Los Angeles County Fireplace Division’s resolution to donate surplus firefighting gear to Ukraine in 2022 is being met with heavy criticism as California faces a barrage of wildfires in 2024.
With 1000’s of acres scorched, houses misplaced, and first responders stretched to their limits, the timing of this earlier “humanitarian” gesture has now come again to hang-out the state.
In March 2022, the Los Angeles County Fireplace Division (LACoFD) joined a nationwide effort to gather and donate surplus gear and equipment to assist first responders in Ukraine.
This initiative concerned gathering objects akin to hoses, nozzles, turnouts, helmets, physique armor, and different private protecting gear to handle shortages confronted by Ukrainian emergency providers throughout the battle.
In accordance with the press release:
On Thursday, March 17, 2022, the Los Angeles County Fireplace Division joined Fourth District Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn at Fireplace Station 171 within the Metropolis of Inglewood to announce they’d be part of the nationwide effort to collect and donate surplus gear and equipment abroad to assist first responders within the nation of Ukraine.
In its fourth week of battle with Russia, first responders in Ukraine are confronted with shortages in provides to assist present fundamental emergency providers and fireplace safety to its residents and communities.
“As Ukrainian firefighters proceed to work underneath excessive peril to take away victims with restricted sources, we felt the necessity to step up and assist ultimately,” mentioned Los Angeles County Fireplace Chief Daryl L. Osby.
Surplus objects akin to hoses, nozzles, turnouts, helmets, physique armor, and different related private protecting gear can be collected and despatched to help with the scarcity.
Firefighters from the three Central Coast counties in California—San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and Monterey County—teamed up with southern California fireplace departments to collect donations for Ukrainian firefighters abroad.
KEYT reported:
Santa Barbara Metropolis Fireplace Captain Isaac Siegel took the lead on the trouble to gather provides on the South Central Coast, and companies from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties all stepped up shortly to collect donations, mentioned Montecito Fireplace spokeswoman Christina Favuzzi.
The trouble is a part of Challenge Joint Guardian, which is a nationwide program to ship firefighting and rescue gear to first responders in Ukraine, Favuzzi added.
A crew of Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Carpinteria-Summerland firefighters traveled to San Diego on Tuesday, choosing up provides from different fireplace departments alongside the best way.
They are going to return to Santa Barbara on Wednesday afternoon, and Direct Reduction Worldwide will stock the objects after which ship them to Ukraine, Favuzzi mentioned.
Including gas to the hearth is the Biden regime’s USAID program, which has reportedly invested tens of millions in Ukraine’s emergency response infrastructure.
In accordance with investigative reporter Natalie Winters, “Joe Biden’s USAID has funded 16 Ukrainian Fireplace Departments with “protecting gear, motor pumps, chainsaws, rescue motor cutters, rechargeable spotlights, fireplace extinguishers, and hydraulic rescue instruments.”
Elon Musk instantly weighed in stating, “However what about California?”
However what about California? https://t.co/w0YcFSDky7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025
Southern California is grappling with a number of extreme wildfires, notably the Palisades Fireplace, Eaton Fireplace, Hurst Fireplace, and now Woodley Fireplace.
#BREAKING: A 4th wildfire has damaged out in Los Angeles County, the Woodley Fireplace now at 75 acres.
Present wildfire acreage, as of 6:56AM PT:
1) Palisades Fireplace: 2,925 acres
2) Eaton Fireplace: 2,227 acres
3) Hurst Fireplace: 505 acres
4) Woodley Fireplace: 75 acrespic.twitter.com/EVPKcSUyas— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) January 8, 2025
The Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles have already claimed two lives and destroyed over 1,000 constructions, with firefighters dealing with unprecedented challenges, together with water shortages from dry hydrants.
Critics argue that the gear despatched overseas may have been utilized to bolster native firefighting efforts.
