Laguna Beach fire chief lays out seven-goal strategic plan focused on wildfire readiness and community resilience

Fire Chief King presented a seven-goal strategic plan for the Laguna Beach Fire Department that places wildfire preparedness and community resilience at the center of department work. The plan, previewed at the city's strategic planning workshop, seeks to improve emergency operations, expand firefighter training and records, strengthen internal leadership and staff development, and increase external public communications and neighborhood engagement.

Chief King told the council that one immediate operational gain has been adding a fourth firefighter to the busiest engine company, which keeps apparatus in service when paramedics accompany ambulance transports. He said improved staffing keeps resources available for subsequent calls and reduces out-of-service time.

The plan highlights a multi-pronged approach to community risk: continued emphasis on fuels management, promotion of home-hardening measures, expansion of the Firewise USA neighborhood program and the California Fire Risk Reduction Community standards, and stepped-up public education to help residents prepare before an emergency. Chief King also urged formalizing code compliance and evacuation planning and continuing coordination with regional partners, including the Orange County Fire Authority.

Chief King asked the council to consider modest investments that would make reserve apparatus fully operational so they can be placed into service quickly during major events, and to support the department's request for equipment and procedural funding in upcoming budget cycles. He said the department is also working with public works, police and other city teams to ensure generators, staging, shelters and communications are ready for red-flag conditions.

Council members welcomed the plan; several urged faster work on Firewise and neighborhood-level mitigation, and asked staff to return with specifics on community outreach and potential cost implications. Chief King and staff said they would return with details on program rollouts, timelines, and any midyear budget needs.

The presentation made clear the department sees this as both a technical and community-facing program: internal training and equipment improvements and an outreach strategy to give residents clear actions they can take to reduce risk and keep insurance coverage. Chief King said the department will also present opportunities for neighborhood pilot projects, and work to secure state and federal resources where eligible.