LA County Fire presents three‑year phase‑in plan; Hawthorne told to expect rising costs

Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris told the Hawthorne City Council on Oct. 20 that the Los Angeles County Fire Department can no longer continue the existing cost‑sharing arrangement for fire and EMS services and proposed a three‑year phase‑in to reach full funding.

Harris said the district calculated a total cost to provide services to Hawthorne for fiscal year 2025–26 of $15.4 million, with a district cost share of $2.8 million. Under the district's proposal, Hawthorne would pay approximately one‑third of the district cost in year one (about $930,000), two‑thirds in year two (about $1.86 million), and the full $2.8 million in year three, with those amounts subject to ongoing cost‑of‑living adjustments and district overhead increases.

Harris also said the district could fund one of the two fire prevention inspector positions assigned to the city, yielding an estimated recurring saving to the city (Harris mentioned an approximate figure of $467,616 for the year referenced in the presentation). He emphasized a 28‑year partnership between the district and Hawthorne and said the goal was to reach a fair and fully funded agreement.

Council members asked for periodic station reports and operational statistics; Harris said the district would coordinate with the city manager to determine reporting frequency. The council did not take a formal vote on a contract at the meeting; the presentation served to inform council budget planning and upcoming negotiations.

What it means: If the phase‑in is adopted in subsequent negotiations, Hawthorne will need to budget for materially higher annual payments to the fire district over the next three fiscal years. Councilmembers requested further reporting to better understand incident loads and service levels as negotiations continue.