VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- After temporarily setting up shop at the Los Angeles Fire Department's Air Operations headquarters, the Rams on Thursday conducted their NFL draft from the LAFD station in Van Nuys.
"We're just doing a unique partnership and a break in the mold," LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said in an interview. "This has never been done before, where they bring NFL draft to LAFD. And Air Operations just makes sense, for the critical role that those helicopters and pilots play."
WATCH: LAFD station transforms into Rams draft house
"We all lived through January, right?" Tony Pastoors, said Tony Pastoors, the Rams' vice president of football and business administration, referring to L.A. County's devastating wildfires. "So, I think for us this is just a continuation of honoring our first responders. Taking the draft, it's more than just adding a player to Los Angeles, it's about continuing the rebuild and continuing to serve and honor our first responders."
The Rams have also renovated the Air Operations site's recreation room into a more comfortable location for firefighters to rest between callouts -- a crucial space during the January fires.
"A lot of that little bit of sleep would happen in this room, but it was kind of so dilapidated -- in particular the chairs -- that some pilots chose to sleep on the ground," Scott said. The Rams "came in and redid everything. So it's obviously a much more comfortable opportunity for those pilots to get a little sleep. Because, you've got to imagine: When you come back you are mentally and physically exhausted."
The Rams ended up trading out of the first round with the Atlanta Falcons. Their first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft will come in Round 2, No. 46 overall.
ESPN contributed to this report.