Firefighter Volunteer of a Novel Type
In the aftermath of one of the most devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County history, the Palisades fire, a team of dedicated volunteers played a crucial role in providing support and assistance. These individuals, part of the Community Brigade Program, had undergone extensive training to prepare for such emergencies.
The volunteers, who had prior experience responding to fires such as The Broad Fire in November 2024 and The Franklin Fire in December 2024, were not firefighters but had been trained to provide crucial support during wildfires. During the Palisades fire, which claimed 11 lives, destroyed 10,000 buildings, and scorched over 23,000 acres, their role was vital.
The volunteers did not enter burning buildings or put out cars. Instead, they focused on providing evacuation support, last-minute triage, and assistance in extinguishing spot fires and ember fires. Their primary concern was saving lives, and they were able to convince some people to evacuate who might not have done so otherwise due to their local knowledge and credibility.
The Community Brigade Program, an experimental initiative launched in October 2023, prepared volunteers for more than a year with firefighters, studying fire behavior, situational awareness, and emergency communication. The program was designed to equip qualified residents to serve as force multipliers during wildfires, and was prompted by the 2018 Woolsey fire.
Terri Lynn Pond, Chairman and CEO of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation (LAEPF), led the development of the Community Brigade Program. Pond collaborated with professors from California State University-Long Beach and the LA County Fire Department to understand local experiences and needs during the Woolsey fire.
The volunteers had diverse backgrounds, including a medical doctor, an EMT, a former world's strongest man competitor, a superior court judge, architects, engineers, people from the entertainment industry, former city council members, and former firefighters, among others.
In addition to their rescue work, the volunteers also provided humanitarian aid, offering food, water, and fuel to those affected by the Palisades fire. Post-fire, the Community Brigade team aims to help individuals, builders, and communities assess their fire risk and take preventative measures to reduce the risk of future fires.
The success of the Community Brigade Program has garnered interest from fire chiefs and elected officials from various locations, including Oregon and El Salvador, who wish to replicate the program in their communities. The volunteers' efforts during the Palisades fire were instrumental in working alongside first responders during one of the most destructive natural disasters in Los Angeles County history.
