As wildfires burn across Los Angeles counties, a plea for firefighters sparked outrage on social media. It also shed light on a lesser-known individual labor force working hard to extinguish the fire: Private fire brigade.
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“There is a need to take swift action here. All the neighbours' houses are burning. Any amount will have to be paid,” he said.
City and county fire departments have been reduced in numbers as they continue to fight wind-driven blazes that burned throughout Los Angeles on Monday. more than 60 square miles The attack on the ground killed at least 24 people and displaced thousands. Municipal resources, such as fire hydrants, have dried up in some areas.
Those who can afford to do so are reaching out to private fire brigades in hopes of saving their homes from the raging wildfires.
All Risk Shield, a California company that provides professional wildfire protection services to homeowners throughout the state, told CBS MoneyWatch that it has responded to more than 120 calls to residences in Los Angeles counties that were threatened by wildfires. Are in danger from fire.
“And like municipal firefighters, we didn't have enough resources to respond to everyone's calls,” company spokesman Jose Torres told CBS MoneyWatch. “But we have saved some,” he said, referring to homes the company has saved from destruction.
How much do private firefighters cost?
Some of the company's firefighters also work for county fire departments. Others have been retired from active duty, according to the company, which offers varying levels of protective services ranging in price from $2,500 to $14,000.
Customers called All Risk Shield to try to protect their homes from the flames before they caught fire.
“We deployed our teams to these high-risk properties, we knew the fire was potentially going to reach, and we were on the ground before the fire reached that area,” Torres said. This included fighting fires from homeowners' properties, using residents' resources such as pools, spas, rainwater tanks and water tanks to extinguish fires, in addition to the company's own firefighting equipment. Torres said the company has never relied on municipal resources such as fire hydrants to serve private customers.
He said the company operates completely independently of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, but “indirectly, we are helping each other.”
“Our teams are working with municipal firefighters on this event,” he said.
The National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA), which represents private firefighting services, said contractors are often involved in local, state and federal firefighting efforts. Contracts with private home and land owners constitute a small part of the business for these types of companies; According to the NWSA, most contracts come from providing supplemental personnel and equipment to local, state and federal firefighting efforts.
Fire prevention and mitigation contractors also work for insurance companies performing tasks to reduce fire risks, such as clearing bushes, cutting or removing trees near homes, and installing fire retardants. A growing segment of the industry, this work typically occurs during the off-season and not in response to active fires.
An “all ready” situation
The association, which represents 369 private fire companies nationwide, confirmed that its members have directed personnel and other resources to combat the Los Angeles wildfires. Combined, its member organizations can muster up to 11,000 professionally trained wildland firefighters.
“The size and scale of these fires and the devastation left in their wake require a comprehensive approach including state, federal and private resources for suppression, recovery and future prevention,” the NWSA said in a statement to CBS. Moneywatch.