This photo, taken days after the Palisades fire was contained, reveals how widespread the destruction was in the Santa Monica Mountains west of Topanga. The blaze consumed over 23,000 acres of land and destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and other structures. As the fire spread into Topanga Canyon, our local professional and volunteer firefighting crews were on the front lines protecting the community. Topanga was largely spared from widespread destruction, but there could have been a very different ending.
Topanga’s fire crew responds to traffic accidents in the canyon, medical emergencies, lost and stranded hikers, vehicles over the side, and every imaginable kind of crisis that happens in Topanga. Station 69 is always first on the scene any time there is a fire in the canyon. Fire crews from all over the West rolled in to help fight the Palisades Fire and mop up afterward, but Station 69 was here from the start, working to keep the community safe.
Last month, Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP) launched a fundraising campaign to provide essential equipment our firefighters need. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the community, TCEP has reached its initial goal of funding a side-by-side ATV for our local fire station! A huge thank you to everyone who contributed —your support is making a big difference. But we’re not finished yet. With continued donations, Topanga can fund a backup generator for the station. Power outages are challenging enough at home, but for our firefighters, maintaining power at the station is crucial. Let’s help keep their station running when the lights go out.
100% of funds raised through this campaign will directly support local firefighting resources in Topanga. TCEP will use the funds to purchase equipment that firefighters have told us they need and then donate the equipment in-kind directly to them.
This campaign is the most efficient and transparent way for the Topanga community to keep donations at the local level. All money raised through this campaign will be held in a separate TCEP-owned bank account. We will purchase and donate requested equipment as soon as administratively feasible.
Thank you firefighters for protecting Topanga! We owe you big time!
Donate today and be a part of this essential effort!
TCEP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit all volunteer organization based in Topanga, CA. For over three decades, we’ve provided emergency preparedness education and disaster status information to residents of Topanga, Malibu and surrounding areas. TCEP is a trusted local resource for LA County Fire, LA County Sheriff, CHP, CalTrans, LA County Office of Emergency Management, Southern California Edison, LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and other government and non-government agencies. Our relationships with first responders and elected officials enable us to gather and verify incident information before posting to the public. Learn more at tcep.org
Go to GoFundMe.com and search for Fire Station 69.
