LAFD reorganizes with goal of reducing response times

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles Fire Department has been reorganized into four geographic bureaus with the hopes of reducing response times and improving performance, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday.

"This common sense change puts the Bureau Commanders in closer contact with their communities while making the city more resilient by aligning emergency operations across departments," Garcetti said in a statement.

The new bureaus - located in downtown Los Angeles, San Pedro, Sherman Oaks and Hollywood - are aligned with the four Los Angeles Police Department bureaus. They will operate during normal weekday hours, but will be available 24/7 to emergencies.

City officials hope staff will "become familiar with the community and improve the effectiveness of their operations," according to a news release. Response times are expected to be tracked and reviewed under the FireStatLA program.

LAFD's response times came under fire in 2012, when department officials admitted released data showed firefighters responding faster than they actually were.

Monthly response time data has recently been released on the department's website and is checked by an internal statistician and two outside experts.

"This improvement is long overdue and critical in our efforts to maintain our position as a highly regarding fire service leader and the community focused organization we strive to become," LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said.

Below is a list of the four bureaus:

• Central Bureau, Fire Station 3 - 108 N. Fremont Ave. 90012 - commanded by Deputy Chief Phillip Fligiel
• South Bureau, San Pedro City Hall - (638 S. Beacon St. 90731 - commanded by Deputy Chief Daren Palacios
• Valley Bureau, Fire Station 88 - (5101 N. Sepulveda Bl. 91403 - commanded by Deputy Chief Daryl Arbuthnott
• West Bureau, Fire Station 82 Annex - (1800 N. Bronson Ave. 90028 - commanded by Deputy Chief Joseph Castro

City News Service contributed to this report.