Brief

The Board of Fire Commissioners submitted a Letter of Agreement between the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Port of Los Angeles governing the maintenance and reimbursement of fireboat services. The file establishes the terms under which the Port reimburses the Fire Department for fireboat operations and upkeep. After referral to the Public Safety Committee in September 2024, the matter was reactivated in June 2026 and approved by the Public Safety Committee on September 15, 2026. It remains pending before the Trade, Travel, and Tourism Committee.

Full summary

This file asks City Council to approve a formal Letter of Agreement between the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Port of Los Angeles that governs how the Port's five LAFD fireboats are maintained and how the Port reimburses the city for those costs. LAFD operates and staffs five fireboats at the Port around the clock through rotating platoons, and all maintenance expenses are currently front-funded by LAFD and reimbursed by the Port through the city's general fund. The problem the agreement addresses is that the existing arrangement, governed by a 1997 Memorandum of Understanding, lacks clear procedures, leading to delays in repair approvals and reimbursements. The Port committed $2 million for fireboat maintenance in fiscal year 2024-25. The agreement, prepared by Battalion Chief Robert Carpino of LAFD's Marine Operations Section and signed by Fire Chief Jaime E. Moore, establishes five key structures. First, LAFD must submit an Annual Plan to the Port by September 30 each year detailing anticipated maintenance costs and schedules for each of the five boats. Second, LAFD must also maintain a rolling three-year Operational Plan and a ten-year Strategic Plan for each vessel. Third, the Port will hire a Marine Engineering firm to independently evaluate the appropriateness and cost of proposed work before approving reimbursement. Fourth, reimbursements must be paid within 60 days of a documented request, provided LAFD supplies purchase orders, vendor invoices, and bank statements. Fifth, emergency repairs costing more than $10,000 require Port pre-approval, while those under $10,000 are automatically approved upon notification. The agreement also spells out each party's responsibilities: LAFD handles routine maintenance, daily staffing, fueling, minor repairs, and equipment upkeep, while the Port reviews and approves annual budgets, maintains an on-call Marine Engineering consultant, and provides insurance and liability assessments. Cost disputes are resolved by a five-member panel drawn from both departments plus a General Services Division representative, with decisions required within 60 days. The agreement runs for three years and auto-renews unless either party objects, up to a maximum term of 15 years. The Board of Fire Commissioners approved the report in September 2024, but the file sat dormant until the Board resubmitted it in June 2026. The Public Safety Committee approved it on September 15, 2026, which is the most recent action. A corrected referral added the Trade, Travel, and Tourism Committee to the approval path given the Port's jurisdictional connection to that committee; the file is now awaiting action there before it can proceed to a full Council vote.

Activity (7)

• 2026-09-15 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-06-09 Corrected Referral per City Clerk to include Trade, Travel, and Tourism Committee.
• 2026-06-05 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 10, 2026.
• 2026-06-05 Board of Fire Commissioners document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee.
• 2026-06-05 Document submitted by Board of Fire Commissioners, dated June 4, 2026.
• 2024-09-19 Board of Fire Commissioners document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee.
• 2024-09-18 Document(s) submitted by Board of Fire Commissioners, as follows:Board of Fire Commissioners report 24-086, dated September 17, 2024, relative to the Letter of Agreement between the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Port of Los Angeles.

Documents (4)

• 2026-09-15 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-06-10 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-06-04 Report from Board of Fire Commissioners · report
• 2024-09-17 Report from Board of Fire Commissioners · report