By JOSE HERRERA
City News Service
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The City Council today confirmed the appointment of Jaime Moore as the new chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Photo by SFVS staff
In a 12-0 vote, the council approved Moore as the next chief — the second Latino to serve in the position and the first Spanish-speaking chief. Moore will replace Interim Chief Ronnie Villanueva, who came out of retirement to fill the post following Bass’ firing of former Chief Kristin Crowley.
Council members Nithya Raman, Ysabel Jurado and Tim McOsker were absent during the vote.
“We have someone before us who is not only qualified to be our next fire chief, not only because of his understanding of the department, but because of his understanding of where this department needs to go,” Councilman John Lee, chair of the council’s Public Safety Committee, said.
Earlier this week, the five-member committee unanimously voted to endorse Moore.
“I always appreciate when we find someone in their respective department that rises to the top because that shows their commitment, not only to that department, but to our city as well,” Lee added.
Moore, who was serving as deputy chief in charge of the LAFD’s Operations Valley Bureau, has been with the agency since 1995. He was born in Louisiana but raised in Los Angeles, graduating from Santa Monica High School and UCLA. He has a master’s degree in public administration and emergency management from Cal State Long Beach.
Moore said he supports an independent investigation into the department’s handling of the New Year’s Day Lachman Fire, which authorities say flared up a week later and became the devastating Palisades Fire. Mayor Karen Bass has called for an outside probe into the blaze.
“The past year has been one of the most challenging in our city’s history,” Moore said.
“The Palisades Fire tested every part of our organization and took a heartbreaking toll on our residents and on our firefighters.”
He emphasized that he will continue to stand up for the department.
“At the same time, I recognize that we are at a crossroads, not only for our department, but for public trust,” Moore said, referring to media attention that raised concerns about the department and the city’s response to January’s fires.
Moore said the department needs to review and examine its response management and mop-up operations of the Lachman Fire.
The Los Angeles Times reported that firefighters who responded to the Lachman Fire told a battalion chief that the fire was still smoldering, but they were told to leave the site. Days later, Santa Ana winds lifted the smoldering fire, reigniting what would become the Palisades Fire, which destroyed thousands of structures and killed 12 people.
Moore said he wants to prepare the department for future disasters, enhance pre-deployment policies and strengthen staffing, and be ready for events such as the World Cup and Olympic Games.
Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents Pacific Palisades and is a member of the Public Safety Committee, thanked Moore for his answers and willingness to discuss the events that unfolded Jan. 7.
“You have the trust and support of your members, and I do believe that you will fight for them. We need your leadership, and we are all counting on you to take truth to power, to rebuild that trust and to modernize a fire service that has been left dangerously behind the times,” Park said.
Council members representing the San Fernando Valley said they welcomed a leader who has knowledge of the communities they oversee.
“I’ve seen your dedication in the short time that I’ve been here,” said Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who represents northeast SFV and whose district includes the Sepulveda Basin, which is a frequent site of brush fires.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for everything that you’ve done in partnership with my office to get some serious attention to the Sepulveda Basin. I’m looking forward to how we continue to address the things that are needed there,” Padilla added.
In October, Bass named Moore as the next chief.
“Our work together will focus on reforming the LAFD to better prepare Los Angeles for major emergencies and the upcoming major events coming to our region,” Bass said at a downtown news conference to introduce Moore on Oct. 24. “And also, we will work to improve responses to 911 calls citywide. I’m proud to appoint an Angeleno to this role and know he will work to improve the LAFD for everyone in this city. And I can think of no better leader for the thousands of heroes of the Los Angeles Fire Department whose bravery keeps us safe every day.”
Moore said at the time: “It is an incredible honor to have been nominated to serve as fire chief of this world-class organization, one built on courage, compassion and an unwavering commitment to the people of Los Angeles. To the members of the LAFD — sworn, civilian and volunteers — thank you for your dedication and professionalism. You are the heart of this department, and my priority is to support you to ensure your safety, your growth and your ability to serve to the highest standard. Together we will continue advancing a culture rooted in integrity, respect and teamwork.”
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles, the union representing LAFD firefighters, supported Moore as the next chief.
Crowley, the former chief, was ousted Feb. 21, with the mayor questioning what she called the department’s failure to pre-deploy about 1,000 firefighters the morning of Jan. 7, when a dramatic Santa Ana wind event sparked the deadly Palisades Fire that destroyed much of the upscale community. Bass also cited Crowley’s alleged refusal to prepare an after-action report on the firefight — an allegation Crowley has denied. The mayor also contended that Crowley had failed to give her a weather update prior to the historic windstorm as she had done for other potentially dangerous weather events,
despite such warnings being widely publicized for several days prior to Jan. 7.
Crowley filed a damages claim against the city in August, alleging her firing was an act of retaliation for her public comments that the mayor’s budget cuts and the city’s alleged decades of neglect had left the LAFD underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped to handle the rising demands of a growing city.