Uncategorized

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive policy package by Board Chair Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to improve diversity in the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“This motion is a roadmap for how we are going to hire more women and people of color in the LA County Fire Department,” said Chair Hahn. “That starts with breaking down barriers to becoming a firefighter, a paramedic, or a lifeguard, but also means addressing the reasons women and people of color leave the profession.”

“It is my hope that this motion reaffirms LA County Fire’s commitment to creating a pipeline of leadership that is diverse and inclusive,” said Supervisor Mitchell. “No one should have to fight fires and fight for belonging. The work of equity and diversity is not the sole responsibility of the Stentorians, the Women’s Fire League, or Los Bomberos, instead we all must commit to equity, and this is an important step towards that.”

The wide-ranging motion was written in conjunction with the fire fighters’ union Local 1014, the Women’s Fire League, and the Stentorians, the group which represents African American Los Angeles County fire fighters.

Equitable Hiring:
To ensure more women and people of color have equitable access to jobs within the fire department, the motion directs the Los Angeles County Fire Department to work with the fire fighters’ union Local 1014 to look at adopting a different written exam for firefighters and paramedics, called the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center, which is based in equity research and comes with embedded recruitment and mentorship programs for recruits. The motion also directs the Department to provide a plan to ensure preparatory academies and programs conducted through the Women’s Fire League and the Stentorians remain financially accessible.

Creating an Inclusive Workplace:
To ensure a more inclusive workplace, the motion directs the Los Angeles County Fire Department to create a Labor Management Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee which will include members from underrepresented groups – including women, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals. This committee will provide input on hiring and promotional processes within the department.
The motion also directs the department to create training on cultural and implicit bias and explore creating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer within the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Benchmarks, Data, and Accountability:
To better understand the gaps in diversity within the Fire Department, the motion also asks for comprehensive data about gender and ethnicity among employees. Moving forward, the fire department will develop an annual report that includes race and gender demographic information at each stage of the hiring, promotion, and termination processes for County Fire Fighters and Lifeguards.
The department will also create an exit interview process for all applicants who rescind their applications as well as employees who choose to leave the department. The exit interview will include demographic data on the applicants and employees as well as their stated reason for withdrawal or their decision to leave the department.

La Mirada, CA — On Thursday, March 2, 2023, La Mirada Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9148 presented an award to Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in recognition of her career-long commitment to supporting veterans.

“After military service, we never stop fighting, and neither has our Supervisor,” said VFW Post 9148 Sr. Vice Commander Dr. Rob Cancio before presenting Hahn the VFW Award of Commendation. “Supervisor Hahn has given her whole life to her community and to us. Janice, you are our fighter. We are your veterans, and we will continue to support you today tomorrow and always. In the words of our Supervisor, thank you for your service, your bravery, and your sacrifice for your veterans.”

Cancio touted Supervisor Hahn’s work bringing resources to local veterans, her efforts as a Member of Congress to assist homeless veterans fleeing domestic violence, her successful 2019 fight to preserve the name of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and her ongoing efforts to assist veterans across LA County experiencing homelessness.

“This is one of the more special awards I have ever received,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn to La Mirada VFW members. “I am not worthy, standing in this room with those who have actually worn the uniform in service of this country, but I appreciate it greatly. I will continue to do everything I can to support our veterans, honor their sacrifices, and get overdue help to those who are experiencing homelessness.”

Last year, Supervisor Hahn provided VFW Post 9148 with a $60,000 grant from her office to help the organization pay for building repairs for their headquarters which needed roof work, upgrades to the kitchen, and a new refrigerator.

Post 9148 is a large organization with over 350 members and 260 auxiliary members. They currently have a monthly food bank, offer services to unhoused veterans, and host PTSD support groups at their facility.

“This VFW does so much to support local veterans and their families,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn at the time. “That is what they should be focused on, and I am more than happy to help them pay for the repairs they need to their building.”

New Interim Housing for Veterans experiencing Homelessness
In January, Supervisor Hahn partnered with Volunteers of America to convert a 60-room hotel in San Pedro into interim housing for veterans who have experienced homelessness.  The veterans living in the building get free meals, mental healthcare, job training, and the support they need to move onto permanent housing.

Preserving the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Sr. Vice Commander Dr. Rob Cancio also emphasized Supervisor Hahn’s 2019 fight to prevent the renaming of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to the United Airlines Memorial Coliseum.  The stadium was built as a war memorial after World War I and, as a member of the Coliseum Commission, Hahn argued that removing “Los Angeles” and replacing it with a corporate sponsor would insult the memories of the servicemembers the stadium was built to honor.  With the help and support of veterans groups, Hahn successfully prevented the name change.

South Whittier, CA — Today, with a storm on the way, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn joined Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella and Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation Director Norma Edith Garcia-Gonzalez to break ground on an innovative $41.2 million project to build a stormwater capture system under Adventure Park in South Whittier. The project is part of a countywide effort led by the Department of Public Works to capture, treat, and store rainwater and make our region more drought resilient.

“This winter has been one of our wettest in years and every time it rains, residents say they want to see us capture more of that stormwater and put it to good use,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “You won’t notice this project when it’s done, but it is one of the project voters had in mind when they passed Measure W and will allow us to fortify our water supply and be better prepared for coming droughts.”

The $41.2 million Adventure Park Multi-Benefit Stormwater Capture Project consists of a 6.4-million-gallon capture system almost entirely underneath the park that will capture, clean and conserve stormwater to improve water quality, reduce flooding, and increase regional water resiliency.

“Through the Safe Clean Water Program, we’re systematically unpaving LA County to capture, clean and conserve more of our precious rainwater,” said Public Works Director Mark Pestrella. “Within the next five years, we’ll be able to capture another 18.5 billion gallons of stormwater a year. Enough to serve 500,000 people.”

The project will also make investments in Adventure Park itself with improvements to park exercise equipment, walking paths, sports field, restrooms, and outdoor seating areas.

“I am proud that once again Parks can play a pivotal role in stormwater capture benefitting the unincorporated community of South Whittier. Adventure Park has truly become a multi-facilitated park, serving as a place for the community to come together above while aiding in drought relief,” said Norma Edith García-González, Director of Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Regional Parks and Open Space District. “Our Department has always championed multi-benefit projects that support community and environment and with the groundbreaking of this project, we continue that pledge”.

Much of Adventure Park will be closed during construction. At the groundbreaking Supervisor Hahn thanked South Whittier residents for their sacrifice so that the entire county could benefit from this project.

The project is funded through $16.5 million from the County’s Safe, Clean Water Program via taxes collected through voter-passed Measure W, a $15 million grant from CalTrans, and $9.7 million in County Stormwater Capital Project funding.

Whittier, CA — Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn joined Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri, members of the Whittier City Council, and Interim Chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Anthony Marrone to officially welcome a new Paramedic Assessment Unit to Fire Station 28. The new unit is shortening paramedic response times to medical emergencies in the Whittier area.

“My father started the first paramedic unit here in LA County because he knew that minutes matter in a medical emergency,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Our residents need to know that no matter where they live, when they call 9-1-1, help is on the way– fast.”

The greater Whittier area has recently experienced a significant rise in emergency calls which had strained local fire stations and led to longer paramedic response times in the region. Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri, Councilmember Cathy Warner, and other Whittier leaders brought their concerns to Supervisor Hahn who worked with Interim Fire Chief Marrone to develop this new paramedic assessment unit.

“The addition of the new Paramedic Assessment Engine at Station 28 will allow Whittier residents greater peace of mind knowing that a paramedic is less than four minutes away,” said Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri. “Our partnership with the Los Angeles County Fire Department has only grown in recent years,” noting the community’s positive reception of the Paramedic Assessment Engine deployed at Station 59 in 2018. “Working together to launch this critical resource at another Whittier station was a top priority.”

Paramedic Assessment Units are staffed by a paramedic as well as emergency medical technician partners. The new Paramedic Assessment Unit was launched at Station 28 in December 2022 and is actively responding to medical calls and shortening response times.