Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) attended the inauguration of Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday while wildfires ravaged Pacific Palisades
(www.sott.net)https://www.sott.net/article/497102-Manufactured-Crisis-L-A-Mayor-Karen-Bass-In-Africa-As-Firefighters-Discover-Empty-Hydrants-Amid-SoCal-InfernoMeanwhile, emergency responders are facing an alarming shortage of water as reports emerge that several of the city's hydrants are running dry. "The hydrants are down," one firefighter said, according to The Los Angeles Times. "Water supply just dropped," another firefighter added.
In the midst of the crisis, reports have resurfaced that the Los Angeles Fire Department has been hit with significant budget cuts. Mayor Bass's 2024-2025 fiscal year budget was slashed by $17.6 million, with an initial proposal to cut $23 million. Bass has come under sharp criticism since the wildfires erupted, with many attributing the fires to these budget cuts.
Then there's Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley, whom local ABC7 celebrated as "the first LGBTQ+ person to the lead the department, [and] also the first woman." Her focus seems to have been less on fighting fires and more on launching the "Los Angeles Fire Department's first-ever Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Bureau (DEI) focused on ensuring a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace for all."