California Bill Aims to Ban Private Firefighters from Using Public Hydrants Amid Controversy

Lawmakers in California have brought forth a new legislative proposal, Assembly Bill 1075, intended to prevent private firefighting services from utilizing publicly funded hydrants. Assemblyman Isaac Bryan of Los Angeles introduced the measure with backing from the California Professional Firefighters Union. Proponents argue that firefighting is inherently a public responsibility and assert that private firefighters lack comparable training, equipment, and professional expertise.

California Professional Firefighters Union President, Brian Rice, emphasized this stance in statements to the press, indicating that private firefighting teams do not adhere to the same standards or preparedness levels as public firefighting agencies. Rice suggested that the presence and operations of private firefighters could negatively impact the effectiveness and coordination of firefighting efforts in emergencies.

The introduction of this bill comes after high-profile cases involving private firefighters effectively saving structures during devastating wildfires. One notable incident is the Palisades fire, where developer Rick Caruso employed private firefighters to safeguard his Palisade Village shopping complex, leaving it relatively unharmed even as surrounding structures were destroyed.

Assemblyman Bryan clarified his perspective, explaining that although he does not oppose wealthy individuals paying to safeguard their assets independently, he believes their use of public hydrants raised questions about water supply and infrastructure capacity. He cited concerns that private firefighting water draws could negatively affect municipal water pressure during drastic wildfire situations.

However, critics argue there is no concrete evidence indicating that limited water drawn by small private firefighting teams led to a reduction in hydrant water pressure in past wildfire disasters. Instead, experts pointed to management and infrastructural decisions, such as an emptied reservoir previously in place specifically for fire emergencies, which failed to provide adequate water when needed.

Kevin Dalton, a local activist and former county supervisor candidate, sharply criticized the bill, alleging political motivations behind its introduction. Dalton accused state Democrats of attempting to penalize Caruso, who he claimed successfully demonstrated better fire preparedness compared to state and municipal leaders.