlds of philanthropy and civic pride intersected three years ago in May 2021, when the Palisades Fire swept through Topanga State Park in Los Angeles and the neighboring Pacific Palisades community. It took 12 days to fully contain the fire, which burned a total of 1,202 acres.

At the center of the Palisades Fire sat one of private real estate development and management company Caruso’s properties, which quickly became a key location for supporting Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) operations during the firefight. As the Senior Vice President of Security, Technology, and Health for Caruso, Hutter watched the property transform into an incident command center, further cementing his understanding of the needs of the LAFD.

“It’s all about making sure those partnerships that we have with individual tenants at those properties extend out to the fire department,” Hutter expressed, underscoring the marriage between his role with Caruso and his support for the LAFD and the LAFD Foundation.

Although Hutter has been on the LAFD Foundation Board for about four years, his work alongside the LAFD has spanned over a decade. Throughout his career, Hutter has worked with several agencies supervising personnel health, fire safety, and crime prevention. He worked closely with the LAFD while overseeing high-rise developments in Downtown Los Angeles and has implemented innovative technological solutions in various capacities to improve tenant-to-department communications.

Hutter recognizes the significant gaps that impact the work of the LAFD, from a loss of experience as a result of retirements and personnel shortages to a lack of proper funding for tools and equipment that firefighters need to do their jobs. “The biggest impact that the Foundation has is understanding how big those gaps are between what firefighters need to be successful and what it will take for them to get the job done,” he emphasized.

Hutter's eight years in the United States Airforce adds to his understanding of the unique needs of the LAFD, and how having up-to-date, high-quality tools and equipment impacts their life-saving work every day.

“To be a part of filling that stop-gap is of tremendous importance and is why I’m most proud to be a part of the Foundation,” he shared.

“Working with the Foundation really aligns with some of our core values, making sure that we embody and become a part of the communities that we invest in,” Hutter said. He emphasized that Caruso properties aim to be an extension of the communities they are a part of in every way possible, and developing relationships with local LAFD firefighters is a huge part of that relationship building.

From his role with Caruso to his personal endeavors, community engagement is deeply important to Hutter. He sits on the Board of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Foundation, Operation Progress, and an organization based in Watts called Victims of Murdered Children. Hutter is instilling this passion for giving back in his two teenage children, taking them out to volunteer with these organizations and get to know the people who are working to build safer, more resilient communities.

As for the LAFD Foundation, Hutter hopes more people recognize the vast and unique needs of Los Angeles firefighters and find a way to give of their time, knowledge, or finances to help those who put their lives on the line every day for the communities they serve.

He encourages interested advocates to talk to people they know – coworkers, friends, family – and ask them how the LAFD or a firefighter in any capacity has impacted their personal lives.

“I can guarantee that in any group you’re in, someone has a bone-chilling story of how these firefighters have changed their lives in a positive way,” he stated.