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LA County Fire Department outlines community programs and paramedic recruitment plans to Temple City council
Summary
Assistant Fire Chief Paul Stum told the Temple City council about LA County Fire Department prevention programs, youth outreach and a current shortage of certified paramedics; he said a paramedic-focused recruit class is being opened and provided steps residents can take to get involved.
Assistant Fire Chief Paul Stum told the Temple City Council on Feb. 3 that the Los Angeles County Fire Department offers a wide range of community programs — from CERT training and sidewalk CPR to youth initiatives such as Explore, Girls Fire Camp and Junior Lifeguard programs — and that the department is taking steps to address a shortage of certified paramedics.
Stum said the department’s CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) curriculum, Ready-Set-Go evacuation guidance and sensory-support programs like Sirens of Silence are designed to help residents prepare for emergencies. "Our community engagement is a core strategy for building a safer, more resilient LA County," Stum said.
The assistant chief also described an operational recruiting challenge: "Right now as we speak our staff is low on paramedics," he said, and the department is opening a recruit class that will require applicants to be certified paramedics and to have one year of municipal fire department experience. "We're asking to take people away from other agencies," Stum said, describing the paramedic-focused hiring as a targeted step to fill a pressing gap.
Stum encouraged residents to sign up for county offerings and to consider careers in the fire service, noting roles beyond firefighting that support emergency response, including aviation, dispatch, fleet services and nursing staff. He directed residents to the department’s website for program schedules and contact points, and councilmembers discussed opportunities for station tours and local outreach.
Council members thanked county staff for station tours and praised local firefighters’ work; one council member recalled a recent on-site resuscitation that underscored the value of paramedic training. The presentation closed with an invitation for Temple City groups and officials to coordinate visits and training slots with the county.
The council did not take formal action on the presentation but asked staff to facilitate connections between county programs and local groups.
