2021 Funding Priorities

City resources are finite. Demands on the Los Angeles Fire Department ("LAFD") are seemingly endless. The men and women of the LAFD have immediate funding needs for gear, equipment, and programs that help keep them safe in the line of duty. 

These needs range from resources for wildfire season and widespread emergencies, to equipment for everyday incidents and specialty units.

Approximately 97% of the city’s budget for the LAFD goes towards personnel costs, leaving just 3% to fund essential equipment, new technology and training programs. 

Our Foundation works directly with LAFD leadership to identify critical funding gaps and provides ways for the public to help. 

Donations are channeled directly into tools and tangible  resources  that help save lives. Donor dollars are spent swiftly and responsibly, making an immediate impact where they are needed most. 

The LAFD Foundation is actively seeking funds to equip our LAFD firefighters with the following:
 

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Equipment

Cardiac Monitoring Devices & Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) responds to a daily average of 1,310 emergency medical calls. Of this amount, the LAFD transports an average of 510 patients to the hospital every day. The LAFD routinely uses cardiac monitoring devices and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to monitor, diagnose, and treat life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrests.

The current devices were purchased about ten years ago, meaning that these devices are nearing the end of their service life.

The department identified several criteria that were essential when reviewing the available product lines. This criterion included the following:

• Easy to transport
• Lightweight and durability
• Opportunities to increase patient care through technology
• Seamless integration for patient care reporting
• Elimination of unnecessary accessories

Newly identified equipment resolves many of the issues the previous models presented. The new AEDs and cardiac monitoring devices are equipped the with latest technology and advancements, including wireless capabilities and real-time feedback during CPR.

The LAFD estimates that it will need $7,500,000 to purchase 250 cardiac monitoring devices to replace the existing equipment. The cost of each cardiac monitoring device is $30,000. Then each AED costs about $2,000, and the department will need 275 to replace the existing devices.  

Total cost = $7.5 million

STRUCTURE FIRE BAILOUT SYSTEMS

High rise and multi-level structure fires can create dangerous and unpredictable environments for firefighters. In extreme situations when an incident is deemed unsafe, firefighters may have no choice but to escape by deploying this bailout system to safely rappel down the outside of a building.

Deployed as a last resort, this system is comprised of three main components:

• a harness/attachment;
• a descending rope; and
• a safety hook.

The LAFD needs to purchase additional bailout equipment and modify its aging escape systems to ensure maximum safety for our firefighters.

BRUSH CLEARANCE TOOLS + EQUIPMENT

Clearing brush, cutting fire roads and creating natural barriers in anticipation of fire season can save homes and lives. The process is labor-intensive and exhausting. These rugged kits are specially designed to help firefighters and ground crews cut through brush and remove potential fuel sources.

Engineered to the rigorous performance specs of the LAFD, these chainsaws and hand tools allow our firefighters to cut,dig and scrape away brush down to the soil to create linear “breaks” or gaps in vegetation to help with fire containment. These tools are also used year-round for brush clearance and fire prevention.

Each kit is comprised of a variety of tools and protective equipment. The main components are:

WILDLAND CHAINSAW
This specialized chainsaw is lightweight for easy maneuverability, and extra sturdy to cut through logs, fallen tree limbs and heavy brush.

WILDLAND SHOVEL
This lightweight shovel is ideal for cutting through tree limbs and brush, digging out burning material, throwing soil on flaming fuel and scraping combustible material down to mineral soil.

WILDLAND RHINO
This modified shovel can clear land quickly and is ideal for chipping and cutting through grass and brush. The Rhino is lightweight, extremely durable and helps to minimize firefighter fatigue.

PULASKI TOOL
The Pulaski is a special hand tool, part axe and part adze blade. The Pulaski is especially hand in creating fire breaks - sections of land devoid of vegetation which can help contain brush fires. Firefighters chop down trees with the axe side, cutting away roots and shrubs and dig barriers with with the adze blade.

Brush clearance kits also include important safety equipment from protective eye wear, to Kevlar chaps for the chainsaw operators.