A diversity-equity-inclusion video from the Los Angeles Fire Department has surfaced, in which the deputy chief, an overweight woman, says if you need to be rescued, it’s your fault: You we’re “in the wrong place.”
Deputy Fire Chief Kristine Larson says the department priority is that residents in crisis are rescued by first responders that “look like” them.
“You want to see somebody that responds to your house, your emergency—whether it’s a medical call or a fire call—that looks like you,” Larson says.
“It gives that person a little bit more ease, knowing that somebody might understand their situation better,” Larson continues. “‘Is she strong enough to do this,'” Larson asked, rhetorically answering criticism she has heard. “Or ‘You couldn’t carry my husband out of a fire.’ Which my response is, ‘He got himself in the wrong place if I have to carry him out of a fire.'”
In other failures of the Los Angeles emergency response, an official text message went out on Thursday to nearly all Los Angeles residents, telling them to evacuate immediately. The message was received by people in Long Beach to the south and Dodger Stadium neighborhood.
“This is an emergency message from the Los Angeles County Fire Department,” the notice read. “An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area.”
The message was only intended for people near the Kenneth fire near Woodland Hills.
In a related breakthrough, the Kenneth fire is considered an arson incident and a homeless man has been taken into custody for intentionally starting the Kenneth fire.
