LAFD Hosts Town Hall to Explain Fire Station Cutbacks

Councilman Greig Smith has arranged for tonight's Town Hall meeting.  Here is his announcement:

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is holding a town hall meeting on Wednesday, May 11 in Porter Ranch to share information and answer questions from the public about its new proposed deployment plan.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
6:00 pm
At Shepherd of the Hills Church
19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch
For a map click here.

The Fire Department will offer a presentation explaining in detail how its proposed deployment model will work. LAFD Officials will answer questions from the public and address any concerns people may have about the changes and how they might affect emergency response and public safety in our District.

Last week we shared information about this model that Fire Chief Millage Peaks proposed. The model is an effort to reduce the Fire Department budget, which would help the City address the budget deficit, while preserving the ability to provide public safety services.

To read a recent article about the deployment model, visit http://chatsworth.patch.com/articles/officials-to-explain-changes-in-fire-station-staffing.

To see the chart prepared by the LAFD showing how the changes will take place for Fire Stations in our District, click here. (The current deployment is on the left of the slides, and the proposed changes are shown on the right.)

Report from City Administrative Officer on the Fire Department's Proposed New Deployment Plan
May 10, 2011

I also wanted to share with you a report submitted today by the City Administrative Office to the Council's Budget and Finance Committee that compares the cost of continuing the LAFD Extended Modified Coverage Plan that we have now, with implementing the LAFD's new Deployment Plan. The new Deployment would save $54 million in 2011/2012 and about $232 million over 3 years.

It offers some important context to the new Deployment Plan so that the community can have a complete picture of how it would be different from what LAFD has in place now. 
                
- Councilman Greig Smith