LOS FELIZ—Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas won preliminary approval from City Council’s Public Safety Committee for a $4.5 million budget increase to reopen a Los Feliz fire station on October 24. In order to receive the budget increase, the request will have to be approved by the other committees and the entire City Council.
The purpose of the budget increase, Terrazas explained, is to boost staffing at a fire station in Los Feliz and to step up outreach and recruiting efforts in Los Angeles High Schools.
The funds will be used to hire data technicians and a fire dispatch supervisor. It will also allow the department to hire an additional nurse educator to provide constant training for paramedics.
During a meeting at the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, Terrazas reiterated that his focus from the beginning, when he was named Fire Department Chief, had been to “restore and reform the department.”
The station expected to get full staffing is Fire Station 35, located at 1601 N. Hillhurst in Los Feliz.
Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who represents the Los Feliz region, told Canyon News, “I absolutely fully support this. Not only is this fire station in my district, but this is just one step closer to reforming the department. These improvements are vital, but there’s always room to do more!”
