Fire Department Adds 14 Vehicles to Cut Response Time
The Los Angeles Fire Department has bought 14 life-support ambulances and a paramedic ambulance that will be used to help achieve the department’s goal of getting crews to the scene of fires or medical emergencies within five minutes 90% of the time, Fire Chief William Bamattre said Wednesday at a City Hall news conference.
The department achieved five-minute response in 26% of the 305,000 incidents it responded to last year, Bamattre said. Most of the time, firefighters respond within eight minutes, he said.
New ambulances will be added to stations in Baldwin Hills, Canoga Park, Echo Park, El Sereno, the Florence area, Highland Park, Hollywood, Mar Vista, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima, Rancho Park, Valley Plaza and Van Nuys, the fire department said.
Mayor Richard Riordan said the deployment plan will help save lives.
“You’re going to see a much quicker response and much more professionalism,” the mayor said.
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