LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley made some candid remarks about how a reduction in the department’s budget and the elimination of civilian positions hurt the city’s response to the devastating wildfires ravaging the region—leading to an impromptu closed-door meeting with Mayor Karen Bass.
During media interviews, Crowley emphasized how she had been sounding the alarm since the “very beginning” about the needs of the Los Angeles Fire Department. She added that such impacts “did absolutely negatively impact” the department’s response.
“The $17 million budget cut and elimination of our civilian positions like our mechanics did, and has, and will continue to severely impact our ability to repair apparatus,” Crowley said on CNN….