Funding for L.A.'s emergency management unit, vital to Palisades recovery, remains static
Myriad calamities could hit the city of Los Angeles in coming years: Wildfires. Floods. Mudslides. Drought. And of course, the Big One.
Yet this month, L.A. leaders once again balked at dramatically increasing the budget of the city's Emergency Management Department, even as the office coordinates recovery from the Palisades fire and is tasked with helping prepare for a variety of disasters and high-profile events, such as the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Facing a nearly $1-billion budget shortfall, the L.A. City Council voted 12 to 3 last week to pass a budget that rejected the funding increases requested by EMD leaders to hire more staffers and fix broken security equipment around its facility.
The only budgetary increase for EMD will come through bureaucratic restructuring. The department will absorb the five-person Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, which Mayor Karen Bass had slated for elimination in her initial proposal to trim the budget deficit.
The funding allotment for EMD — with an operating budget of about $4.5 million — puts the department short of similar big cities in California and beyond.
As a 2022 audit by then-City Controller Ron Galperin noted, San Diego ($2.46), Long Beach ($2.26) and San Francisco ($7.59) all spent more per capita on emergency management than L.A., which then spent $1.56 per resident. Whereas L.A. has a staff of roughly 30, New York, with more than double the population of L.A., has 200 people in its emergency management team, and Philadelphia, with a population less than half of L.A.'s, has 53.
The current leaders of EMD, General Manager Carol Parks and Assistant General Manager Jim Featherstone, had specifically requested funding this spring to build an in-house recovery team to better equip the city for the Palisades recovery as well as future disasters.
'We are one of the most populous and at-risk jurisdictions in the nation, if not in the world,' Featherstone told the L.A. City Council's budget committee April 30. 'I won't say negligent, but it's really not in the city's best interest to [not] have a recovery capability for a disaster similar to the one we just experienced.'
Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass, pushed back against the idea that EMD's funding level would hamper the Palisades fire recovery or preparation for the Olympic Games and 2026 World Cup.
'During a difficult budget year, Mayor Bass focused on emergency management to keep Angelenos safe — that absolutely includes ensuring EMD has continued staffing and resources,' Seidl said in a statement. 'We will continue to push forward with one of the fastest recovery efforts in state history.'
Councilmember Traci Park — who represents the Palisades — was among the trio on the City Council who opposed the budget that passed last week, citing insufficient funding for public safety as one of her main objections.
'It's inevitable that we are going to have another disaster, and we still won't be prepared. We'll be in the same position we were before,' said Pete Brown, a spokesperson for Park, who decried cuts to EMD and a lack of resources for the Police and Fire departments.
'We got a horrible taste of what it's like when we are not prepared,' Brown said, 'and despite all of that, we haven't learned a lesson from it, and we are doing the same thing.'
Rick Caruso, the developer whom Bass defeated in the 2022 mayoral race, called both the budget proposal put forward by Bass and the spending plan approved by the City Council 'a blatant display of mismanagement and bad judgment,' expressing incredulity over the rationale for EMD's funding level.
'We are in an earthquake zone. We are in a fire zone. Come on,' Caruso said in an interview.
Seidl, Bass' spokesperson, disputed that L.A. had not learned from the Palisades fire and emphasized that the spending on emergency management included 'continued and new investments' in EMD as well as the city's police and fire agencies.
Emergency management experts, audits commissioned by the city and EMD's current leadership have warned that the department lacked the staff and funding to accomplish its mandate in one of the nation's most disaster-prone regions.
'That department could be the world leader in emergency management, and it could be the standard for the rest of the country, but with a third of the staff and a tenth of the budget that they need, that's not possible,' said Nick Lowe, an independent emergency management consultant and the president and chief executive of CPARS Consulting.
The general manager of EMD and an agency spokesperson did not respond to written questions last week about the approved budget.
In recent public statements, Parks disclosed that her budget requests this year received opposition and appeared to have been whittled down.
She told the Ad Hoc Committee for L.A. Recovery in March that she had sought 24 more staffers at EMD, but that officials under the city administrative officer balked at her request.
Featherstone, who is now coordinating the Palisades fire recovery, said Parks' requests received 'a qualitative negative response,' and suggested that there was a lack of understanding or appreciation of the import of EMD's role.
'There was a qualitative opinion not in favor of Ms. Parks having these positions and people who aren't emergency managers opined about the value or the worth of these positions,' Featherstone said.
Parks said she scaled her request down 'given the city's current fiscal situation,' adding, 'I need a minimum of 10' more positions. In a memo, Parks said these 10 positions would cost about $1.1 million per year.
When Bass unveiled her budget proposal, those 10 additional positions were not included; EMD remained at roughly 30 positions, similar to previous years, which costs about $7.5 million when pensions, healthcare and other expenses are included. Bass' budget proposal touted that she was able to preserve all of EMD's positions while other departments faced steep staff and funding cuts.
Both Parks and Featherstone had argued for the creation of a designated, in-house recovery team, which EMD has lacked. When the Palisades fire broke out in January, EMD had no person assigned full-time to recovery and instead had to move its limited staff onto a recovery unit. Bass also retained Hagerty Consulting, a private firm, to boost EMD and provide instant expertise on a yearlong contract for up to $10 million, much of which Bass' spokesperson said is reimbursable by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Still, Featherstone has told the City Council that, since L.A. had no in-house recovery expertise, the need to train and create an in-house team has occupied much of the initial Palisades fire recovery effort.
Phasing in an in-house recovery and reconstruction division with 10 staffers would cost an additional $1.5 million next year, according to a memo prepared by the city administrative officer. Hiring an additional 21 staffers to prepare for the Olympics and other major events would cost nearly $3 million.
Parks also requested $209,000 to repair the video system at the emergency operations center, saying the lack of surveillance cameras posed a threat to city employees.
'Multiple incidents have occurred where the safety and security of the facility have been compromised without resolution due to the failing camera system,' Parks wrote in a budget memo submitted this spring.
The request for funding for replacement cameras was also denied.
L.A. officials have long been warned that EMD lacks resources. The 2022 audit by Galperin, the former city controller, found that L.A. provided less emergency management funding than peer cities, and that the COVID-19 pandemic 'strained EMD resources and staffing, causing several existing preparedness programs to lag behind, likely impacting the City's readiness for future emergencies.'
An after-action report on EMD's handling of COVID-19, authored by Lowe, the emergency management consultant, found that the agency was 'undervalued and misunderstood, underfunded, and demoralized.' Parks took over as general manager after the time period covered by Lowe's report.
The lack of training and funding became apparent at a budget hearing in April 2024. Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky asked Parks directly at the meeting: 'With your current budget, are you able to staff your [emergency] response centers 24/7 during emergencies?'
'The answer is no,' Parks said. 'If there are multiple days that the emergency operations center needs to be activated, we do not have enough staff.'
During the Palisades fire, EMD said it had to bring in additional emergency management officials from other cities to sustain the emergency operations center around the clock.
Lowe said L.A. leaders had failed to recognize EMD's role within the broader public safety infrastructure of the city.
'I'm not sure at a political level that the city understands and appreciates emergency management and the purpose of the department, and that trickles down to the budget and the size of the department,' Lowe said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Editorial: Mayor Brandon Johnson should not veto snap curfews
On Wednesday, Chicago's City Council passed by a vote of 27-22 an ordinance authorizing so-called 'snap curfews,' meaning that Chicago police will have the authority to get teenagers off the streets if they sense trouble is brewing. In essence, police Superintendent Larry Snelling would have the power to impose curfews in specific public areas within Chicago where large, unpermitted teen gatherings are beginning, or expected soon to form. The idea is that police officers would be able to tell those already assembled that they have 30 minutes either to go home or take a walk with just a couple of friends elsewhere. Mayor Brandon Johnson blasted the ordinance approved by a clear majority of aldermen and said he planned to issue a rare mayoral veto (the first since 2006, the Richard M. Daley era) in coming days. He should rethink that idea. We're aware of arguments against giving the police this power, especially given our long-standing interest in guarding civil liberties. We've been concerned about a couple of kids being inside a movie theater, for example, only to walk out onto the street without knowing about any curfew and then finding themselves in conflict with the police. We're also of the view that law-abiding teens must be welcomed downtown and that there is nothing illegal in gathering with friends on a warm summer's night, shooting the breeze. That's why we were against making the existing 10 p.m. curfew for Under 17s any earlier, and why we applaud Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of 'My Block, My Hood, My City,' who is planning to bring over 1,500 teens, primarily from the South and West sides, into the business and cultural districts of downtown Chicago on July 19 for what he calls 'a day of exploration, belonging and new opportunities.' This will be the third year the nonprofit organization also known as M3 will have chaperoned an initiative powered by donors and volunteers; we hear Cole expects to have more participants than ever this year. The plan is both to make these teens feel like they belong downtown, as they should, and also to start to shift some negative perceptions among downtown business owners and workers. We hope everyone has a great time together. But there is often a tradeoff between civil liberties and crime prevention and, where minors are concerned, protection must come first. If it is handled right, this new police power might actually keep kids safer by pre-empting any trouble before it happens. And to think that there is no danger of such trouble when teens gather en masse downtown is to put your head in the sand when it comes to the lessons of recent history, especially as hot summer nights are upon us. Johnson claimed that the ordinance, introduced by Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), 'is counterproductive to the progress that we have made in reducing crime and violence in our city.' With all due respect, we don't see the merit of that argument. It should be seen as a tool. And let's remember that incidents of violent crime don't just affect tourists or the business district — they're usually worse for the kids caught up in any melee. No parent or grandparent wants a teen to get stuck around a group of hot-headed peers who might encourage them to do things they later have cause to regret and that impairs the progress of their promising young lives. Such scenarios typically terrify a teenager's loved ones. Perhaps most importantly here, the city's aldermen, many of whom represent the impacted families and know their communities very well, are telling the mayor loud and clear that they want this protection, not just for folks downtown but for the kids themselves. And the vote would suggest that these aldermen of the majority, such as Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), trust Snelling to guard against any problems, which will mean using the ordinance very sparingly, offering as much advance notice as possible and focusing on de-escalation. Snelling already has said in several interviews that he will commit to that. Good. And if no snap curfew is ever needed this summer, all the better. Still, whatever his ideological misgivings or sense of being personally affronted, the mayor would be wise to listen to the City Council and add this ordinance to the police's toolbox for keeping everyone safe. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
LA Mayor Rips JD Vance for Calling Senator Padilla 'Jose': 'How Dare You'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass ripped Vice President JD Vance on Friday after he referred to Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla as "Jose." Newsweek reached out to the office of Bass for additional comment Friday night. Why It Matters Republican President Donald Trump has prioritized immigration control as a key pillar of his second administration. The president campaigned in 2024 on the promise of mass deportations and appointed Tom Homan as his administration's border czar to execute his agenda. Protests broke out this month in Los Angeles in reaction to numerous U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the area. Trump sent National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles amid the strife, against the wishes of California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. The move was ultimately reversed by a judge, restoring Newsom's control over the state's Guard forces. What To Know Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), scheduled a news conference in Los Angeles last week regarding the ongoing protests, and Padilla, a California Democrat, was in attendance. Video footage from the incident showed Padilla pushed to the ground and handcuffed outside the door while attempting to speak to Noem during the conference. Noem stopped speaking for a brief moment during the commotion, then immediately continued. The DHS said she met with Padilla for 15 minutes after the gathering. Vance on Friday landed in Los Angeles amid the Trump administration's ramped up ICE raids in the city. While speaking to reporters, he was asked a question in reference to Padilla's forced removal from Noem's briefing. "The New York Times just did a story" about lawmakers who "keep getting handcuffed, suggesting that ... the Trump administration is cracking down on Democrats," a reporter said. "Can you comment on that?" "Well, I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately, I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't the theater," the vice president said. "And that's all it is. I think everybody realizes that's what this is." Bass afterward called out Vance, saying, "Mr. Vice President, how dare you disrespect our senator. You don't know his name," Bass questioned. "But yet you served with him before you were vice president and you continue to serve with him today, because the last time I checked, the vice president of the United States is the president of the U.S. Senate." Bass continued, "You serve with him today and how dare you disrespect him and call him 'Jose.' But I guess he just looked like anybody to you. Well, he's not just anybody to us. He is our senator." When asked about the incident, a Vance spokesperson previously told Newsweek that "He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law." Bass has been a stanch critic of the Trump administration amid the ICE raids throughout the City of Angels and vowed to stand in solidarity with immigrant communities in her city. The mayor has also called for peaceful protests and condemned any violence in reaction to immigration initiatives set in motion by the White House. She also set a curfew for a portion of downtown Los Angeles amid the ongoing unrest. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks at a candlelight vigil on June 10 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks at a candlelight vigil on June 10 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) What People Are Saying Newsom on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: "JD Vance served with Alex Padilla in the United States Senate. Calling him 'Jose Padilla' is not an accident." Padilla posted to X on Friday: "I asked a question—and ended up in handcuffs. If this is how the Trump administration treats a U.S. Senator in broad daylight, imagine what they're doing to immigrants behind closed doors. We cannot stay silent. We will not back down." California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff wrote on X Friday: "JD Vance served alongside Alex Padilla, and knows better. He's taking this cheap shot to distract from the real fear and havoc this Administration is creating. It's pathetic." What Happens Next It is believed that the Trump administration will continue executing his campaign promise of mass deportations throughout the country.
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Senegal women's basketball team members denied U.S. visas, prime minister says
The Senegalese women's basketball team has scrapped plans to train in the U.S. for the upcoming AfroBasket tournament in the Ivory Coast next month after several players and team officials had their visas denied, Senegal's prime minister said. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on Facebook Thursday that the team would train in Senegal's capital, Dakar, 'in a sovereign and conducive setting.' The West African nation's federation said in a statement that the visa applications of five players and seven officials weren't approved. 'Informed of the refusal of issuing visas to several members of the Senegal women's national basketball team, I have instructed the Ministry of Sports to simply cancel the 10-day preparatory training initially planned in the United States of America,' Sonko said. The visa denials come amid a push by the Trump administration to make countries improve vetting of travelers or face a ban on their citizens visiting the United States. Senegal wasn't on that list of countries and it was not immediately clear why the visas were denied. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the Associated Press that it could not comment on individual cases because visa records are confidential under U.S. law. The travel ban includes exemptions for the World Cup, the Olympics and any 'other major sporting event,' though it's unclear what constitutes a major event. The team is coached by Otis Hughley Jr., who previously led the Nigerian women's basketball team. He was the men's coach at Alabama A&M University before resigning in March. Senegal, which was going to train in the U.S. from Sunday through July 3, has finished first or second in four of the last five AfroBasket championships over the last decade and has won 11 titles overall. The tournament determines Africa's champion, which earns entry into the FIBA World Cup next year in Germany. Feinberg writes for the Associated Press.
