The Los Angeles Fire Department operates a number of bureaus that report directly to the Fire Chief. The Chief (formerly called "the Chief Engineer") is the senior administrative and policy manager for the department. Each of the key bureaus is listed below:
- Appoint, discharge, suspend, transfer, or issue instructions to members (civilian and uniformed) of the Department (other than the Secretary of the Board of Fire Commissioners and the Chief Accounting Employee of the Department) in the line of their duties, subject to the civil service provisions of the charter.
- Expend the funds of the Fire Department in accordance with the provisions of the budget appropriations or of appropriations made subsequent to the budget.
- Recommend to the Board an Annual Departmental Budget covering the anticipated revenues and expenditures of the Department.
- Certify expenditures of the Department to the Chief Accounting Employee.
- File with the Board at least once a month a written report on the activities of the Department.
- Exercise such further powers in the administration of the Fire Department as may be conferred upon the Fire Chief by the Board.