As the Palisades Fire intensified on Tuesday evening, a Los Angeles real estate executive made a plea on social media for private firefighters to protect his home in Pacific Palisades. The post, which has since been deleted, sparked criticism from social media users who believed that wealth should not determine whose home gets saved during an emergency.
Amidst the devastation caused by multiple wildfires in the Los Angeles area, some residents have taken extraordinary measures, often at significant expense, to safeguard their properties. This includes paying for fire-retardant gels to be sprayed on their homes and investing in personal fire hydrants to help combat fires near their properties.
Contrary to the perception that private firefighters primarily serve the wealthy, most of them are actually hired by home insurance companies aiming to protect valuable properties and prevent costly insurance payouts. Mike Stutts, a firefighter in Somerset, California, highlighted this point, emphasizing that private firefighting services play a crucial role in safeguarding homes.
Tim Bauer, a senior vice president at fire damage restoration service Allied Disaster Defense, revealed that following the initial three days of the fire in Pacific Palisades, the company had a waiting list of over 200 individuals seeking their services. Bauer mentioned that the company is using the same fire retardant utilized by firefighting air tankers to protect properties.
