The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through contracting, including the city of La Habra, which is located in Orange County and is the first city outside of Los Angeles County to contract with LACoFD.
, the department is responsible for just over 4 million residents spread out in over 1.2 million housing units across an area of . The department is commanded by Chief Anthony C. Marrone and has an annual budget of $1.4 billion. According to Firehouse magazine, the LACoFD is the fourth busiest department in the United States, behind New York City Fire Department, Chicago Fire Department, and Los Angeles City Fire Department. The LACoFD has been featured several times in popular culture, including the 1970s NBC TV series Emergency! and the 1950s TV series Rescue 8.
In 2021, the department engaged in 312,550 emergency medical responses and a total of 403,924 total responses.
History
In 1949, the Consolidated Fire Protection District was established by the Board of Supervisors through the consolidation of numerous fire districts which existed since the 1920s. From 1967 to 1986, there existed four fire protection districts within the Los Angeles County, all of which were governed by the Board of Supervisors: the Consolidated Fire Protection District (CFPD), Universal Fire Protection District, Dominguez Fire Protection District, and Wrightwood Fire Protection District. In addition, there was the Forester and Fire Warden (F&FW) which is a chartered office of the county and was funded by the General Fund. The property tax rate for each district was considerably different.
With the property tax limitations and standardization of tax rates established by Proposition 13 in 1978, there was no longer a need to maintain the separate districts. From 1986 to 1992, the F&FW and the CFPD were the two remaining legal entities that made up what is commonly known as the Los Angeles County Fire Department. In 1992, the CFPD annexed all the remaining unincorporated area in with a corresponding property tax transfer to fulfill the chartered responsibilities of the F&FW.
Emergency operations The Emergency Operations Bureau includes the Training and EMS Bureau (TEMSB), nine major firefighting divisions, Air and Wildland Division, and Homeland Security Section. The Fire Department's service area includes suburban neighborhoods, city centers, commercial district, sandy beaches, mountain ranges, and more. The region's varying terrain causes unique emergency incident challenges, including increased EMS calls and variety of fires that can take place on a single day (i.e., wildland, structure, railroad, aircraft, vehicle, etc.) as well as ocean rescues and medical calls across 72 miles of coastline.
Paramedic Program Since the 1970s, to meet the rising need for emergency medical services, the LACoFD would establish one of the first firefighter/paramedic programs in the world. The department trained 6 firefighters to become paramedics, afterwards they were placed in new squad units at Station 36 in Carson and Station 59 in Whittier. The program would only continue to grow, and today there are more than 100 squad units in frontline or reserve service. The department does not actually fund or service its own ambulance program like the LAFD, instead relying on private ambulance contractors like AMR, or Falck USA. These ambulances are only staffed by EMTs and can only provide BLS-level care, oftentimes requiring a county squad and/or engine with paramedics on board to provide ALS-level care.
Fire suppression camps
The LACoFD has 10 fire camps with handcrews which are used for both fire prevention and wildland firefighting. In 2013, Los Angeles County signed an agreement to send over 500 nonviolent inmates to firefighting camps in mountain and foothill areas. While there, the inmates were trained to clear flood control basins and fight fires. The camps are run in conjunction with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Los Angeles County Probation Department.
Rank structure
Firefighter Trainee (FFT) Firefighter/EMT (FF) Firefighter/Paramedic (FFPM) or (FP) Firefighter Specialist (FFS) Fire Captain (FC) Battalion Chief (BC) Assistant Chief (AC) Deputy Chief (DC) Chief Deputy (CD) Fire Chief (FC) Assistant Fire Commissioner (AFC) Commissioner (C)
Apparatus The Los Angeles County Fire Department utilizes a wide array of firefighting apparatus, including engines, quints, trucks, light forces (engine + quint or truck), patrol units, and water tenders. Support apparatus include rescue squads, hazardous materials squads, and urban search and rescue squads. LACoFD uses private ambulance providers such as Care Ambulance Service and McCormick Ambulance Service to provide emergency medical services.
LACoFD apparatus are painted reddish-orange as opposed to LAFD apparatus, which are fire engine red.
Tiller trucks While many modern fire departments have opted to go with trucks/quints that have rear-mounted ladders, the LACoFD has chosen to stay with tiller trucks because of their enhanced maneuverability in tight areas. The benefit of a quint is that it also has a built in pump and water tank and can thus operate without an engine. The Tiller trucks carry fire suppression tools and medical equipment as well as specialized rescue equipment for responses to a variety of emergencies.
Helicopters
The LA County Fire Department has 10 helicopters available for aerial firefighting. The headquarters for the Air Operations Section is located at Barton Heliport, next to Whiteman Airport in Pacoima. Five Sikorsky S-70A/S-70i Firehawks Copter 20 (was recently changed from Copter 15), Copter 16, Copter 19, Copter 21, and Copter 22 are fitted with tanks. One Bell 412 Copter 12 is fitted with a tank. Two Bell 412EP Copter 11 and Copter 14 are outfitted with tanks. 1 Bell 412HP Copter 18 is outfitted with tank. 1 Bell 412 EPX “Copter 17” Delivered in June 2026. Temporary Registration N133LA. Will be changing to N17LA
Stations and apparatus
.
Some Stations have 2 engines. Engines with a 4+station number are cross-staffed Type 3 wildland engines. Units marked “Medic” are full medic/ALS units (two paramedics on board). Units marked “PAU” are paramedic assessment units (one paramedic on board).
As of March 2022, Rosenbauer America announced a new contract to produce 11 tractor drawn aerial ladder trucks for the LA County Fire Department. The order also sees manufacturing an unknown amount of engines for the department.
As of March 2025, The LA County Fire Department conducted a three day long familiarization program of two Rosenbauer TDAs that were delivered. The program included inspections, testing, and training with over 100 LACoFD personnel including 30 mechanics and 75 firefighters.
As of June 2025, Rosenbauer America announced that the LACoFD has received a delivery of 11 tractor drawn aerial quints, and 8 custom pumper trucks.
Pierce Manufacturing also announced 8 custom built pumper trucks to be delivered to the LA County Fire Department.
Fire Station or Camp Number or Heliport City/unincorporated area Engine Company Quint Company or Light Force Units Squad Company Patrol unit Other units Cross-staffed special units Division Battalion1East Los AngelesEngine 1 Foam 1 Fuel Tender 1 9 32Palos Verdes EstatesEngine 2 Engine 402 Squad 2 1 143East Los AngelesEngine 3 Quint 3 Squad 3 9 34RosemeadPAU Engine 4 Quint 4 Assistant 9 9 105East San Gabriel/East PasadenaEngine 5 9 106LomitaEngine 6 Squad 6 1 147West HollywoodMedic Engine 7 Squad 7 Battalion 1 Utility 1 718West HollywoodEngine 8Light Force 8 Squad 8 7110CarsonEngine 10 Squad 10 Battalion 7 Utility 7 1 7 11AltadenaEngine 11 Engine 411 Squad 11 OES E813234 12AltadenaEngine 12 3413VernonEngine 13Quint 13Squad 13613 14Los Angeles Medic Engine 14 Squad 14 6 20 15Whittier Quint 15 421 16Los AngelesEngine 16 Engine 9 Squad 16 613 17Whittier Engine 17 4 8 18LennoxMedic Engine 18 6 20 19La Cañada FlintridgeEngine 19 Squad 19 34 20Norwalk Engine 20 Quint 20 Squad 20 4 21 21LawndaleEngine 21 Engine 421 Squad 21 ESU 211 18 22Commerce Engine 22 9 3 23Bellflower Engine 23 4 9 24Palmdale Engine 24 Quint 24 5 17 25Pico Rivera Engine 25 4 8 26La Puente Engine 26 Squad 26 8 12 27Commerce Engine 27Quint 27 Battalion 3 Utility 3 9 3 28WhittierPAU Engine 28 Engine 428Quint 28 Squad 28 Battalion 8 Utility 8 4 8 29Baldwin Park Engine 29Quint 29 Squad 29 2 16 30Cerritos Engine 30 Quint 30 Squad 30 Assistant 4 Battalion 9 Utility 9 4 9 31ParamountEngine 31 Quint 31 Squad 31 4 9 32Azusa Engine 32 Squad 32 Water Tender 32MCI-32216 33Lancaster Medic Engine 33 Engine 233 Engine 433 Quint 33 Squad 33 Patrol 84 AP-11 Battalion 11 Utility 11 RAC 335 11 34Hawaiian Gardens Engine 34 4 9 35Cerritos Engine 35 4 21 36Carson Engine 36 Engine 236 Squad 36 1 7 37Palmdale PAU Engine 37 Squad 37 5 17 38View ParkEngine 38 7 1 39Bell Gardens Engine 39 Squad 39 9 3 40Pico Rivera Engine 40 Squad 40 4 8 41Willowbrook PAU Engine 41 Squad 41 1 7 42Rosemead Engine 42 9 10 43Industry Engine 43 HazMat 43 HazMat Tender 43 8 12 44DuarteEngine 44 Engine 244 Engine 444 Patrol 44 OES E8134 2 16 45Lakewood Engine 45 Quint 45 Squad 45 4 9 47Temple City Engine 47 Squad 47 9 10 48IrwindaleEngine 48 2 16 49La Mirada Engine 49 Squad 49 Battalion 21 Utility 21 4 2150Commerce Engine 50 Squad 50 9 3 51Universal City Engine 51 Quint 51 Squad 51 QRV51 7 1 52Vernon Engine 52 6 13 53Rancho Palos Verdes Engine 53 1 14 54South Gate Engine 54 Squad 54 RAC 54613 55Avalon Engine 55 Engine 255 Patrol 55 Patrol 255 Command 55 Helitender 6 (Catalina Airport) 1 14 56Rolling Hills Engine 56 Patrol 56 1 14 57South Gate Engine 57 6 13 58Ladera Heights Engine 58 Squad 58 7 1 59Whittier Medic Engine 59 Patrol 59 (reserve) 4 8 60Signal HillMedic Engine 60 4 9 61WalnutEngine 61 Squad 61 8 12 62ClaremontPAU Engine 62 Patrol 62 2 2 63La Crescenta Engine 63 34 64San Dimas Engine 64 Quint 64Squad 64 Battalion 2 Utility 2 2 2 65Agoura HillsEngine 65 Patrol 65 7 5 66Kinneloa Mesa/Eaton Canyon Engine 66 Patrol 66 34 67Monte NidoEngine 67 Patrol 67 7 23 68CalabasasEngine 68 Squad 68 7 5 69TopangaPAU Engine 69 Engine 269 Patrol 69 7 23 70Malibu Engine 70 Engine 470 Patrol 70Assistant 7 Battalion 23 Utility 23 Water Tender 70 Swift Water 70 7 23 71MalibuEngine 71 Engine 271 Squad 71 Patrol 71 7 23 72Malibu Engine 72 Patrol 72 7 5 73Santa ClaritaEngine 73 Squad 73Patrol 73 (Reserve)Swift Water 73Foam 7336 74Kagel CanyonEngine 74 Patrol 74 34 75ChatsworthEngine 75 Patrol 75 35 76ValenciaEngine 76 Patrol 76 (Reserve) 36 77GormanPAU Engine 77 Engine 477 Patrol 77 Helitender 7 36 78Lake HughesPAU Engine 78 Patrol 78 511 79PearblossomEngine 79 Engine 279 Patrol 79 5 17 80ActonEngine 80 Patrol 80 Water Tender 80 5 1781Agua DulceEngine 81 Patrol 81 322 82La Cañada Flintridge Engine 82 Engine 282Lightforce 82 Patrol 82 Battalion 4 Utility 4 34 83Rancho Palos Verdes Engine 83 Patrol 83 114 84Quartz HillEngine 84 Squad 84 511 85Glendora Engine 85<br/ > Engine 485 EST 85OES E8135 2 2 86Glendora Engine 86 Engine 286 Patrol 86 2 2 87Industry Engine 87 Squad 87 Water Tender 87 Swift Water 87Deluge 87 MAL87812 88Malibu Engine 88 Squad 88 7 23 89Agoura Hills Engine 89 Quint 89Squad 89 Battalion 5 Utility 5 7 5 90South El Monte Engine 90 Squad 90 9 10 91Hacienda HeightsPAU Engine 91 Patrol 91 8 12 92Littlerock Engine 92 Squad 92 Patrol 92 5 17 93Palmdale Engine 93 Engine 493 Squad 93 AP-17