Feel Good Friday - Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

This week a series of devastating wildfires have been burning in the Greater Los Angeles area and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is leading the response. Time to learn about an organization that supports these firefighters, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

Established in 2010 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the mission of the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is to “provide essential equipment, training and public outreach programs for the Los Angeles Fire Department to supplement city resources.” 

According to statistics on their website, there are “over 3,500 firefighters embedded in 106 stations throughout the city” and “the LAFD responds to an emergency call every 35 seconds, making it one of the busiest in the nation.” Right now there are over 400 firefighters from LAFD battling the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires.

What you may not know is that approximately 97% of the city's fire budget is allocated towards personnel costs, which leaves only 3% to cover all other life-safety costs. That includes things like fire engines, gear such as gloves and rescue flashlights, and specialized equipment like thermal imaging cameras, drones, and swift-water rescue boats.

That’s where the LAFD Foundation comes in. They channel donations from private, corporate, and community partners and turn them into tangible resources to help firefighters protect the people of Los Angeles. They also use this money to fund a variety of programs that include: addressing the mental health of firefighters; training and deploying canine therapy dogs to critical incidents; an adopt-a-fire-station program that makes improvements at individual stations; and youth programs that “offer students the opportunity to learn about a career in the fire service through engaging task-driven activities where they develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and overall confidence.”

Since 2018, the LAFD Foundation has provided over $25 million to LAFD to fund programs and  fire station grant requests. They have recently issued an Emergency Funding Alert to provide crews fighting the current wildfires with emergency fire shelters, hydration backpacks and wild land brush tools. You can help by making a donation in response to this alert.

Other ways to support the LAFD Foundation include shopping for LAFD swag, donating to the Adopt-a-fire-station program and spreading the word on social media. Follow the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.