Mayor Bass Appoints Jaime Moore As LAFD Fire Chief

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass today announced that following a nationwide search, she has appointed LAFD Deputy Chief Jaime Moore to serve as the next Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Mayor Basssaid, "Jaime Moore is a proven and admired firefighter and executive who will urgently advance an agenda of reform to better prepare L.A. for major emergencies and upcoming world events and to improve responses to 911 calls citywide."

"I am humbled by the trust that Mayor Bass is placing in me with this appointment," Chief Jaime Moore said. "I love this city - it's my hometown, and my fellow firefighters are my family. I will always do everything I can to protect L.A. and our firefighters."

Mayor Bass and Chief Moore will pursue the following priorities:

• Preparation for major disasters, including pre-deployment and staffing.

• Preparation for coming world events (FIFA World Cup 2026, 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games).

• Improving morale and a culture within the department.

• Ensuring the department is equipped with essential resources, staffing and support.

• Increasing innovation, adoption of technology and use of data.

At the direction of Mayor Bass and under the leadership of Interim Chief Ronnie Villanueva, LAFD has implemented important changes, including strengthening interagency coordination, upgraded communications technology, enhanced wildfire training and evacuation drills and improved pre-deployment protocols. Now, Chief Moore will review and implement appropriate recommendations from the After-Action Review Report.

Chief Moore is the Deputy Chief of Operations Valley Bureau where he leads more than 1,000 firefighters and civilian personnel across 39 stations. He has been an LAFD firefighter for over 30 years. Moore held executive leadership and operations roles in wildland fires including the Hurst Fire, Kenneth Fire, Archer Fire and 2018 Getty Fire. He also led the department's Arson and Counter Terrorism Section where he investigated complex cases.

Chief Moore professionalized FireStat LA, the department's data and performance based management system for citywide fire and emergency management services operations. In 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognized Moore with the US Fire Administration Outstanding Research Award.

Chief Moore was raised in Los Angeles. Service is in Chief Moore's family - his son is an LAFD firefighter. If confirmed by the L.A. City Council, he will be the second Latino Chief to lead the department and the first Spanish speaking Fire Chief.

Mayor Bass recognized Interim Chief Ronnie Villanueva for his service and leadership to the people of Los Angeles over the past nine months.

"When our fire department and city were facing turmoil amidst one of the worst natural disasters in L.A. 's history, Chief Ronnie Villanueva answered the call - not because he had to, but because he cared about this city and the people we serve. After more than 40 years of giving his life to this work, he came out of retirement to serve again," said Mayor Bass."That tells you everything you need to know about the kind of man he is. The changes he's made, the leadership he's brought - these will save lives in Los Angeles for years to come. I am eternally grateful to Chief Villanueva for what he's given to our city. He represents public service in its purest form, and my respect for him runs deep. Over these past 9 months, Angelenos have gotten to see what the firefighters have always known: that Chief Villanueva is someone truly special, someone you can count on when it matters most."

"These past nine months have been an incredible opportunity to step up to the plate - to come out of retirement and help guide the Los Angeles City Fire Department through this important transition," said LAFD Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva. "I'm deeply proud of the dedication and professionalism shown by our members during this time, and I have every confidence that under Chief Jaime Moore's leadership, the department will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights in service to our city."