A cop’s account tells of Palisades fire
What’s it like to be a first responder at the Palisades fire?

LONELY SWING SET still stands while fire burns in the background. Photo by Matthew Hoen
The Larchmont Chronicle had the opportunity to talk with Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Danny Chavez of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). He has been called to work the Palisades fire along with many other SLOs.
Chavez says that the LAPD is pulling officers from every part of the city to help with the fire. The officers work 17-hour shifts with one day on and then one day off. The entire force has been moving schedules around to help and accommodate the Los Angeles Fire Department. Chavez hasn’t heard anyone complain.
He recently drove through the burned area for the first time. In his words, “Seeing the lives taken down to ruins is sad, very, very sad. Everything is gone. In person, it’s twice as sad as on television.” As he was driving, he said all the houses and garages were burned down, but there was one kid’s swing left hanging on a tree limb. A haunting scene.
While on duty, Chavez spoke to some of the firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as CAL FIRE. He learned that the CAL FIRE teams work 24-hour shifts. After their shifts, he thought maybe they were put up in a hotel or some kind of accommodations, but no. They sleep in their uniforms, removing their jackets, in their trucks. Then, to decompress, they sit in collapsible chairs. At this particular fire, they are able to sit on the beach. “But they are still right at the fire scene, so they are never really off or able to relax,” Chavez related.
The most positive aspect of this disaster, in Chavez’s opinion, is the community’s response. According to him, “The community, Los Angeles, has been absolutely supportive of us. No one will be hungry or thirsty or without coffee. It’s such a nice and positive thing to see.”
Category: Real Estate