March 19, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Fighting Fires, Tackling Homelessness, Saving Lives

The role of fire departments in 21st-century urban centers. 

By Keldine Hull

Do firefighters fight fires? Obviously, but most of the time fire is not what calls them to action. 

It’s been nearly 130 years since the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) was formed, and since then, many changes have occurred within the department including the way firefighters are trained to the kinds of calls they respond to. In a City Council meeting on January 22, Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole, while speaking about the city’s financial future, addressed the shift in the type of emergencies firefighters respond to on a daily basis. 

“100 years ago, when a city our size would have 1,000 fires a year, you’d have a department that was exclusively devoted to fighting fires. Now our fire department spends less than one percent of their time fighting fires,” Cole said. “99 percent of their time is on emergency medical and 25 percent of their time is on dealing with homelessness.”

The Santa Monica Mirror reached out to Cole to expand on this topic. According to Cole, around .06 percent of the calls to service the SMFD gets in a year are for structure fires. 

“We average one or two structure fires a week in Santa Monica, yet the Fire Department responds to over 17,000 emergency calls a year. Many of these calls, about 20-25 percent of our 911 call volume, are about people experiencing homelessness. The Fire Department responds to medical and other emergencies, including reports of ‘man down’ or a person in distress.” Cole adds, “More often than not, when our crews arrive the person has already left, is simply asleep or suffers from chronic medical conditions that do not involve immediate treatment or transport to an emergency room. We now have a Fire Captain on special assignment working with our Police Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Team, our Human Services Division and other County and non-profit providers to work on more effective ways to prevent and handle these calls.”

The Home Liaison Program (HLP Team) is a six-officer unit that, according to the City of Santa Monica’s website, uses traditional law enforcement and social service strategies to address homeless issues. This special unit plays a key role in the City’s Action Plan by linking outreach and mental health services to mentally ill homeless individuals encountered by the police.

The SMFD isn’t the only fire department that responds to such a high percentage of medical related emergencies. According to Brian Humphrey, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, “More than four out of five calls we receive are medical related. 

Approximately 85 percent of our daily activity relates to emergency medical services. The remainder are a broad variety of fire-related services which would include structure fires and vehicle fires.” Humphrey adds that while fires have diminished over the years due to building codes, public education, and safer appliances, there’s still a significant impact of fires on the city.” 

Growing public awareness has also had an impact on fires throughout the Westside as well. 

“Fires, while more rare today because of advanced building codes, effective inspections and public education, still pose a constant threat in an urban environment. That’s why we still maintain our crews and equipment in constant readiness even as they respond to a wide range of other calls, plus they obviously pose a critical first line of response for natural and man-made disasters as well as mutual aid for wildland/urban fires,” Cole said. “The world has obviously changed in the last 100 years. The role of police, libraries, parks, fire and other services continue to evolve.” 

Related Posts

Time is Running Out To Give Public Input on Malibu’s Revised Housing Element

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

City Asks Residents to Comment on Strategies for Addressing Housing Needs The City of Malibu has released an updated Revised...

Fatal Crash Claims Life of Woman on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Accident Victim Identified in Thursday Night Accident A woman tragically lost her life in a Thursday evening crash along the...

California Wildlife Center Responds to Distressed Marine Mammal at Little Dume Beach

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Third Gray Whale Stranding of 2024 Prompts Concern in Malibu On the morning of Saturday, March 16, the California Wildlife...

Woman Drives Car In Ocean After High Speed Police Chase

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Law enforcement officers pursued her along the I-110 and I-405 until she reached the vicinity of Venice Beach A woman...

Santa Monica Authorities Seek Public’s Help After Sexual Assault Incident

March 17, 2024

March 17, 2024

SMPD Urges Anyone With Information to Come Forward Authorities in Santa Monica are seeking information from the public after a...

FBI Seeks Victims of Alleged Online Exploitation Scheme Allegedly Run by Resident of Santa Monica

March 17, 2024

March 17, 2024

Individuals Urged to Come Forward in Investigation of John Douglas Burch The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office is urging individuals to...

(Video) Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD Responds to News of Nex Benedict’s Cause of Death

March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, responds to the release of the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Ruling on Nex...

Venice Family Clinic Announces Inaugural HEART Gala to Celebrate Health and Art

March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

Event Honors Creative Community and Supporters of Vital Health Care Services Venice Family Clinic, a non-profit community health center dedicated...

“Love Lies Bleeding” is Ripped: Actress Katy O’Brian Talks Love, Sex, and Vulnerability

March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

Katy O’Brian is a Breakout Star Who Shines in Loving and Hilariously Violent Crime Film English film director Rose Glass’...

Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier Sold to SC Holdings, $10M Investment Planned

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

The Cultural Institution Set for Exciting Upgrades Santa Monica Amusements LLC (SMA), the operating group of Pacific Park on the...

Woman Returns $1K Worth of Stolen Items After Store Finds Her Social Media Account

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

For the Owner, the Incident Is Perhaps Indicative of an Environment at the Palisades Village Where Smaller Businesses Are More...

LAPD Identify Suspect Who Struck 6-Year-Old Girl Last Weekend

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

An Arrest Was Made Following “Another Incident” in Venice By Zach Armstrong  The Los Angeles Police have identified Ahsante Lamar...

SMC to Host Free Screening of West Coast Hip Hop Documentary

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

Free Presentation Includes Audience Q&A with Hip Hop Icons Santa Monica College (SMC) is set to host a complimentary screening...

IRS Launches Direct File Pilot of Free Filing Tool for Taxpayers in California, 11 Other States

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

Free, Convenient Online Tax Filing Option Now Available for Eligible Individuals The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the official launch...

SMPD Arrests Man Who Allegedly Attacked Girlfriend, Brandished Replica Firearm at Her Daughter

March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024

The Man Faces Charges of Felony Domestic Violence and Misdemeanor Child Abuse A suspect is in custody after a domestic...