Measure FD, a major ballot initiative launched by United Fire Fighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) Local 112, has been approved by Los Angeles voters.
The victory will provide a historic funding increase for LA’s Fire Department, which serves nearly 4 million residents.
“We’re grateful and humbled by the support we’ve received from LA City voters,” said UFLAC Local 112 President Doug Coates. “When they call, we show up. Now, they’ve answered our call for help.”
In 1960, Los Angeles had nearly 3,400 fire fighters to protect its more than 2.4 million residents. Today, the city has nearly the same number of fire fighters, despite seeing the population grow by more than 1.5 million.
We’re grateful and humbled by the support we’ve received from LA City voters. When they call, we show up. Now, they’ve answered our call for help.
UFLAC 112 President Doug Coates
Call volumes have also skyrocketed over the past 60 years.
LAFD responded to roughly 100,000 calls a year in the 1960s. By 2025, that number had climbed to well over 500,000.
Local 112 argues Measure FD is the answer to the decades of underfunding and will bring the city’s fire fighter staffing into the 21st century. The Local returned more than 250,000 citizen signatures in support of the measure, and received a unanimous 14-0 vote from the council to place it on the ballot.
Measure FD implements a 0.5% sales tax increase, earmarked solely for the LAFD – meaning elected politicians will be unable to use the new funds for other budget items.
The city estimates the measure will raise approximately $345 million annually for the department, with the funds being used to hire more fire fighters and emergency medical workers, build and upgrade new fire stations across the city, buy and maintain new apparatus, and to help minimize the impact of wildfires.
Measure FD is an investment not just in the LAFD, but in the 3.8 million people who call Los Angeles home.
General President Edward Kelly
The IAFF played a key role supporting UFLAC’s efforts, providing strategic guidance, financial assistance through FIREPAC, and GIS mapping data highlighting the chronic understaffing within the LAFD. These resources helped strengthen the campaign, reach voters, and build support for the measure.
“Los Angeles voters recognized that their safety depends on a fire department that is properly staffed and properly equipped to respond to all emergencies. UFLAC Local 112 made that case using staffing data from an IAFF-produced GIS study, and we were proud to support the campaign with a FIREPAC contribution,” said General President Edward Kelly.
“Measure FD is an investment not just in the LAFD, but in the 3.8 million people who call Los Angeles home.”
Measure FD will also create a five-person advisory board to oversee the spending, comprised of appointees chosen by various city and fire department leaders.
This measure represents one of the most significant public-safety improvements Los Angeles has made in the thirty-four years that I have been on the LAFD, and it reflects what fire fighters can accomplish for our communities when we work together in solidarity.
General Secretary-Treasurer Frank Líma.
“This measure represents one of the most significant public-safety improvements Los Angeles has made in the thirty-four years that I have been on the LAFD, and it reflects what fire fighters can accomplish for our communities when we work together in solidarity,” said General Secretary-Treasurer and Local 112 member Frank Líma.
“The IAFF is proud to have supported UFLAC Local 112 in passing this critical tax measure.”
The measure will go into effect in April of 2027 and will remain in place indefinitely.
