Los Angeles Fire Department

Station 69, Sunset Blvd.

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In May 2004, our southwest vacation took us from Las Vegas, NV to the sunny California coast. On Thursday 13 May, after visiting the famous Santa Monica Pier and cruising up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, we happened upon Los Angeles Fire Department's Station 69, located on Sunset Boulevard, serving the Pacific Palisades and the coastal areas. Station 69 houses a Seagrave pumper, Seagrave tiller, and an ambulance.

Thanks to Gary, the firefighter/paramedic who answered all of my bazillion questions, and let me wander through their station taking pictures. I also had the privilege of meeting Buddy the dalmation, the last remaining fire dog living in a City of Los Angeles fire station.

Gary chuckled when I told him our district had recently exploded to nearly 30,000 residents - he said that was the equivalent of a few city blocks for them. Judging from the traffic we had to fight to get around, I could believe it! The Los Angeles Fire Department serves nearly 4 million citizens in America's second largest city. They have over 3,000 paid personnel, nearly 200 of whom are firefighter/paramedics, working out of 103 fire stations throughout a 470 square mile district. In 2003, LAFD responded to over 689,000 emergency calls!

LAFD also boasts an ISO Class 1 rating, an honor shared by an elite handful of departments (less than 50 out of 35,000 departments evaluated!) across the country.

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Buddy, resident fire dog	These guys had classy rides both on AND off the job!	Bet it smells a bit smokey in this room after a good fire!