Crime & Safety
County Fire Department Ramps Up Staffing for Holiday Weekend
The battalion that includes West Hollywood is sending firefighters to various parts of LA County in anticipation of an increased number of calls and fire hazards.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion 1, which includes West Hollywood, is ramping up staffing for the Fourth of July weekend.
Extra firefighters have been placed in a number of areas, said Fred Salmo, a captain at and coordinator of the battalion.
He added that West Hollywood already has adequate staffing since fireworks shows will not be taking place in the area.
Find out what's happening in West Hollywoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“The city basically is normal on July 4,” Salmo said.
The station has not yet cited residents for illegal fireworks, he added, a result of signage and public notice.
Find out what's happening in West Hollywoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Other locations within the battalion include Universal Studios, Marina del Rey, Ladera Heights and a portion of the Inglewood area.
Inglewood has regular fireworks shows, which necessitate an extra patrol.
Strike teams are being placed at Universal Studios and in other locations around the county, not only for Fourth of July, but because of a high fire danger throughout the region, Salmo said. The battalion has been working to find the extra staffing to replace injured officers.
Other parts of the battalion are seeing reduced staffing compared with this time last year. The cancellation of the fireworks show in Marina del Rey due to budget constraints means that the department will not need to prepare for an influx of thousands of people there, said Capt. Steve DeWitt.
“We’re just rolling like normal,” DeWitt said.
But the department still expects to be fairly busy with the three-day weekend, he added.
For information on shows in and around LA County, click on the following link: http://www.safejuly4th.org/fw/fwshows.htm
