Wave Staff Report
WEST HOLLYWOOD — U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Burbank, has secured a $500,000 federal investment to help replace a 73-year old fire station here.
Los Angeles County Fire Station 8 has been officially deemed vulnerable to collapse in a major earthquake and is too small for modern fire apparatus.
The station was built in 1953 and was constructed with rigid, outdated concrete that does not meet modern seismic standards. In 2023, the county flagged it as one of 33 county-owned buildings vulnerable to collapse in an earthquake. The station’s response area includes the Sunset Strip, Santa Monica Boulevard, and some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles County.
Friedman announced the federal funding May 11 during a news conference at the fire station. It comes as Los Angeles continues to recover from the devastating January 2025 wildfires, which laid bare the urgent need for modernized fire infrastructure across the region. County firefighters were on the front lines of the Palisades and Eaton fires, putting their lives at risk to protect communities across the county.
“The firefighters of Station 8 have spent 73 years walking out of this building and into danger to protect this community,” Friedman said. “They’ve done it without hesitation, without complaint, and from a building where they lay their heads at night knowing it’s been deemed vulnerable to collapse.
“The men and women who work here deserve a station that’s safe, modern, and built for the emergencies of today — not 1953. This $500,000 federal investment is a down payment on that promise, and I’m going to keep fighting until it’s finished.”
The investment reflects a coordinated effort between federal, county, and local leaders. County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath was a critical partner in securing the investment. Mayor John Heilman and the city of West Hollywood have been pushing for a modernized Station 8 for years.
Friedman’s announcement continues her community safety investments in her district. In February, Friedman secured more than $1 million to modernize the Verdugo Fire Communications Center, the nerve center for emergency dispatch serving more than 944,000 residents across 13 cities in Los Angeles County.
That investment upgraded a dispatch system running on 1997 technology that fielded 2,121 calls in a single day during the January fires or a call every 11 seconds at peak volume.
Friedman made her announcement at the fire station, joined by Horvath, Heilman, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, and firefighters of County Fire Station 8.
