As a special Valentine’s gift to show appreciation for the courageous service the Los Angeles County Fire Department provides, and with a generous grant from the Los Angeles County Supervisorial Third District (SD3) for needed appliances, the First-In Fire Foundation provided six Los Angeles County Fire Stations with new washers and dryers.
This program benefitted selected local fire stations in the Los Angeles County Supervisorial Third District, (SD3) chosen by the Los Angeles County Fire Department leadership.
The City of Malibu Fire Station 70 received a washer and dryer, Fire Station 72 in the unincorporated area of Malibu received a portable dishwasher; City of Agoura Hills Fire Station 89 received a washer and dryer; unincorporated Agoura Fire Station 65 received a portable dishwasher; Fire Station 67 in Calabasas received a washer and dryer; and Topanga Canyon Fire Station 69 received a washer and dryer.
Last year, The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) recently accepted a generous donation of baby-back ribs from the First-In Fire Foundation’s “Fill the Firehouse Freezer” initiative, in honor of International Firefighters’ Day on May 4.
“Our washing machines, dryers and dishwashers wear out pretty quickly from heavy usage — they are constantly running because there are three shifts of firefighters in rotation at every station,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Assistant for Division 7 Chief Drew Smith said. “Thank you to the First-In Fire Foundation and 3rd Supervisorial District office for making this happen.”
This program, “Firehouse Laundry Room,” indirectly benefits residents of Los Angeles County with a strong, healthy Fire Department and helps increase awareness of their local firefighters/first responders/paramedics and of public safety and community readiness and resilience activities, which call attention to fire safety education, Emergency Preparedness and other fire department programs and projects also benefiting the community and enhancing quality of life.
Smith said these appliances will support the fire station’s efficiency and hygienics with clean clothes and clean dishes and supports preparing for emergencies or disasters which can occur during natural and man-made disasters. The appliances also support the well-being of our first responders, which is key, as they daily manage the complications and demands of the wildfire season, unexpected earthquakes, extreme rain and flooding, and ambulance needs in the community.
This unique “Firehouse Laundry Room” Program was a concept originated and developed by Foundation President Lyn MacEwen Cohen to enable a firehouse to be able to clean clothes and help fire stations and local small businesses at the same time. Cost-effectiveness has been achieved by the foundation purchasing in quantity or at wholesale, and allows the foundation to help many more fire stations.
“Firefighters must complete regular household cleaning chores at the firehouse including their own laundry of dirty clothes, towels and bedding. Being a firefighter automatically means often getting really, really dirty in the line of duty,” Cohen said. “Rigorous fitness training, and any kind of firefighting from structure fires to back-to-back wildfires, which are strenuous and Herculean. Turnout uniforms are normally sent out for specialized cleaning to remove chemicals and carcinogens. First-In Fire gives firefighters exactly what firefighters need. We deliver on-site heavy duty, highly rated hygienic appliances to handle the heavy laundry loads necessary at a fire station. This is a timesaving and huge morale boost for our local firefighters. No matter what, firefighters need to be clean.”
Firefighters thanked the generosity of the Los Angeles County Supervisorial Third District (SD3) and the First- In Fire Foundation for the charitable gift of the washers and dryers. The foundation encourages neighbors and friends to befriend their local firefighters and get involved in their local neighborhood emergency preparedness programs, which is valued by the firefighters and Fire Department Command Staff.
For more information on the First-In Fire Foundation, email firstinfirefoundation@gmail.com or visit www.firstinfirefoundation.org.