Los Angeles firefighters are expected to deliver more than 225,000 petition signatures to the City Clerk on Tuesday in an effort to qualify a funding measure for the November ballot aimed at expanding staffing, upgrading equipment and building new fire stations.
Members of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City plan to gather Tuesday at the Piper Technical Center in downtown Los Angeles, where a fire truck will be on site as firefighters unload boxes of signatures collected since January, organizers said.
The proposed measure would establish a dedicated funding source for the Los Angeles Fire Department to hire additional firefighters and paramedics, modernize aging infrastructure and improve emergency response capabilities.
“Due to decades of underinvestment, the LAFD currently operates with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load,” organizers said in a statement. “According to national standards, emergency resources are expected to arrive at nearly all 911 calls within four minutes. Current LAFD response times are almost double this recommended average to save lives during structure fires and medical emergencies.”
Organizers said the department is also facing aging infrastructure, with dozens of fire stations more than 50 years old, including several that are more than 80 years old.
“The LAFD is half the size needed to keep LA safe,” organizers said. “That’s why LAFD firefighters and paramedics are appealing directly to voters to provide funding for staffing, facilities and equipment.”
The signature submission will begin a review process by the City Clerk and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to verify whether enough valid signatures have been collected to qualify the measure for the Nov. 3 ballot.
If sufficient signatures are confirmed, the initiative will move to the Los Angeles City Council, which is expected to place the measure before voters in the November general election.
The proposed ordinance would create a supplemental funding source for the fire department through a local transactions and use tax, with revenue dedicated to hiring personnel, upgrading equipment and improving emergency response infrastructure.