Prompted by the Fire Station 81 shooting that left one victim dead and another injured earlier this month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors scheduled a motion Tuesday to address workplace trauma within the L.A. County Fire Department (LACFoD).

Addressing the tragic Fire Station 81 workplace shooting just north of Santa Clarita, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to address the possible surge of mental health issues across Santa Clarita fire stations due to the incident on June 1.

In a press conference on the day of the shooting, Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby acknowledged the “several suicides and unfortunately even a murder suicide” that have taken place by the hands of L.A. County Firemen during Osby’s 37-years at the Department.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors intend to put forth their motion to ensure that mental health and workplace trauma is no longer neglected in L.A. County.

Expecting the late on-set of transitional stages of grief following the shooting, the Board of Supervisors is asking “the Fire Chief to work in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer, Directors of Personnel, Mental Health and other relevant County Departments to explore the feasibility of developing a mechanism to address workplace trauma,” according to Tuesday’s meeting agenda. 

The motion’s requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Creating a unit consisting of a culturally competent Lead, Assistant and Contracting Clinician to develop enhanced proactive and reactive strategies to address workplace trauma or potential workplace trauma 
• Revamping an internal Peer Support Counselor program to strive for the 10% industry standard 
• Possess sufficient staff, training budget, logistical and training support needed for response and training
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the Fire Department’s grievance and internal and external complaint process
• Accepting recommendations wherein personnel feel comfortable in voicing concerns regarding investigations, managers, supervisors, peer-to-peer and receiving timely feedback
• Developing a plan to offer Department Funded Mental Health Visits to employees and their immediate families with vetted Culturally Competent Clinicians

See Related: UPDATE: Deputies Responding To Shooting At Fire Station North Of Santa Clarita

On the day of the Fire Station 81 shooting, Los Angeles County officials gathered around Fire Station 150 in Canyon Country to discuss the circumstances that led to a disgruntled employee opening fire and shooting two firefighters.

“I cannot speak to the mindset of the shooter,” Osby said during the press conference. “All I can say is that it’s very tragic and sad that this would be a decision of one of the members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department and even more tragic that someone would come to the station where people were working to shoot two people.”

Having been with the Department for over 37 years, “unfortunately I have too much experience dealing with fallen members of my department,” Osby said. 

Even though an official resolution to prevent workplace trauma is not currently in motion, firefighters at the station on the day of the station were temporarily relieved of their duties to debrief with mental health specialists, according to Osby.

“We have our peer support personnel, doctors and other mental health professionals evaluating the situation and our crews will be temporarily relieved of their responsibilities to enable us to have peer support, briefings and mental health assessments of our personnel,” Osby said. “If you can imagine, they lost one of their coworkers, as a matter of fact two coworkers, so there will be an ongoing assessment.”

Anyone seeking information about mental health resources available in the Santa Clarita Valley can click here for a list of resources. There are 24-hour phone numbers available. In the event of an emergency, 911 should always be the first call. Those looking to speak with someone can call:

• 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• 1-800-854-7771 for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
• 1-800-784-2433 for the Treatment Advocacy Center
• 661-259-9439 for the SCV Child & Family Center
• 661-288-4800 for the Santa Clarita Valley Mental Health Center
• 661- 765-8445 for Insight Treatment Santa Clarita
• 800-852-8336 Teen Line Peer Suicide Prevention 6-10 p.m. or text TEEN to 83986

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