Private Firefighters

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Private entity providing firefighting and emergency services

• Clients

  Businesses, industries, communities, governments, individuals (e.g., high-net-worth individuals, celebrities)

• Challenges

  Ethical and operational challenges, liability issues

• Funding Model

  Contractual basis, not taxpayer-funded

• Cost (Large Crew)

  Up to $10,000 per day (nearly two dozen firefighters, four trucks)

• Cost (Small Crew)

  Approximately $3,000 per day (two people, small vehicle)

• Example Companies

  Grayback Forestry, Rural Metro Fire, Capstone, Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression Inc.

• Operational Model

  Contractual, subscription-based for homeowners in unincorporated areas

• Services Provided

  Firefighting, hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, road traffic collisions, rescue, wildfire suppression, ordinance regulations, safety requirements

Timeline

• Rural Metro Fire, a national leader in private fire protection services, was founded by Louis Witzeman. (Source: Web Search Results)

  1948

• Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression Inc., a professional forestry and emergency services company, was founded. (Source: Web Search Results)

  1995

• Rick Caruso hired private firefighters to protect his property in the Palisades during the LA Wildfires, criticizing public leadership's response. (Source: Document 79c177ec-7c9a-4159-8a99-369742d5d7a0)

  Recent

Firefighter

A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in public safety and emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, road traffic collisions and other emergencies that threaten life, property and the environment, as well as to rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations and preserve evidence. Firefighters may also provide ordinance regulations, safety requirements, and administrative public functions for the communities and areas they are subject to jurisdiction to. Male firefighters are sometimes referred to as firemen (and, less commonly, female firefighters as firewomen). The fire department, also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire service, is one of the three main emergency services. From urban areas to aboard ships, firefighters have become ubiquitous around the world. The skills required for safe operations are regularly practiced during training evaluations throughout a firefighter's career. Initial firefighting skills are normally taught through local, regional or state-approved fire academies or training courses. Depending on the requirements of a department, additional skills and certifications may also be acquired at this time. Firefighters work closely with other emergency response agencies such as the police and emergency medical service. A firefighter's role may overlap with both. Fire investigators or fire marshals investigate the cause of a fire. If the fire was caused by arson or negligence, their work will overlap with law enforcement. Firefighters may also provide some degree of emergency medical service (EMS).

Web Search Results

• Private fire companies: Understanding their use in high-risk ...

  Private firefighting companies are organizations that provide firefighting and related emergency services on a contractual basis. Unlike municipal or public fire departments funded by taxpayer dollars, these companies operate as private entities and are often hired by businesses, industries, communities or governments for specific needs, according to Fire Protection Los Angeles. ## Roles and responsibilities of private firefighting companies [...] Celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, reportedly employed private firefighting teams to protect their properties from wildfire damage, highlighting the availability of such services to the affluent. ## Additional resources AP_18314195536851.jpg poster.jpg FireRescue1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors. FireRescue1 Staff [...] Private firefighting companies can perform a variety of services, including: ## The business of private firefighting Exploring the commercial side of private firefighting reveals unique operational aspects. Here’s what makes their business model distinct: ## Challenges and criticisms Addressing the ethical and operational challenges faced by private firefighting companies is important for understanding their impact. ## Insurance’s role in private firefighting

• Private firefighters: Who they are, how much do they cost?

  Bryan Wheelock, vice president of Oregon-based private firefighting company, Grayback Forestry, told The New York Times that a private firefighting crew with two people and a small vehicle can cost roughly $3,000 a day. However, a larger crew that consists of nearly two dozen firefighters and four trucks, can be as much as $10,000 a day. Eaton Fire Apartments seen on fire from the Eaton Fire on Jan. 8, 2025. (Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images) [...] They can be contracted by communities to provide firefighting services as well as by certain insurance companies that offer fire fighting services to customers who purchase high-value home insurance policies, according to Frontline Wildfire. However, they can also be hired by individuals that want to ensure they have access to fire fighting services if a fire breaks out at their property, though their purpose goes beyond just serving the elite. [...] However, Leo Grillo, who runs animal sanctuary Delta Rescue and owns his own firetrucks, said there are liability issues when it comes to private firefighters that need to be considered. Palisades Fire damage in Pacific Palisades View of damaged structures and homes caused by the Palisades wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

• Private Firefighting Companies, Services and Contractors.

  ## Community Division Rural Metro Fire is the national leader in private fire protection services to communities around the nation, including several in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee and Wisconsin. We offer different solutions for your community’s needs. ### Subscription Based [...] was founded upon in 1948, by Louis Witzeman. [...] Rural Metro Fire provides fire protection services under a subscription-based model to individual homeowners and commercial property owners in unincorporated suburbs. These areas are not included within municipal fire department boundaries; therefore, property taxes do not include fire protection and Rural Metro fills that niche. These communities’ law enforcement are usually provided by a Sheriffs’ department, rather than municipal police department. This is the business model that our company

• Home | Capstone

  ### For more than twenty years, we have provided customized life safety solutions for our customers through wildland and industrial firefighting personnel, technical confined space rescue teams, and emergency medical technicians. We service nearly every industry within the nation’s public, private, and government critical infrastructure sectors. These service industries maintain exceptionally high reliability standards and entrust Capstone to deliver a service that meets these expectations. [...] If you live in Southern California, you already know how unpredictable the environment can be. From wildfires and earthquakes to property disputes and natural wear, [...] ## When to Hire a Wildfire Suppression Company for Your Home or Business Wildfires have become more common and more destructive across Southern California in recent years. If you own a home or business in a high-risk area, [...] ## 5 Questions to Ask Wildfire Firefighters for Hire [...] ### News & Media bwi2025-08-27T23:42:38+00:00 #### When to Hire a Wildfire Suppression Company for Your Home or Business bwi2025-08-27T23:42:38+00:00August 27th, 2025| Wildfires have become more common and more destructive across Southern California in recent years. If you own a home or business in a high-risk area, [...] bwi2025-08-27T23:30:30+00:00 #### 5 Questions to Ask Wildfire Firefighters for Hire bwi2025-08-27T23:30:30+00:00August 26th, 2025|

• Firestorm | Forestry, Fire Safety, & Training Services

  1. We can respond to anywhere in the country within 24 hours. 2. We are 100% self sufficient. 3. We are professional, skilled, organized labor – following the Incident Command System. 4. We are experienced in working long hours in extreme environments. SEE OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES # OUR MISSION [...] Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression Inc. is a professional forestry and emergency services company committed to providing professional solutions for our client’s forestry, fire safety, emergency personnel and training needs. Land management agencies, municipalities, landowners and individuals have been utilizing our quality services since 1995. contact us today [...] Firestorm was founded on providing one twenty-person fire crew for emergency response to wildfires. Over the years we have added several additional hand crews, wildland engines, equipment and overhead position. All of our resources are trained in and work seamlessly within the incident command system. ### ALL RISK response