LAFD Failed to Maximize Resources During Critical Initial Hours of Palisades Fire – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
2:10 PM – Wednesday, January 15, 2025
A recent investigation has disclosed that the leaders of the Los Angeles Fire Department opted to dispatch only a limited number of firefighters and equipment to the rapidly escalating Palisades Fire — even after it was well underway.
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The findings, released on Wednesday, indicate that only five out of 40 available fire engines were deployed initially, while 1,000 firefighters were held back during the early chaotic moments of the now-mighty fire.
This decision has faced harsh criticism from multiple retired fire chiefs who spoke to the media, labeling it a significant “error,” particularly given the wind warnings that had been issued in advance. Former fire chief, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that the department should have predicted a potential wildfire situation.
“Deploying those engines would have substantially improved the outcome,” former LAFD Battalion Chief Rick Crawford told the Los Angeles Times.
“By taking early action, you stand a better chance of controlling the fire’s intensity. … When you do so, you can confidently assert, ‘I did everything possible from the outset.’”
“This was not the case here,” he added, noting that the choices made were part of a “chain reaction of errors” by authorities.
Moreover, officials postponed the decision to retain hundreds of available firefighting crews for a second shift the preceding Tuesday, which could have potentially doubled the personnel resources to tackle the flames in the Pacific Palisades area, according to internal records from the fire department shared by the Los Angeles Times.
Records show that despite being on standby, no additional engines were positioned in the Palisades region before the fire broke out.
LA Deputy Chief Richard Fields, responsible for staffing and equipment, defended his strategy as “suitable for immediate response” and challenged critics accusing him of hindsight judgment.
The LA Times also reported that prior to the fires, LAFD management did not permit nine fire engines to be deployed to high-risk areas, such as the Pacific Palisades, keeping them instead stationed in Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley.
These engines were, however, sent out for other emergency calls.
“The strategy you should have implemented before the fire is what you’re using now,” stated Crawford, who now oversees emergency and crisis management at the US Capitol.
“This is a well-known staffing strategy — a deployment framework.”
Crawford and other veteran fire chiefs emphasized that at least 24 of the 40 fire engines should have been stationed in the Palisades and adjacent hillside areas ahead of the emergency.
Fields affirmed to the Times his support for the strategy, even in light of the fact that emergency calls surged the night the fires ignited.
Reportedly, wind speeds that evening approached 100 miles per hour, facilitating the spread of embers well beyond the fire’s immediate area.
“It’s quite easy to sit back and criticize after the fact,” he remarked.
“Our decisions were grounded in extensive experience while also considering the safety of the entire city at each moment.”
“I acknowledge we could be questioned for not having adequate resources post-incident,” Fields continued. “However, I invite any critics to propose a different course of action before a crisis unfolds.”
Fire Chief Crowley defended that certain decisions were necessary due to constraints in available resources.
“I support the strategy they established, as we must attend to the entire city,” Crowley asserted.
Additionally, crews engaged in battling the Palisades Fire noted early on difficulties in combating the flames due to local hydrants running dry — attributed to inadequate water pressure.
Subsequently, it was reported that the 117 million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir located in the fire-affected Pacific Palisades area was entirely depleted and required continuous repairs to its damaged cover.
The fires that have swept through the region have resulted in nearly $250 billion in damages.
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