Organization of the Los Angeles Fire Department

The Los Angeles City Fire Department is the largest municipal fire department in the U.S. state of California and is the third largest municipal fire department in the United States after Chicago and New York City. The Los Angeles Fire Department is organized in a paramilitary fashion, similar to that of most large municipal fire departments, namely the New York City Fire Department and the Chicago Fire Department.

Organization

Personnel

Below is a complete lisiting of personnel within the Los Angeles Fire Department

Office of the Chief of Department

• Chief of Department James G. Featherstone
  • Assistant Chief of Staff
    • Battalion Chief of Planning
    • Battalion Chief of Logistics
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Professional Standards

Administrative Operations Executive Staff

• Deputy Chief Daren Palacios, Administrative Operations
  • Fire Administrator June Gibson, Bureau of Administrative Services
• Deputy Chief, Division of Employee Relations
  • Battalion Chief, Risk Management
• Deputy Chief Roxanne V. Bercik, Bureau of Training and Support Services
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Supply and Maintenance
    • Battalion Chief, Bureau of Training and Support Services
    • Recruit Services Section
    • Fire Facilities Section
    • In-Service Training Section
    • Regional Training Section
    • Critical Incident Planning and Training Section
• Deputy Chief, Bureau of Fire Prevention

Emergency Operations Executive Staff

• Deputy Chief David Yamahata, Emergency Operations
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Medical Director
• Deputy Chief Mario D. Rueda, Bureau of Emergency Services
  • Assistant Chief, Bureau of Emergency Services
  • Assistant Chiefs (Three), South Fire Division
  • Assistant Chiefs (Three), North Fire Division
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Special Operations
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Harbor Operations
  • Assistant Chief, Division of L.A.X. Operations
  • Assistant Chief, Division of Homeland Security
  • Assistant Chief, M.F.C.

Ranks Below Executive Staff

• 862 Firefighter/EMT's
• 242 Firefighter/Paramedics

Rank Structure

• Chief of Department
• Deputy Chief
• Assistant Chief
• Battalion Chief
• Captain II
• Captain I
• Engineer/Aerial Operator
• Firefighter/Paramedic
• Firefighter/EMT
• Probationary ("Probie")/"Rookie" Firefighter
• Junior Firefighter

Operations

Resources

Engines, Pump Engines, Trucks, Rescue Ambulances, Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) Squads, Urban Search and Rescue Units, Brush Patrol Units, Swift Water Rescue Units, as well as many other special, support, and reserve units, and Battalion and Division Chiefs as well Paramedic Supervisors are quartered in the 106 Fire Stations located across the city. A unit, while operating by itself, is considered one company, or "Resource". A "Resource" is one defined unit or company in the LAFD, but can be made up of several pieces of apparatus.

Light Forces and Task Forces

Additionally, the LAFD utilizes the concepts of Task Forces and Light Forces, which originated during the 1968 Watts Riots. A Task Force or Light Force can be considered one "Resource", although comprising more than one unit or company. This method of firefighting operation differs very much from that of other large U.S. city fire departments, such as the New York City Fire Department and the Chicago Fire Department.

A Light Force is composed of a Pump Engine (200 Series, i.e. Engine 201, etc.) and a Ladder Truck (i.e., Truck 1, etc.). A Light Force responds to nearly all calls as a single unit or "Resource", therefore The Two pieces of apparatus respond together.

A Task Force is simply a Light Force coupled with an Engine. A Task Force usually responds to larger incidents, such as structural fires, and is made up of an Engine, a 200 Series Pump Engine, and a Truck, all operating together. While a standard Engine is always staffed with a full crew, a 200 Series Pump Engine is only staffed by a driver (and one other firefighter if responding as part of a Task Force). The purpose of the 200 Series Pump Engine is to provide support and equipment to the Truck in a Light Force, and either the Truck or the Engine in a Task Force.

Rescue Ambulances

Rescue Ambulances, or "Rescues", or "R.A.'s" for short, can be considered either advanced life support (ALS), or basic life support (BLS). Rescue Ambulances numbered 1-112, as well as those in the 200 Series are considered ALS Rescue Ambulances, as they are staffed by Firefighter/Paramedics. 800 and 900 Series Rescue Ambulances are considered BLS Rescue Ambulances, as they are staffed by Firefighter/EMT's. GeneRally, each Battalion is assigned an EMS Paramedic Captain who supervises the operations of the individual Rescue Ambulances in their district.

Fireboats

The Port of Los Angeles is under the jurisdiction of the LAFD which operates 5 fireboats to provide fire protection for ships and dockside structures.

Fireboat No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 are identical long aluminum fireboats capable of a top-end speed of while fully loaded. They are equipped with a pump and a fire monitor. These fireboats also have a firefighting foam capacity. These three boats operate as rapid response vessels for a variety of missions including firefighting and rescue, patrol and inspection, emergency medical service, and homeland security patrol.

Fireboat No. 4, the Bethel F. Gifford, is the oldest of the fleet, was commissioned in 1962. It is capable of pumping water at and carries of foam solution for petrochemical fires. It is equipped with jet-stream nozzles to allow for increased maneuverability.

The newest and most technologically advanced of the fireboats is the long Fireboat No. 2, the Warner Lawrence, which has the capability to pump up to up to in the air. #2 also has an onboard area for treatment and care of rescued persons.

Apparatus Profile (2014)

Below is a complete listing of all in-service fire apparatus in the LAFD.

Frontline Fire Resources

• 91 Engines (100 Series)
• 41 Pump Engines* (200 Series & 300 Series)
• 42 Trucks*
• 6 Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Units (USAR3, USAR5, USAR27, USAR85, USAR88, USAR89)
• 4 Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat.) Squads (SQ21, SQ48, SQ87, SQ95)
• 1 Heavy Rescue Tow Truck (HR56)

(*) A Pump Engine and a Truck make up and operates as a Light Force. Thus, there are 41 Light Forces in the LAFD. Truck 9 is the only Truck in the LAFD not part of a Light Force, as there is no Engine 209.

Medical Resources

• 93 ALS Rescue Ambulances (100 Series & 200 Series)
• 43 BLS Rescue Ambulances (800 Series & 900 Series)

Command Units and Chiefs

• 14 Battalion Chief's Units (BC1, BC2, BC4, BC5, BC6, BC8, BC9, BC10, BC11, BC12, BC13, BC15, BC17, BC18)
• 2 Assistant Division Chief's Units (AC-South & AC-North) (Formerly Division 2 & Division 3)

Special and Support Units

• 4 Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat.) Support Tenders (HMT17, HMT21, HMT38, HMT75)
• 3 Decontamination (Decon.) Tenders (DT29, DT40, DT98)
• 4 Foam Tenders (FT17, FT36, FT60, FT100)
• 5 Swift Water Rescue Units (SW44, SW62, SW86, SW88, SW100)
• 3 Rehabilitation (Rehab.) & Air Tender (RAT40, RAT59, RAT83)
• 4 Command Post Units (CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4)
• 15 Brush Patrol Units (BP8, BP19, BP23, BP24, BP28, BP35, BP41, BP44, BP47, BP74, BP78, BP83, BP84, BP94, BP109)
• 5 Fireboats (FB1, FB2, FB3, FB4, FB5)
• 6 Helicopters (Fire 1, Fire 2, Fire 3, Fire 4, Fire 5, Fire 6)
• 4 Arson Investigation Units (AR1, AR2, AR3, AR4)
• 2 Fuel Tender Units (FD1, FD2)
• 1 Fuel Resource (FD106)

Ready Reserve Units

• Multiple Ready Reserve Engines (400 Series)
• Multiple Ready Reserve Ambulances (600 Series)

Fire Station Locations and Apparatus

The Los Angeles Fire Department is currently organized into two divisions of operations: The South Division (formerly known as Division 2), and the North Division (formerly known as Division 3). Each Division is commanded by an Assistant Chief, who in turn commands a total of 7 Battalions. Each Battalion, a grouping or district comprising approximately 7-11 Fire Stations, is commanded by a Battalion Chief per shift. The Los Angeles Fire Department currently operates 106 Fire Stations, organized into 14 Battalions, located throughout the city.

Below is a complete listing of all 106 fire stations in the city of Los Angeles, as well as their assigned units, according to Battalion and Division.

South Division

The South Division is commanded by an Assistant Chief per shift and supervises a total of 7 Battalions and 55 Fire Stations. The Headquarters for the South Division is located at Fire Station # 3, located at 108 N. Fremont Ave. in the Civic Center/Bunker Hill area.

• Battalion 1 - 450 E. Temple St. (Quarters of Engine 4, Rescue 4, Rescue 804)
• Battalion 2 - 4455 E. York Blvd. (Quarters of Engine 55, Rescue 55)
• Battalion 4 - 8900 S. Emerson Ave. (Quarters of Engine 5, Engine 205, Truck 5, Rescue 5, USAR 5, EMS 4)
• Battalion 6 - 400 Yacht St., Berth 194 (Quarters of Engine 49, Fireboat 3, Fireboat 4)
• Battalion 11 - 1819 W. 7th St. (Quarters of Engine 13, Rescue 13, EMS 11)
• Battalion 13 - 6406 S. Main St. (Quarters of Engine 33, Engine 233, Truck 33, Rescue 33, Rescue 833)
• Battalion 18 - 5023 Washington Blvd. (Quarters of Engine 68, Rescue 68)

North Division

The North Division is commanded by an Assistant Chief per shift and supervises a total of 7 Battalions and 51 Fire Stations. The Headquarters for the North Division is located at Fire Station # 88, located at 5101 North Sepulveda Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

• Battalion 5 - 1327 N. Cole Ave. (Quarters of Engine 27, Engine 227, Truck 27, Rescue 27, Rescue 827, USAR 27)
• Battalion 9 - 1090 Veteran Ave. (Quarters of Engine 37, Engine 237, Truck 37, Rescue 37, Medical Supply Trailer 37)
• Battalion 10 - 14415 Sylvan St. (Quarters of Engine 39, Engine 239, Truck 39, Rescue 39, Rescue 839)
• Battalion 12 - 13035 Van Nuys Blvd. (Quarters of Engine 98, Engine 298, Truck 98, Rescue 98, Rescue 898, Decontamination Unit 98)
• Battalion 14 - 5320 Tujunga Ave. (Quarters of Engine 60, Engine 260, Truck 60, Rescue 60, Rescue 860, Foam Tender 60)
• Battalion 15 - 9861 Reseda Blvd. (Quarters of Engine 70, Rescue 70, EMS 15)
• Battalion 17 - 21050 Burbank Blvd. (Quarters of Engine 84, Rescue 84, Brush Patrol 84, EMS 17)

Other Facilities

LAFD Headquarters is located at 200 N. Main St. in Downtown Los Angeles.

The LAFD Fire Museum and Memorial is located at 1355 N. Caheunga Blvd. in Hollywood.

The LAFD Harbor Fire Museum is located at 638 Beacon St. in San Pedro.

Closed/Disbanded Fire Companies

• Engine 22 - 4366 S. Main St., South Park - Disbanded on Jan. 22, 1980
• Engine 30 - 1401 Central Ave., Fashion District - Disbanded in 1980
• Engine 31 - 700 W. Slauson Ave., South Los Angeles - Disbanded in 1971
• Engine 32 - 2930 Beverly Blvd., Koreatown - Disbanded in 1972
• Engine 45 - 947 S. Norton Ave., Mid-City - Disbanded in 1987
• Engine 53 - 438 N. Mesa St., San Pedro - Disbanded in 1986
• Engine 54 - 5730 Crenshaw Blvd., Windsor Hills - Disbanded on Sept. 20, 1989
• Engine 110 - Never Organized
• Engine 111 - Never Organized
• Engine 113 - Never Organized
• Engine 114 - Never Organized

See also

• Los Angeles City Fire Department
• Los Angeles County Fire Department
• Engine Co. 14
• Engine Co. 18
• Engine Co. 23
• Engine Co. 28
• Engine Co. 30
• Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial
• Ralph J. Scott, formerly known as Fireboat #2

External links

• LAFD Official Website
• LAFD News and Information Blog
• LAFD History
• LAFD Fire Museum