Letters to the Editor: Will California address the issue of its out-of-state firefighters?

To the editor: Within the wake of final yr’s lethal and harmful fires, the L.A. firefighter union has launched a poll initiative that will elevate town gross sales tax to 10.25% (“L.A. firefighter union launches sales tax initiative to fund new stations and more,” Jan. 15). The funds could be earmarked for the hiring of extra firefighters, building of recent stations and buy of recent tools.

The yearly improve of $300 million is supposed to raised permit the division to organize for and quickly reply to emergencies like earthquakes and fires.

To that finish, would the union additionally help a measure to require firefighters to stay inside L.A. County or not less than the adjoining counties, and tighten liberal scheduling guidelines? As of 2023, greater than 150 firefighters stay out of state, some as distant as Alaska, Texas and Florida. Others are in Northern California.

When there’s full mobilization, as throughout final yr’s fires or a significant earthquake, how efficient will those that stay a whole lot of miles away be?

Judy Pang, Palos Verdes Estates