Health & Fitness
Eagle Rock's Losing an Ambulance as City Cuts 300 Firefighters
The LAFD is slashing services, er, um, "reorganizing," beginning July 5.
The Los Angeles Fire Department, in response to the City’s budget crisis and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s directives, has proposed hard closures of dozens of emergency resources citywide that will reduce the City’s firefighting and EMS force by more than 300.
The issue can be parsed any number of ways by any and every bureaucrat, but the fact remains that fire and emergency medical services available in the City of Los Angeles today will not be available in the 2011-12 budget year.
The LAFD’s 2011 Deployment Plan’s direct impact on Eagle Rock will be that on Colorado Boulevard will go from six firefighters on duty to four, with the loss of the basic life support ambulance staffed by EMTs (emergency medical technicians).
Find out what's happening in Eagle Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Although Engine 42 will continue to have one paramedic aboard—with some of the equipment but no ability to transport it—the closest paramedic ambulance will remain at Fire Station 55 on York Boulevard, just a few blocks east of Eagle Rock Boulevard. And the second-closest paramedic ambulance will continue to be stationed at Highland Park Fire Station 12 on Figueroa Street and Avenue 60.
But never mind all that—the backpedaling, finger pointing, and pandering have begun.
Find out what's happening in Eagle Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The L.A. City Council praised the Fire Department on its proposed plan until those elected to represent the People on the Council saw how the whole idea would impact firefighter and paramedic staffing in their own Districts.
More accurately, the Councilmembers heard the roar from their constituents about staffing reductions in their neighborhoods, accompanied by the political panic spreading from Council Office to Council Office.
Even the ever-faithful and always forthright Councilmember Bill as his Pacific Palisades constituents, with a not-so-subtle nudge from the firefighters union, . By the way: Any word from on the hard closure plan yet?
In 1978 it was a rally around Proposition 13—and today communities are taking aim at public employees for the economic woes felt locally and around the country. Cries to cut salaries, cut pensions, cut benefits can be heard from every valley and every hill. It almost sounds like folks want the most professional, highly trained, intelligent, ethical and service-oriented emergency service agencies a Ralph’s Double Coupon can buy. (See the accompanying videos to get a sense of what firefighters do in their communities.)
And although the taxpayers want to see deep cuts that balance the City’s budget, they don’t want it to impact their community one iota. Not one!
Is there even a workable solution to this issue? If so, is it fiscal or structural? Further, is it a case of high expectations and tight purse strings or one of unrealistic hopes and a new version of the blame game?
There are plenty of opinions being expressed on the matter. But no one is offering a comprehensive long-term solution. Except L.A. Fire Chief Millage Peaks—and his plan is tough to swallow. Peaks deserves bravos and boos for his plan—but at least he developed one.
The final opportunity for "public comment" on the 2011/12 Fire Department budget will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 13 at the Los Angeles City Council. The Council Agenda may be found here.
