L.A.’s Private Firefighters, and U.S. Childhood Vaccination Rates Fall

Summary

L.A.’s Private Firefighters Amidst Devastating Wildfires

Ongoing Firestorm and Wind Threats

On January 13, 2025, Los Angeles officials raised alarms about an impending wind event capable of exacerbating the current wildfire crisis. An unnamed official warned at [00:37]:

"With the impending winds, we got to pay really, really close attention to this. This wind event is approaching us, and it's approaching us very, very quickly."

The winds, expected to reach gusts of up to 60 miles per hour through Wednesday, threaten to ignite two massive fires: the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire. The Palisades fire along the coast is 13% contained ([01:15]), while the Eaton fire near Pasadena stands at about 25% containment ([02:18]). Tragically, at least 24 people have died, and more remain missing ([01:29]), leading to over 150,000 evacuations ([01:33]).

Private Firefighting Crews: A Controversial Solution

As public firefighting resources are stretched thin, private firefighting crews have become a sought-after yet contentious resource. Tim Arango, a New York Times reporter based in Los Angeles, highlighted the presence of private firefighters operating on Monument Street ([02:06]). These crews, costing up to $10,000 a day ([02:15]), have been employed by property owners like Rick Caruso to protect their assets. Caruso stated:

"They hauled in their own water and tried to save neighboring houses as they protected the shopping center." ([02:43])

However, the rise of private firefighters has sparked public backlash. Critics argue that this trend underscores socio-economic inequalities and raises concerns about potential interference with official firefighting efforts and the depletion of public water resources ([02:59]). Despite these issues, the demand for private services continues to grow as the threat of severe wildfires intensifies.

Decline in U.S. Childhood Vaccination Rates

A concerning trend has emerged in the United States regarding childhood vaccination rates. A New York Times analysis based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data reveals a significant decline over the past four years ([03:05]). The rates for vaccines against measles, polio, whooping cough, and chickenpox among American kindergartners have decreased, with factors including missing records and various religious, philosophical, and medical objections.

Despite overall high vaccination rates nationally, vulnerable pockets have developed, such as Idaho, where less than 80% of children are vaccinated against measles, starkly below the national average of 93% ([04:00]). This decline is particularly pronounced in states won by Donald Trump in the November elections, where Republicans are increasingly more likely than Democrats to view vaccines as dangerous ([04:21]).

The situation is further complicated by political shifts, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for spreading vaccine misinformation, is poised to take over the Department of Health and Human Services ([04:40]). National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expresses concern over the potential continuation of declining rates with the Trump administration taking office:

"The decline in vaccination rates has been sharpest in states that Donald Trump won in November." ([04:21])

The implications are severe, with lower vaccination coverage increasing the risk of disease outbreaks that are harder to contain.

U.S. Diplomacy and Ceasefire Efforts in Gaza

As the Biden administration approaches its final days, significant diplomatic efforts are underway to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reported that details are being finalized for a ceasefire proposal aimed at both Israel and Hamas ([03:35]). Sullivan remarked at [05:06]:

"We are very, very close, and yet being very close still means we're far, because until you actually get across the finish line, we're not there."

The administration is under immense pressure to secure the release of remaining hostages before President Biden leaves office. High-level negotiations are taking place in Qatar, involving both the outgoing Biden team and representatives from the incoming Trump administration. Trump's selected Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has actively engaged with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing urgency:

"All hell will break out if Hamas doesn't release the hostages by his inauguration a week from today." ([05:35])

Despite some progress, key disagreements persist, particularly regarding Israel's willingness to fully end the conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken remains optimistic about the groundwork laid for a potential deal ([05:55]):

"I feel confident the administration has laid the groundwork for a deal." ([06:03])

An unnamed analyst emphasized the importance of the U.S. ensuring real, positive changes through these negotiations ([06:06]):

"What really matters is whether the United States can bring real change, real change to people's lives." ([06:24])

Immigration Policy Shifts: Biden’s Last Moves and Trump’s Incoming Agenda

In one of his final major policy initiatives, President Biden extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan ([06:30]). This extension, lasting another 18 months, shields recipients from deportation and allows them to work legally in the U.S. However, the incoming Trump administration has vowed to terminate TPS for certain countries, a move complicated by Biden's extension ([07:02]).

Trump's administration is also contemplating the reinstatement of stricter immigration measures, particularly at the U.S.-Mexico border. Efforts include reactivating Title 42, a public health policy initially invoked during the pandemic to restrict migration. Trump advisors, including Stephen Miller, have explored justifications based on potential disease threats such as tuberculosis, echoing long-held racist notions that minorities are carriers of infections ([07:46]).

Miller's history showcases a pattern of using public health as a pretext for immigration control, having previously advocated for border closures in response to a mumps outbreak in 2019 ([07:55]). These actions are part of a broader strategy expected to unfold as Trump prepares to sign executive orders on his first day back in office:

"An immigration crackdown based on public health concerns even without a clear threat of disease." ([07:35])

Passing of Civil Rights Pioneer Charles Person

The episode also paid tribute to Charles Person, the youngest member of the original Freedom Riders, who passed away at 82 ([08:29]). Person, who as a teenager in 1961 participated in desegregation efforts by boarding interstate buses with other activists, faced severe violence and hostility, particularly from Ku Klux Klan members. In his own words:

"There are times when you doubt where is humanity? But I've learned that there are a lot of good people in this world..." ([09:38])

Person's courage and resilience were highlighted through his recounting of the Freedom Riders' ordeals and the significant impact of their actions, which eventually led to President Kennedy's administration mandating the desegregation of interstate bus terminals.

Looking Ahead

The episode concluded by teasing the next day’s focus on the rise of the MAGA movement in Silicon Valley, promising further insights into the evolving political landscape.

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Notable Quotes:

• Unnamed Official [00:37]: "With the impending winds, we got to pay really, really close attention to this."
• Rick Caruso [02:43]: "They hauled in their own water and tried to save neighboring houses as they protected the shopping center."
• Jake Sullivan [05:06]: "We are very, very close, and yet being very close still means we're far..."
• Charles Person [09:38]: "There are times when you doubt where is humanity? But I've learned that there are a lot of good people in this world..."

This comprehensive overview captures the key discussions and insights from "The Headlines" podcast episode, providing a clear and detailed account for listeners and readers alike.

Transcript

[Charles Schwab]

This podcast is supported by Charles Schwab. Decisions made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day, but what policy changes should investors be watching? Washington Wise is an original podcast from Charles Schwab that unpacks the stories making news in Washington right now and how they may affect your finances and portfolio. [e-mail] WashingtonWise.

[Tracy Mumford]

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Monday, January 13th. Here's what we're covering.

[Unnamed Official]

With the impending winds, we got to pay really, really close attention to this. This wind event is approaching us, and it's approaching us very, very quickly.

[Tracy Mumford]

Officials in California are sounding the alarm.

[Unnamed Official]

That a new surge in wind could fuel two massive fires that are continuing.

[Tracy Mumford]

To burn in Los Angeles starting later today. We winds are expected to pick up.

[Unnamed Official]

And stay strong through Wednesday with gusts up to 60 miles per hour.

It's not over, so we need everybody to stay safe. And I tell you from the first responders that are here, we're going to keep fighting this fight.

[Tracy Mumford]

We're going to get over the weekend.

[Unnamed Official]

A slight break in the winds had.

[Tracy Mumford]

Allowed firefighters to start getting control of the blazes.

[Unnamed Official]

The Palisades fire along the coast is now 13% contained.

[Tracy Mumford]

The Eaton fire near Pasadena is about a quarter contained. Officials say that at least 24 people.

[Unnamed Official]

Have died in the fires. And with more reported missing, they say.

[Tracy Mumford]

They expect the death toll to rise. More than 150,000 people have been evacuated in recent days. Many of them haven't been able to return home yet. Authorities have been going house by house through the areas that have burned, taking stock of whether houses have been damaged or destroyed. And they've set up a website.

[Unnamed Official]

People can type in their address and.

[Tracy Mumford]

Find out if their home survived.

[Tim Arango]

Meanwhile, driving around Pacific Palisades right now, you'll see white pickup trucks that indicate that they are working for private firefighting crews.

[Tracy Mumford]

My colleague Tim Arango is based in Los Angeles. He's been reporting on what's become a coveted and controversial resource, private firefighters, which.

[Unnamed Official]

Can cost as much as $10,000 a.

[Tim Arango]

Day on a street called Monument street, which runs down close to the central business district. On one side of the street is house after house and lot after lot of destroyed homes. On the other side is an upscale outdoor shopping mall that survived largely intact. And I spoke to Rick Caruso, who owns that outdoor shopping mall, and he said he had brought in a team of firefighters from Arizona that he had used before to assist in the effort.

[Tracy Mumford]

The owner of the mall told Tim.

[Unnamed Official]

That his crews hauled in their own.

[Tracy Mumford]

Water, he said they also tried to.

[Unnamed Official]

Save neighboring houses as they protected the shopping center.

[Tracy Mumford]

Demand for private firefighters has been growing.

[Unnamed Official]

In recent years as the risk of devastating fires has increased.

[Tracy Mumford]

But that's come with some public backlash, not just about how they highlight inequalities in the city, who can afford them.

[Unnamed Official]

And who can't, but also concerns that they can potentially interfere with the official response during a fire and use up water by tapping into public hydrants. A new Times analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a potentially dangerous drop off in childhood vaccination rates.

[Tracy Mumford]

In the past four years, the percentage.

[Unnamed Official]

Of American kindergartners who have complete records.

[Tracy Mumford]

Of vaccines against measles, polio, whooping cough and chickenpox has gone down. Experts say some families are simply missing their records. But a wide variety of religious, philosophical and medical reasons have also been driving down vaccination rates. While the overall vaccination rate in the US Is still high, there are a.

[Unnamed Official]

Growing number of vulnerable pockets across the.

[Tracy Mumford]

Country where rates have dropped so low.

[Unnamed Official]

That any new outbreaks of the diseases.

[Tracy Mumford]

Could become significantly harder to contain. In Idaho, for example, less than 80% of kids are vaccinated against measles, far below the national average of about 93%. The data also shows a deep partisan divide in the country.

[Unnamed Official]

The decline in vaccination rates has been.

[Tracy Mumford]

Sharpest in states that Donald Trump won in November. Republicans are now far more likely than Democrats to consider vaccines dangerous. Vaccination rates could continue to plunge as the Trump administration takes office. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The president's pick to run the Department.

[Unnamed Official]

Of Health and Human Services, has spent.

[Tracy Mumford]

Years falsely claiming that vaccines cause autism, along with other misinformation.

[Unnamed Official]

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says US.

[Tracy Mumford]

Officials are putting together the final details of a ceasefire proposal in Gaza for.

[Unnamed Official]

Both Israel and Hamas to consider.

[Jake Sullivan]

We are very, very close, and yet being very close still means we're far, because until you actually get across the finish line, we're not there.

[Tracy Mumford]

For the Biden administration, the pressure is on to help broker the release of at least some of the remaining hostages.

[Unnamed Official]

Before Biden leaves office.

[Tracy Mumford]

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone last night about the negotiations, which are underway in Qatar. Representatives of Trump's incoming administration are also in the mix.

[Unnamed Official]

His intended Middle east envoy, Steve Witkoff.

[Tracy Mumford]

Met with Netanyahu on Saturday. Trump has said, quote, all hell will break out if Hamas doesn't release the hostages by his inauguration a week from today, the Times has learned that while.

[Unnamed Official]

Some progress has been made in the.

[Tracy Mumford]

Ceasefire talks, key disagreements remain, including if.

[Unnamed Official]

Israel is willing to fully end the war. Still, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS yesterday that he feels confident the.

[Tracy Mumford]

Administration has laid the groundwork for a deal.

[Unnamed Analyst]

When that agreement is reached, it will be on the basis of what President Biden put forward, who will get the credit. You know, ultimately it doesn't matter. What really matters is whether the United States can bring real change, real change to people's lives.

[Unnamed Official]

Foreign.

[Tracy Mumford]

President Biden made a sweeping move on immigration, one of his last big policy efforts before Trump is sworn in.

[Unnamed Official]

He extended temporary protected status for hundreds.

[Tracy Mumford]

Of thousands of people from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan. The designation is intended for people whose.

[Unnamed Official]

Countries are too unsafe or in too.

[Tracy Mumford]

Much upheaval to return to.

[Unnamed Official]

It protects them from being deported. They'll be allowed to remain in the country with work permits for another 18 months. Trump has vowed to end the TPS.

[Tracy Mumford]

Program, at least for certain countries.

[Unnamed Official]

But Biden's extension makes it legally difficult.

[Tracy Mumford]

For him to do that, at least until 2026. The Trump administration is actively considering other immigration restrictions, though.

[Unnamed Official]

In the early days of the pandemic.

[Tracy Mumford]

Trump invoked a public health policy known.

[Unnamed Official]

As Title 42 to restrict migration at.

[Tracy Mumford]

The U. S. Mexic border, something Biden temporarily kept in place.

[Unnamed Official]

Now Trump wants to seal the border again.

[Tracy Mumford]

And his advisors have been searching for.

[Unnamed Official]

A new health concern to build their case.

[Tracy Mumford]

They've looked at whether tuberculosis or other respiratory diseases could justify the crackdown. They've also considered arguing that migrants could carry unfamiliar diseases, a claim that echoes.

[Unnamed Official]

A long held racist idea that minorities transmit infections. For years, Trump's top immigration advisor, Stephen.

[Tracy Mumford]

Miller, has been on a quest to.

[Unnamed Official]

Find diseases to justify implementing Title 42.

[Tracy Mumford]

Even before the pandemic 2019, he pushed for the border to be closed after an outbreak of mumps. An immigration crackdown based on public health concerns even without a clear threat of disease is just one of many executive orders Trump is expected to sign next Monday, his first day in office. And finally, Charles Person, the youngest member.

[Unnamed Official]

Of the original Freedom Riders, has died at 82. Person was a teenager in 1961 when.

[Tracy Mumford]

He and 12 others, including Future Congressman.

[Unnamed Official]

John Lewis, boarded Greyhound buses in Washington.

[Tracy Mumford]

D.C. bound for Birmingham, Alabama.

[Unnamed Official]

They were trying to integrate interstate bus.

[Tracy Mumford]

Terminals throughout the South.

[Charles Person]

My grandfather saw me, you know, complaining and moaning and groaning about not being accepted and being able to go where I wanted to go. And he just says to me, you know, you're going to sit there and complain? Or are you going to do something about it? I guess I did something about it.

[Tracy Mumford]

Person told his story in a podcast interview in 2021.

[Unnamed Official]

Along his trip, he said he used the restrooms and lunch counters designated for.

[Tracy Mumford]

White customers drawing stairs.

[Unnamed Official]

By the time they reached Atlanta, Ku.

[Tracy Mumford]

Klux Klan members boarded the bus. Person was beaten for not sitting in the back.

[Unnamed Official]

And when the bus pulled into Birmingham.

[Tracy Mumford]

More violence broke out, engulfing the whole station.

[Unnamed Official]

But the ride inspired others. More than 400 riders took similar trips, facing beatings and arrests, until President Kennedy's administration ordered the desegregation of all interstate bus terminals.

[Charles Person]

There are times when you doubt where is humanity? But I've learned that there are a lot of good people in this world, and you can't be dissuaded by those who want to do harm or who want to deter you from doing normal things like normal people.

[Unnamed Official]

Those are the headlines today on the.

[Tracy Mumford]

Daily the rise of the MAGA movement in Silicon Valley.

[Unnamed Official]

That's next in the New York Times.

[Tracy Mumford]

Audio app, where you can listen wherever.

[Unnamed Official]

You get your podcasts. I'm Traci Mumford.

[Tracy Mumford]

We'll be back tomorrow.