Republicans blame DEI for the LA fires. This fire captain disagrees.

By Melanie Mason | 01/17/2025 06:14 AM EST

Lauren Andrade, president of Equity on Fire, predicts efforts to diversify fire departments will face an uphill climb in this political climate.

Fire personnel respond to homes destroyed while a helicopter drops water as the Palisades Fire grows.

Firefighters respond to the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 7. David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — If you listen to Elon Musk or Megyn Kelly, Los Angeles was doomed in its fight against historically devastating wildfires because of one thing: DEI.

The acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion has become the go-to scapegoat on social media and among some GOP officials as proof that leaders of the deep-blue city — including Mayor Karen Bass, the first Black woman to run the city, and Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, the first woman and openly gay person to run the department — let their progressive values distract them from public safety.

Lauren Andrade, a fire captain in Orange County, is deeply familiar with the DEI conversation. She’s president of Equity on Fire, a group that advocates for diversity in fire departments and raises awareness about harassment and discrimination in the field.

Advertisement

She spoke to POLITICO about the politicization of such work in the wake of the Los Angeles fires.

GET FULL ACCESS