As the wildfires in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas continue to rage, the county's decision to donate surplus firefighting equipment to Ukraine has come under fire.
The donation, which took place in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, included hoses, nozzles, helmets, body armor, bunker gear, and other personal protective equipment. The equipment was sent to assist the Eastern European nation, which is still grappling with the ongoing conflict with Russia.
According to The Post Millennial, the Los Angeles County Fire Department collaborated with the "First-in Fire Foundation," LA County, LA City Fire, and the National Guard to gather surplus gear that was in storage. The then-LA County Fire Chief, Daryl Osby, expressed pride in aiding their Ukrainian counterparts. He stated, "We are extremely proud to help our brothers and sister firefighters in Ukraine because we know how dangerous it is to fight fires with full gear. We've never experienced doing it in a war. So whatever we can do to assist them, to enable them to protect the lives and property of their fellow citizens, we're on board."
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of supporting the brave citizens of Ukraine. She said, "Everyone wants to know what can we do to support these brave citizens of Ukraine who are, you know, risking their lives to save their country, and I think, I think the residents of L.A.County are going to appreciate this chief. And they'll be able to say 'we're a part of a county that actually stepped up, and did something tangible to help those who are over there fighting this war."
In addition to Los Angeles County's contribution, Kern County, located just north of Los Angeles, donated a retired fire truck to Ukraine through US Ambulances for Ukraine in October 2024. Jonathan Drucker of the Kern County Fire Department explained, "In this case, we were approached by a nonprofit who said, Hey, we have a need in Ukraine for a fire engine to support a fire department out there. And so theyd been asking for a while, and finally we had an engine that became available and we were able to specifically fill a request of this nonprofit and send an engine over in Ukraine where there is a civilian population that need of fire service."
However, these charitable actions have come under scrutiny as Los Angeles grapples with multiple wildfires. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which began on Tuesday, have grown significantly, with the Palisades fire covering over 17,000 acres and the Eaton fire over 10,000 acres as of Thursday morning.
Smaller wildfires, such as the Sunset fire in the Hollywood hills and the Hurst fire, have also emerged, burning nearly 50 acres and 855 acres respectively. With the Palisades and Eaton fires still zero percent contained and LA firefighters running out of water, the decision to send surplus equipment overseas is being questioned.
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