Social media has become an important part of how we all communicate. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has been a leader in the field of social media as one of the first Departments in the Country to adopt emerging technologies.  Before most, the LAFD alerted the public and media about incidents while also posting safety messages year-round.
 
The public now expects their fire departments to not just post on social media, but creatively interact with them.  Sensing this, in 2015, the Department launched social media accounts for each geographic Bureau (LAFDwest, LAFDvalley, LAFDsouth, LAFDcentral); including Recruitment, Air operations and more.  In 2017, the Department will finalize a new social media policy that allows for a more creative approach to communication at the station level and beyond, thus allowing us to provide you even more engagement and updates of your LAFD in action. 
 
When the LAFD alerts about an incident, or posts about an event or cause, people pay attention.  Last year was a record year for the Department on social media.  In 2016, more than 2.3 million people engaged with a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram post on the Department’s official accounts. 
 
As the geographic Bureaus continue to post about local news and events, followers to LAFD social media accounts rose by 31%.  More than 3.7 million people watched a video posted to one of the six LAFD Facebook accounts, a 351% increase from 2015.   Currently, the LAFD’s main Instagram account, which shares pictures and videos from throughout the Department, is far and away the most popular Fire Department account in California and #2 in the Country.

Every day your LAFD provides Breaking News and conversation on twitter. (Click here to see one of our most popular tweets this year).

Social media has become a regular part of our operation and it will continue to grow.  LAFD Bureaus are incorporating it into their everyday operations while the LAFD Community Liaison Office continues to push out safety messages that reach a global audience and millions of people in Southern California.

We would like to thank you all for being a part of the LAFD Social Media family!
 
"I am proud of our efforts and know the sky’s the limit as we continue to validate our status as a leader in the fire service." - Ralph M. Terrazas, Fire Chief.