Hermosa Beach City Council (Calif.) voted to annex its Fire Department into Los Angeles County’s Fire Protection District. According to the contract, the Fire District will evaluate Hermosa Beach’s fleet of fire apparatus and equipment to determine if it can be used or whether it will need to be replaced.

The contract between the City of Hermosa Beach and Consolidated Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County would annex the city’s Fire Department and includes fire protection, hazardous materials services, emergency medical services, and all Fire District support services such as dispatching, training, equipment and apparatus maintenance, supplies, and procurement, according to city documents. The contract also includes a $5 million interest-free loan to renovate the city's current fire station.

A report from an outside consultant found that the city's current Fire Department was severely understaffed, and the cost of contracting for comprehensive shared services would be comparable to hiring a few more staff members. 

At a previous meeting, a former Mayor expressed concerns about response times due to a moved dispatch center. The fire chief from a neighboring city also voiced concerns, citing the cities’ mutual aid agreements, reports The Beach Reporter.