Los Angeles firefighters are speaking out against Mayor Karen Bass’s decision to fire Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, calling the move unfair and politically motivated. The group Los Angeles Women in the Fire Service has sent a formal letter to the mayor, City Council, and the Board of Fire Commissioners demanding Crowley’s reinstatement.
The letter strongly criticized Bass’s reasoning for the firing, calling it “inaccurate” and an attempt to deflect blame. It refuted Bass’s claim that Crowley was responsible for sending home 1,000 firefighters on the night the Palisades Fire ignited, asserting that this accusation is false.
“Chief Crowley has proven herself to be a competent, consummate professional and, without question, is the most qualified person to lead the LAFD,” the letter stated.
LAFD Firefighter Paramedic Tanya Crabbe, who also serves as interim president of the Los Angeles Women in the Fire Service, said the mayor’s decision has left many firefighters questioning her leadership.
“It’s a shame that the mayor doesn’t support our fire chief, because if she doesn’t support our fire chief, how does she support us as firefighters out in the field protecting the citizens of Los Angeles?” Crabbe asked. She accused Bass of using Crowley as a scapegoat for the city’s failures in wildfire preparedness.
Crabbe also emphasized that Crowley had earned widespread respect within the department.
“I’ve worked personally with Chief Crowley for many years, and she’s highly, highly supported by all ranks and files.”
Despite the backlash, Mayor Bass has doubled down on her decision, claiming Crowley failed in her leadership when it mattered most.
“We all know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch,” Bass said at a press conference.
Crabbe and other firefighters have pushed back, arguing that those firefighters were not sent home arbitrarily but rather due to a lack of available resources at the time.
Crowley, the city’s first female fire chief, has been recognized for her leadership and dedication to the department. Her sudden dismissal has raised questions about whether politics, rather than performance, played a role in the mayor’s decision.
With growing support for Crowley’s reinstatement, pressure is mounting on Bass to justify her decision—or risk alienating the very first responders tasked with protecting Los Angeles.
