Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday responded to a KTLA report regarding dozens of unserviced L.A. Fire Department vehicles being sidelined and unable to respond during the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires.
“There needs to be a full investigation because there were fire trucks that had mechanical issues and we need to make sure that there are mechanics to take care of them,” Bass said during a morning news conference.
She went on to say that firetrucks were also idle because of staffing. “And that’s an issue in terms of deployment and pre-deployment. All of that is an issue, and all of that will be investigated,” Bass said.
The issue came to light Thursday when KTLA reporter Annie Rose Ramos visited the largest of the Fire Department’s maintenance yards in Lincoln Heights and saw dozens of unserviced emergency vehicles.
During her visit, Ramos interviewed LAFD union President Freddy Escobar who said there wasn’t enough funding to supply the mechanics and purchase the parts to repair the out-of-service engines, trucks and ambulances.
Escobar also talked about staffing but recalled at least some instances when firefighters were available but could not get a ride. “We had more members report to assist during those fires than we had spots for them,” he said.
Bass said the evaluation process will begin once the ongoing emergency has been dealt with.
“We’re facing the rains, which are continuing … which is the potential mudslides. That’s when the evaluation and all that process will begin,” she said.
She added that the Fire Commission “will take the lead on the investigation independently.”
