Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley has been fired by Mayor Karen Bass, effective immediately, after allegedly refusing to conduct an “after action report” on the Palisades Fire that devastated the city last month.
Bass announced the decision Friday morning, stating it was made in the “best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department.”
The Palisades Fire broke out Jan. 7 in the Pacific Palisades area, burning for more than three weeks, destroying hundreds of homes and killing at least 12 people.
The fire remains under investigation, and Bass accused Crowley of failing to complete a crucial part of that process.
“A necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires,” Bass said in her statement. “The Chief refused.”
But what exactly is an after action report, and why is it important?
An after action report/review is a tool used by emergency management agencies to review response actions, evaluate effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
According to the California Office of Emergency Services, the report is meant to include an analysis of response actions, suggested modifications to procedures, identified training needs and recovery activities. The review is meant to be used to better prepare for future emergency response efforts by learning from past incidents.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group emphasizes that an AAR is not intended to assign blame but rather to facilitate an open and professional discussion between leaders and teams to identify failures and find areas for improvement.
“It is essential for wildland firefighters to learn from mistakes and to capitalize on successes. It is considered a valuable tool in high-risk professions, where the smallest mistakes can lead to disastrous results,” NWCG states.
According to CAL OES, any city or county that declares a local emergency, where the governor also proclaims a state of emergency, must complete and submit an after action report to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services within 90 days of the incident’s conclusion.
Crowley has not yet issued a public statement regarding her dismissal, nor has she addressed the accusation that she refused to conduct an after action report.
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the union representing LAFD firefighters, said they “strongly oppose” Crowley’s firing, and City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said she is encouraging Crowley to appeal her “baseless” termination.
Crowley has exercised her right to remain with the Fire Department at a lower rank, officials announced Friday afternoon. Her duties will be assigned by Villanueva.
