Latest news with #FireCommission
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley appeals her dismissal over deadly fires
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley is appealing her dismissal, nearly a week after Mayor Karen Bass removed her from the top post in the wake of the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires. Crowley sent a letter to the Los Angeles City Council on Thursday, informing them she is proceeding with an appeal of Bass' removal of her as fire chief. According to the Los Angeles City Charter, the appeal would require the approval of two-thirds of the 15 city council members to overturn the firing. In response, a spokesperson for Bass' office said in a statement, "Former Chief Crowley has the right to appeal her dismissal." Bass removed Crowley from her position on Friday, saying firefighters were sent home instead of being used when the deadly fires broke out last month. "We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch," Bass said in a statement. "Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal." Ronnie Villanueva, a retired LA Fire chief deputy of emergency operations, was appointed interim chief. Crowley exercised her civil service rights to stay with the department at a lower rank with duties to be assigned by the new interim chief, according to the mayor's office. MORE: Los Angeles removes fire chief in wake of massive wildfires The former chief said it was an "absolute honor to represent and lead the men and women of one of the greatest fire departments in the world." "I am extremely proud of the work, sacrifice and dedication of our LAFD members, both sworn and civilian," she said in a statement on Saturday. Crowley's dismissal as chief was met with criticism by Freddy Escobar, the president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. "Chief Crowley is a strong leader who has the respect of our firefighters and wasn't afraid to tell the truth," he said in a statement on Saturday. "She's being made a scapegoat from a devastating fire without the benefit of a full investigation into what actually happened." Bass has faced tremendous pressure and questions surrounding her decision to attend an event in Ghana when the fires broke out on Jan. 7, despite days of warnings about the unprecedented weather event that drove the fires. Crowley openly criticized Bass in a local TV interview on Jan. 10, saying Bass had failed the city, citing funding and staffing of the fire department. Bass said she has not cut the fire department budget while in office. MORE: Los Angeles Fire Department budget sustained cuts but saw overall increase At least 29 people died as multiple wildfires -- fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds -- raged across Southern California in January. The largest of the fires in Los Angeles County -- the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood -- began on Jan. 7 and spread to 23,707 acres. The fire remained active for 44 days. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The second largest of the fires -- the Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena -- also began on Jan. 7 and spread to 14,021 acres. It remained active for 44 days and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. ABC News' Mark Osborne, Nadine El-Bawab and Bonnie Mclean contributed to this report. Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley appeals her dismissal over deadly fires originally appeared on
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bass says LAFD Chief refused to conduct ‘after action report.' What is it?
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley has been fired by Mayor Karen Bass, effective immediately, after allegedly refusing to conduct an 'after action report' on the Palisades Fire that devastated the city last month. Bass announced the decision Friday morning, stating it was made in the 'best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department.' The Palisades Fire broke out Jan. 7 in the Pacific Palisades area, burning for more than three weeks, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least 12 people. The fire remains under investigation, and Bass accused Crowley of failing to complete a crucial part of that process. 'A necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires,' Bass said in her statement. 'The Chief refused.' But what exactly is an after action report, and why is it important? An after action report/review is a tool used by emergency management agencies to review response actions, evaluate effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. According to the California Office of Emergency Services, the report is meant to include an analysis of response actions, suggested modifications to procedures, identified training needs and recovery activities. The review is meant to be used to better prepare for future emergency response efforts by learning from past incidents. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group emphasizes that an AAR is not intended to assign blame but rather to facilitate an open and professional discussion between leaders and teams to identify failures and find areas for improvement. 'It is essential for wildland firefighters to learn from mistakes and to capitalize on successes. It is considered a valuable tool in high-risk professions, where the smallest mistakes can lead to disastrous results,' NWCG states. According to CAL OES, any city or county that declares a local emergency, where the governor also proclaims a state of emergency, must complete and submit an after action report to the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services within 90 days of the incident's conclusion. Crowley has not yet issued a public statement regarding her dismissal, nor has she addressed the accusation that she refused to conduct an after action report. The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the union representing LAFD firefighters, said they 'strongly oppose' Crowley's firing, and City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said she is encouraging Crowley to appeal her 'baseless' termination. Crowley has exercised her right to remain with the Fire Department at a lower rank, officials announced Friday afternoon. Her duties will be assigned by Villanueva. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA mayor removes fire chief amid tensions over deadly wildfires
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) has removed the city's fire chief, Kristin Crowley, amid ongoing tensions over the handling of and response to the region's deadly January wildfires. Crowley was removed effective immediately Friday, as Bass argued that the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) needs 'new leadership.' 'Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief,' Bass said in a statement Friday. 'We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch,' the mayor added. 'Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after-action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal.' Bass added that the 'heroism of our firefighters — during the Palisades fire and every single day — is without question.' Former LAFD Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year department veteran, was named interim fire chief, according to Bass. The Los Angeles mayor said while the LAFD is 'in the experienced and expert hands of Chief Villanueva,' her office will begin a national search and 'will speak directly with firefighters and Angelenos about what they want to see in their next permanent Chief.' Crowley said during an interview in January that in fact the city failed her department. At the time, the blazes had burned more than 37,000 acres of land and killed 11 people. Crowley was referring to the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which was empty and shut down. The wildfires, which were accelerated by strong Santa Ana winds, began on Jan. 7. They have killed at least 29 people. The Palisades Fire, the biggest one, burned more than 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 6,800 structures, while the Eaton Fire, which began in Altadena, burned more than 14,000 acres and ransacked more than 9,000 structures, CalFire said. Both blazes were fully contained on Jan. 31. Bass was heavily scrutinized for traveling to Africa as part of a U.S. delegation on the day the fires ignited. This week, she admitted during an interview that was a 'mistake.' 'Obviously, I hated the fact that I was out of the city when the city needed me the most,' Bass said Tuesday. 'And frankly, when my family needed me the most — because I was impacted, my family was impacted by the fires as well. It is a horrible feeling to know that it took a long time to come back because of how far away I was.' The mayor also got blowback for $17.8 million in budget cuts to the city's fire department but has rejected claims that it impacted the efforts to combat the fires. Crowley was appointed as the LAFD chief in 2022. She worked for the department for more than 25 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
L.A. Mayor Axes Fire Chief Weeks After Wildfires in Palisades and Altadena
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has ousted the city's Fire Chief Kristen Crowley. Bass cited Crowley's response to last month's devastating wildfires in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 29 people. The mayor said the firing is 'in the best interest of Los Angeles' public safety.' More from Rolling Stone 'You Got Fucking Lucky': One Family's Improbable L.A. Fire Story Why Los Angeles Burned 'It's All Gone': Devastation, Survival, and Hope From the California Fires 'We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch,' Bass said in a statement on Friday. 'Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters — during the Palisades fire and every single day — is without question. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs.' The fires unearthed a flurry of critiques toward city leadership over L.A.'s preparedness for fires of this magnitude. Aside from Crowley, who faced calls for her resignation amid the blazes, Bass herself has faced heavy criticism over her response to the fires as well, as the mayor was in Ghana when the Palisades fire first erupted on Jan. 7 despite the warnings days prior of dry high wind conditions. Monica Rodriguez, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, told the Los Angeles Times that she would attempt to get the council to vote to overturn the firing. 'On Jan. 7 she was praising the fire chief and her response, and then it appears, as the heat kicked up for her absence, she continued to try and attribute blame to someone else,' Rodriguez told the Times on Friday. Bass said that former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, who has been with LAFD for over 40 years, would serve as fire chief on an interim basis. 'While the Department is in the experienced and expert hands of Chief Villanueva, my office will lead a national search and I will speak directly with firefighters and Angelenos about what they want to see in their next permanent chief,' Bass said. Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mayor Karen Bass Fires L.A. Fire Chief Following Deadly Wildfires
Mayor Karen Bass has dismissed Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley following the deadly Los Angeles wildfires last month. Bass shared on Friday that she met 'met with and removed Kristin Crowley as fire chief effective immediately' because 1,000 firefighters were sent home the day the fires broke out on Jan. 7. Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva has been appointed interim fire chief. More from The Hollywood Reporter Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Donate $1M for L.A. Wildfire Relief Efforts 'Coyote Ugly' Cast, Producer Jerry Bruckheimer to Reunite for Screening and Q&A to Benefit LA Fires How Hollywood's Major Crew Union Chief Thinks About Keeping Production In L.A. - And What Help Is Needed 'Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief,' Bass wrote in a statement. 'We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch.' She continued, 'Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters — during the Palisades fire and every single day — is without question. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs.' Crowley's firing also comes after Bass was scrutinized for the city and county's response to the deadly wildfires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles, including the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Thousands of homes, structures and businesses were destroyed and more than two dozen people were killed, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office. In the wake of the fires, Crowley also previously criticized the mayor for budget cuts to the fire department during an interview with FOX 11 Los Angeles. 'My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded,' she said at the time. 'It's not.' When pressed on if she felt the city's leadership failed her, Crowley responded, 'Yes.' Bass, who was elected in 2022, has been slammed for reportedly cutting the city's fire department budget by $17.6 million between the 2024-25 fiscal year and the 2023-24 fiscal year, CBS News reported. However, the city council and the firefighter's union agreed on a four-year $203 million contract in November to help boost wages and health benefits for staff members, drawing from the budget's general fund. Crowley previously warned in December about the possible consequences of the budget decrease, writing in a memo, 'The reduction … has severely limited the department's capacity to prepare for, train for and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires.' But L.A. councilmember Bob Blumenfield's office previously claimed to Politico that the fire budget actually has increased by $50 million year-over-year. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
