Investigation: Port of Los Angeles Fireboats Plagued by Maintenance Failures, Raising Risk of Major Blaze

A Los Angeles firefighter has publicly raised alarms about the readiness of the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) marine fleet after a container-ship blaze at the Port of Los Angeles last month. Internal records obtained by CBS Los Angeles and interviews with veteran crew members describe widespread maintenance shortfalls across the port's five fireboats that critics say could hinder response to a large maritime fire.

Concerns From Veteran Rescuer

Steve Meiche, a veteran LAFD rescue diver who was among the first firefighters in the water during the 2014 wharf fire, warns the fleet is not prepared for a similar inferno. "I was on that fire for three days," Meiche said. "One of the most dangerous operations I've ever encountered." He said the department is "one spark away" from another major disaster if the vessels cannot deliver adequate water flow or reliable equipment.

What The Documents Show

According to internal maintenance records shared with CBS Los Angeles, Fireboat 1 has numerous overdue maintenance items, including broken hose pumps, hull leaks and a malfunctioning fuel gauge. Fireboats 3, 4 and 5 also show multiple deficiencies. Fireboat 2—the fleet's principal firefighting vessel—lists 19 problems, including a failed engine and an inoperative deck crane used for hoisting people off cruise ships.

Operational Limits And Safety Risks

Meiche described how crews must manually prepare hoses and use a pull-start to get pumps running, producing what he calls a single weak water stream that would be insufficient to protect the roughly $912 million in cargo that moves through the port each day. He also said that while Fireboat 1 has been in repairs since January, crews have relied on basic hose setups instead of fully operational pumps.

"The systems are antiquated," Meiche said. "It's like having a fire truck with a big hook and ladder on it and not even being able to use the ladder."

Officials Respond

When presented with the documents, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park said she was unaware of the scope of the marine fleet's problems and called the situation "infuriating." Park has previously decried a long-standing maintenance backlog after CBS Los Angeles revealed in January that dozens of land rigs and ambulances were sidelined at an LAFD maintenance lot known as the "boneyard."

In a report to the Fire Commission, LAFD disclosed that its "out of service rate for reserve apparatus consistently exceeds 95%." LAFD Maintenance & Supply Assistant Chief Peter Hsaio declined further comment on that figure. Newly appointed Chief Jaime Moore—who was on scene during the 2014 wharf fire—pointed to the department's recent response to a late-November cargo-ship fire as evidence the port can be defended. He also said fireboat spending in the LAFD budget has increased and suggested funding alone does not explain the issues.

Budget And Management Questions

A Port of Los Angeles budget breakdown obtained by CBS shows erratic maintenance spending for fireboats over the years, ranging from about $100,000 in some years to $3 million in others. The Port says it has spent millions trying to address problems, but Meiche and other firefighters say current funding is insufficient for the work required to keep the fleet mission-capable.

The city recently added six captains to the marine unit at an annual cost of roughly $3 million. Some rank-and-file firefighters argue those funds should go to repairs rather than increasing management ranks; Chief Moore said there is no connection between the added captains and the maintenance backlog and that the out-of-service rate has improved from 95% to about 90%.

Next Steps

Councilwoman Park said she is preparing a ballot measure to fund equipment directly through a proposed sales-tax increase that would go before Los Angeles voters next November. The proposal aims to create a dedicated funding stream for apparatus maintenance and replacement if adopted.

As debate continues over responsibility and funding, firefighters and port users alike are watching closely for steps that will ensure the port's firefighting capability keeps pace with the economic and public-safety stakes of one of the nation's busiest harbors.