LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today met with and removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief effective immediately. Mayor Bass announced she has appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as Interim Fire Chief.
“Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief,” Mayor Bass said. “We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch. Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every single day – is without question. Bringing new leadership to the Fire Department is what our city needs.”
“While the Department is in the experienced and expert hands of Chief Villanueva, my office will lead a national search and I will speak directly with firefighters and Angelenos about what they want to see in their next permanent Chief,” Mayor Bass added.
Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva
Ronnie Villanueva dedicated 41 years of service to the Los Angeles Fire Department and after just 7 months of retirement, he is ready to hit the ground running as Interim Chief. Interim Chief Villanueva retired from the Fire Department as Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations, and has decades of experience in fire suppression, emergency management, and the management of thousands of operational and support members of the LAFD in various positions at the Department. Before becoming a Chief Officer, Villanueva spent 24 years in the field at active assignments.