Posted on 01/12/2025 6:24:51 PM PST by Libloather
Desperate one-percenters are dropping small fortunes on private professional fire crews to protect their mansions as California’s most expensive wildfires continue to devour some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Private fire protection companies often contract with state and local governments to help battle wildfires, but in recent years California’s fire firms have begun offering “on call” services, ready to to show up with their own water supplies, trucks, hoses, fire-quenching chemicals, and other industrial-grade equipment.
But these heroes-for-hire come with a hefty price tag, with some outfits charging $2,000 an hour for their services, the Daily Mail reported.
Chris Dunn, owner of Covered 6, told that outlet his phone has been “ringing off the hook” as the Hollywood elite jockey for his bespoke services.
A reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle observed one home outfitted with water sprayers continually drenching the roof as specialists stood by all night, watching for flare-ups.
Other firms spray the landscape with fire retardant and cocoon trees and bushes in thick fireproof materials, according to the LA Times.
But as these companies rack up cash, the ones who hire them are taking heat from ordinary folk — more than 100,000 of whom have been forced to flee, leaving their houses under the protection of the overwhelmed public fire department.
Millionaire real estate investor Keith Wasserman ignited a blaze of outrage when he put out a call for someone to connect him with private firefighters to save his house in the Pacific Palisades.
“Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? Need to act fast here. All neighbors’ houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you,” he posted to his X account, which he later deleted.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Honestly, it would probably be cheaper than having to rebuild a home.
I’m guessing it would be for about 2 days maybe 3, so 100-150K.
I hope the hired guys are better than this bunch...
And trying to get permits from the greasy tax-ticks who caused their houses to burn in the first place...
Think rent-a-cops.
Private schools.
Canadian medical tourists.
When government doesn’t work...
In Colonial Philadelphia, at least one fire insurance company gave monetary rewards to the fire company that arrived at a fire first, stoking the rivalry between the firefighters.
Maybe it’s time to resurrect that old business model.
Thou shall not covet, can’t remember where I read that.
Its every mansion for itself.
Someone looked at the state of readiness of the LAFD and said, "A private fire department could make a lot of money here."
And they were right.
Went to Vegas a few moons ago. Saw a fire truck parked outside a casino with the lights flashing. Oh, nice. Community involvement.
Nope. It’s the law - if any aspect of the fire suppression system goes out, pump, pump controller, fuel levels or alarm devices is defective, a fire truck is required to sit there until the problem is resolved. $5,000 a day.
Palisades Fire: 80% of media time
Kenneth Fire: 2% of press time
Eaton Fire: 15% of press time
He’s a Trump supporter.
Smart guy, too. He predicted a Trump landslide, on Twitter (X).
That sounds like a good idea. I grew up near a small town that handled it a different way. As explained to me, all the men living there were required by law to be firefighters. We could hear the fire alarm from that small town. At the sound of that alarm, all the men there would put on their fire hats and rush out to the fire.
Here’s how an Afghanistan veteran used his previous wildfire season experiences to save his home from the LA fire
Not just Philadelphia, but most big US cities operated that way into the 19th century. A brawl between two fire companies is depicted in the movie, “Gangs of New York?”
So Win Win.
Liberals are weird with their 1% crap.
If these people earned their money they can spend it to save their homes if they want to - - sounds like a good use of money. Hopefully they’re hiring people from fire departments OUTSIDE of the LA area - that would be my only concern.
The “firemen” were the original “gangs of New York”. They were something of a neighborhood club. They didn’t like other clubs trespassing on their territory. The firefighting clubs eventually branched out into other “activities”.
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