LAFD Announces the Start of Valley Recruit Training Academy 2014-1
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
LAFD Spokesperson: LAFD
LOS ANGELES-
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Valley Recruit Training Academy on Monday began training a new recruit class of 43 prospective firefighters. This is the first of three new classes Mayor Eric Garcetti directed the LAFD to hire by June 30, 2015.
After a five year hiring freeze, Mayor Garcetti instructed the LAFD to restart the process and hire 165 new firefighters this fiscal year and to implement an improved hiring process in an effort to build a Department that better reflects the City of Los Angeles and employs the best qualified firefighters. Changes to the process included Stratified Random Sampling of the applicant pool to select a representative group to advance to the testing phase, and providing Chief Terrazas with an enhanced discretionary role in the choice of the final candidates.
"This recruit class represents the LAFD's first iteration of the Stratified Random Sampling (SRS) process," said Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas. "Though smaller than our previous recruit class, this group of recruits includes more women and improves the diversity nearly across the board.
He added: “We will work with the Mayor's Office and Personnel Department to make additional necessary adjustments to the entire process in order to continue to attract and hire the most qualified LAFD recruit candidates as we work to restore our staffing levels.”
The 43 new recruits include four women (two Caucasians, one Asian American, one Hispanic; 9.3%); five African American men (12.8%); 13 Hispanic men (33.3%); two Asian American men (5.1%) and 19 Caucasian men (48.7%). More than 10,000 individuals applied for the position of firefighter recruit and 302 were randomly selected via SRS to participate in the multi-step hiring process.
The SRS pool has since been expanded to 500 selections for the written exam and the LAFD plans to work with the Personnel Department to fill the remainder of the 165 budgeted recruit positions through the next two classes in March and June. Recruit Class 2014-1 will graduate on May 14, 2015.
“The Personnel Department has made it a high priority to work very closely with the LAFD to address their future hiring needs,” said General Manager Wendy Macy, “and we are continuing to assess and adjust the process as we work to fill future classes.”
Los Angeles Fire Department
Serving with Courage, Integrity and Pride
Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas
NR 201412-04
Contact: Peter Sanders
213-359-7141
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