Kristin Crowley | |
|---|---|
 Crowley in 2022 | |
| 19th Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department | |
| In office March 25, 2022 –February 21, 2025 | |
| Deputy | Kristine Larson |
| Preceded by | Ralph Terrazas |
| Succeeded by | Ronnie Villanueva (Interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Green Bay,Wisconsin,U.S. |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Saint Mary's College [1] |
Kristin Crowley is an American firefighter who was the chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) from 2022 to 2025. [2] [3] [4]
Crowley passed the firefighters' exam in 1998,finishing in the top 50 out of more than 16,000 tests taken. [2] She joined the LAFD in 2000. During her time at the department,she has held the roles of firefighter,paramedic,engineer,fire inspector,captain,battalion chief,assistant chief,fire marshal and deputy chief. [5] Crowley became Los Angeles' first female fire marshal in 2016. [2]
Crowley was named Fire Chief in 2022,replacing Ralph Terrazas,who had assumed the role in 2014. [3] Upon her appointment,Crowley noted that in addition to "maintaining firefighters' safety,health and overall well-being",she planned to promote a "work environment that is free of harassment,discrimination and hazing". [6] As Chief,Crowley encouraged programs that increased diversity in the department,saying that a diverse department was needed to serve a diverse city. [7]
In 2023,she was appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council,the second fire chief to serve in that role. [8] In June 2024,Crowley was a grand marshal at Los Angeles Pride. [9] She oversaw the department's response to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. [5]
On February 21,2025,Mayor Karen Bass fired Crowley,claiming that Crowley had left the department unprepared in advance of the outbreak of the Palisades Fire. [10] Bass was in Ghana during the fires,which she linked to Crowley's having failed to warn her of the fire danger,although Crowley has pushed back on this. [11] The decision to fire Crowley was criticized by many, [12] including philanthropist and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, [13] [14] who alongside various media outlets linked the firing to Crowley speaking out about fire department budget cuts. [15] [16] [17]
Crowley is a lesbian,married,and the mother of three children. [2]
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