Special report on proposed fire department reductions

It has come to my attention that there has been some misunderstanding
about certain proposed reductions in the Fire Department as part of the
City’s efforts to close the $212 million budget shortfall.

We received messages from community members in Porter Ranch, Granada
Hills and West Hills voicing concern about a proposal from the L.A. Fire
Department to reduce the BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance to 12 hours a day at Fire Stations #8 in Porter Ranch, Station #18 in Granada Hills, and
Station #106 on Roscoe Blvd. in West Hills (which is in District 3 but
serves part of our area).

I sincerely understand this concern. As an LAPD Reserve Officers, I
serve as a first responder myself, and the last thing that I would
support is a cut that would affect emergency services.

However, it has been incorrectly stated that this was my proposal. This
proposal was made by the Fire Department, and was brought forward to the
Police and Fire Efficiencies Working Group as one of the means to meet
the goal set for budget reductions in the Fire Department.

When the Fire Department presented this package of proposed reductions,
Fire Chief Millage Peaks stated that he did not want to do this, but
that it was the “easiest to suggest.” I served as the moderator of
the Police and Fire Efficiencies Working Group and the group forwarded
this proposal as part of several options. The City Administrative
Officer then created a report recommending that proposal to the City
Council. It was not my proposal. In fact, the Fire Chief has full
authority over Fire Department deployment and could do this now without our approval.

The Chief’s proposal states that Fire Stations #8, #18 and #106 will
lose the BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance for 12 hours a day at a time
during which there are the lowest number of calls.

Station #8 gets only 2.2 calls a day in total, and less than one call
per day during the affected time frame. Station #18 gets 3.8 calls per
day and 1.4 calls during the affected time frame. Station #106 gets 2
calls per day and less than one call during the affected time frame.

The engine and the ALS (Advanced Life Support) ambulances from Station
#96 in Chatsworth, Station #70 in Northridge, and Station #87 in Granada
Hills will continue to cover the Porter Ranch and Granada Hills area as
they have. The West Hills area will continue to be covered by Station
#28 in Porter Ranch and #105 in Woodland Hills.

Finally, there has been some concern raised in the community about the
Fire Department wanting to retain the Battalion Chiefs’ Staff
Assistants whose functions include driving them to fire calls, and a
feeling that they should be cut before reducing ambulance services.

The Fire Department and the Firefighters Union (UFLAC) both have fought
vigorously against taking away the Staff Assistants. The City Council
will consider the issue of whether we should eliminate service of 10
ambulances for 12 hours a day in very low-use areas, or eliminate the
full-time Staff Assistants serving Battalion Chiefs.

I anticipate that eventually both will be gone, at least temporarily.
But I am interested in hearing the community’s point of view in the
debate at this time.

I hope this clarifies my position, and I look forward to hearing your
thoughts.