LOS ANGELES – June 13, 2022 – Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) Monday presented $40,000 in donations to the Los Angeles Police and Fire department foundations. A $20,000 donation to the police foundation will support the LAPD’s ability to coordinate its response to wildfires and other large-scale disasters. Another $20,000 donation to the Los Angeles Fire foundation will help support the purchase of a new light-duty helicopter. The donations were made during an annual first responder gas safety workshop hosted at SoCalGas’ Van Nuys facility and attended by more than 40 first responders. Since 2011, SoCalGas has donated more than $420,000 in support of Los Angeles’ first responders.

“June is National Safety month and a perfect time to come together to plan, train, and advance our common mission to protect public safety,” said Cedric Williams, Chief Safety Officer at SoCalGas. “Keeping our communities safe starts with preparedness and these donations will go a long way toward helping the LA fire and police foundations prepare their members to assist Angelenos during emergencies.”

“The donation from SoCalGas will enable LAPD’s Emergency Services Division to purchase critically needed equipment for our Major Incident Response Team to establish an Incident Command Post in order to coordinate the Department’s response to wildfires and other large-scale disasters. This enables our officers to maintain situational awareness during hyperdynamic times. We are grateful for the support from the community,” said Captain Brian Morrison, Commanding Officer with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Emergency Services Division.

“The LAFD appreciates the commitment and ongoing support SoCalGas extends to our firefighters. Their generosity has helped fund vital community programs and secure essential tools and equipment,” expressed Chief Charles Combs, Commander of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Air Operations. “This donation will help our LAFD Foundation secure a new light-duty helicopter—a much-needed asset in the fight to save lives and protect communities during wildfires and other emergencies."

The SoCalGas workshop Monday focused on gas safety response, which includes damage prevention like calling 811 before digging, carbon monoxide safety, and a simulated leak with different types of gas pipeline. Similar first responder workshops take place throughout the year, as required by state regulations.

For photos of the workshop and donation presentation click here.  

About the LAFD Foundation:
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Foundation is the official non-profit arm of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. The Foundation was established in 2010 to bridge critical funding gaps for essential tools, equipment, and programs. The LAFD Foundation channels donations from private, corporate, and community partners into tangible resources to help firefighters save lives and protect communities.

About the Los Angeles Police Foundation (LAPF)
The LAPF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides critical resources and vital support to the Los Angeles Police Department. From essential equipment and state-of-the-art technology to specialized training and innovative programs that would otherwise be unfunded, the support we provide directly improves public safety, impacts officer readiness, and enhances our quality of life.  As the largest source of private funding for the LAPD, we are passionately dedicated to ensuring that Los Angeles be America’s safest major city.

Since our founding in 1998, the LAPF has awarded more than $45 million in grants to help the police serve at their highest level in order to keep our communities and families safe. For more information, visit www.supportlapd.org [supportlapd.org].

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego.

For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Denise Campos, SoCalGas Office of Media and Public Information (213) 244-2442 dcampos@socalgas.com

Dana Katz, Los Angeles Police Foundation (310) 422-9259 dana@supportlapd.org

Nicholas Samaniego, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation (310) 479-0962 nick@supportLAFD.org