The LA County Fire Department is often confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. It is important to note that these two fire departments are not the same and that they serve different areas. The services that are provided by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, including both fire suppression and medical services, are restricted to the City of Los Angeles.
The LA County Fire Department is responsible for providing these services to portions of Los Angeles County that do not maintain an independent fire department and that do not have access to firefighting and emergency medical services. Currently, the LA County Fire Department serves roughly 60 different towns and cities situated throughout the county, as well as unincorporated locations in the county.
When considering the history of fire departments in the United States, the LA County Fire Department is relatively new. It was first established in 1923. Upon its creation, the Department was given the name the Los Angeles County Forestry Department and Los Angeles County Fire Protection Districts. During the beginning of its history, the LA County Fire Department grew rapidly.
Soon after its creation, over 30 different Fire Protection Districts were established throughout Los Angeles County. These stations were situated in small towns, so that these communities could be provided with timely emergency services. Today, the fire department is extremely extensive, containing not only many stations and battalions, but also numerous aircrafts, an emergency operations division, and a lifeguard division.
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