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Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Captain Jeffrey Brown, who works at LAFD Fire Station 69 in the heart of the Pacific Palisades, was performing routine operations along the Pacific Coast Highway with his members the morning of January 7, 2025.

“The incident would have had a very different outcome without the thermal imaging camera,” Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Captain Matt Quealy reflected.

Little did the crew at Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Fire Station 23 in the Pacific Palisades know that their lives and the lives of their neighbors would change forever on January 7, 2025.

When Genesis called the LAFD Foundation to inquire about the benefit of a donation of vehicles for the Department, the team was stunned.

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Cadet Finbar Tancraitor had a spring break quite unlike that of his fellow high schoolers. He did get plenty of sunshine and time outside, but not on a sandy beach or at his local park with friends.

Firehouse meals serve a purpose much bigger than fueling the bravest among us.

The Los Angeles Chargers Impact Fund’s Bolt Academy program offered young people the opportunity to experience Black History at the African American Firefighter Museum.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 8th, Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Captain Christopher Klimpel and a crew from Fire Station 14 were finally headed back to the Pacific Palisades command post.

"In firefighting, you’re choosing a career where you’re constantly exposed to traumatic events,” shared Captain Roman Sanchez, a Navy veteran with 23 years on the LAFD. “I knew providing this support to others was my calling.”

The whole of Los Angeles is reeling from the impact of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, named the two most destructive fires in the history of the second-largest city in the United States.

Dear Firefighter: “I am thankful for your effort in trying to contain and put out the wildfires that have devastated so many communities.”

LAFD Captain Andy Ruiz has been passionate about fishing his whole life, having spent countless hours on the water with his brothers and father.

“If we have the technology, why would we not want it in the field, especially if it’s the best thing for the patient?” asked Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Medical Director Dr. Marc Cohen, who has seen firsthand the challenges of managing airways in both hospital and field settings.

For Melissa Pompa, running a marathon was much more than completing a personal goal. It was a meaningful way to give back to first responders through the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Canine Therapy Program.

“It’s hard to describe to people that have never experienced it,” Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Captain Thomas Henzgen said of what he saw in Asheville, North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to go up to the Bridge Fire with Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Captain Rich Diede to learn more about the LAFD’s wildfire mutual aid efforts.

At the firehouse, meals are more than just fuel – they’re an opportunity to foster camaraderie and comfort, even during the toughest shifts.

For some, the flashing lights of a fire engine stir up curiosity, and perhaps even comfort. For Omar Garcia, those lights changed the course of his life.

The untimely death of an LAFD recruit, an unexpected explosion that landed nine LAFD firefighters in the emergency room, and a firefighter who suffered permanent, severe injuries that required air transport to the closest hospital are just a handful of the Potentially Traumatic Events (PTEs) that LAFD firefighters confronted over the past year.

“My desire to be a medic, and how I operate in general, comes from my father,” said Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Firefighter/Paramedic (FF/PM) Steven Smith.

Applause shook the auditorium as Quinn Heller made her way to the stage to accept the check from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Scholarship Fund at the annual ceremony for scholarship winners.

Ever wonder why people choose to align themselves with an organization like the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Foundation?

Over 14 days, one of California's most devastating wildfires swept across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, claiming three lives, destroying more than 1,500 structures, and forcing the evacuation of more than 295,000 residents.

The Los Angeles Fire Department’s 2024 Howling Hero was separated from her mother as a puppy and found herself in what her owner, Kristen Nystrom, called, “a house of horrors.”

“The hair on the back of your neck stands up a little bit,” Captain Elan Raber from Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Fire Station 18 reflected.

One of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) mottos is “train like your life depends on it, because it does.”

Amy Yee will never forget receiving the call that her sheepadoodle, Sampson El Calafate, had won the 2023 LAFD Howling Heroes contest.

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Fire Station 94 responded to a midnight call in January 2021 for a commercial building fire in Hyde Park.

The feeling of crawling into bed after a long day, sinking into a comfortable mattress, and pulling the sheets up is familiar to all who have a relative sleep schedule and the privilege of owning a bed.

There are two things one might not expect to hear at firefighter training: an empathic “YES MA’AM” when responding to leadership commands, and the deep growl of that response coming from a group of teenagers.

Walk into any Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) fire station and firefighters will be ready to respond to any call at a moment’s notice.

Orpheas, an 8-year-old Maryland resident, is wildly enthusiastic about fire and rescue services.

For the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), a picture is worth much more than a thousand words.

Everyone knows firefighters for firefighting, but few fully understand the breadth and scope of what the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) does.

Though no one is sure who laid the foundation, Fire Station 109 (FS 109) has been known for its garden for longer than its members have been on duty.

Mike Ahmar is the Executive Chairman of Partners Bank of California, and the President of Ahmar Investment Inc., a prominent real estate development company.

For pet owners, animals are more than just companions; they are cherished members of our families.

Standing close to the manicured grass at BMO stadium, Arson Investigator Afara Lalaind waited patiently for her name to be called.

A driver races down the 405 on their way to work, weaving from lane to lane in the hopes of saving even a few seconds of travel time.

Can you smell a drop of gasoline from across a football field? How about spot the source of a fire to within three inches?

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) uses helicopters to combat wildfires, conduct rescues, and provide command and control during emergencies.

What is it like to be the mascot for one of the largest fire departments in the country? Each year, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation opens the Howling Heroes competition to the public.

It all started in 2004. A local artist named Rosie Tos stopped by her local fire station (LAFD Station 63) in Venice.

Twenty years ago, LAFD member Steve Hissong recalled a sense of disbelief as he watched the news coverage of a Boeing 767 which had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, the Los Angeles City Fire Department debuted the first robotic firefighting vehicle in the U.S., putting it to use on its first day in service.

Meet Dean Ulrich, LAFD Foundation board member and retired LAFD member. Dean spent three and half decades serving the people of Los Angeles.