REVEALED: LA Fire Dept worked to 'protect Mayor Bass' from PR crisis after Palisades fire

A confidential memo that has been uncovered related to the Palisades fires in California reveals that the Los Angeles Fire Department tried to protect LA Mayor Karen Bass' reputation after the disaster struck last year.

The memo indicates that the fire department, although its official duties are to protect the people of LA from fires, was also trying to protect Bass from a PR standpoint, according to ABC 7. "It's our goal to prepare and protect Mayor Bass, the City, and the LAFD from reputational harm associated with the upcoming public release of its AARR (after-action report) through a comprehensive strategy that includes risk assessment, proactive and reactive communications, and crisis response," the memo read.

The memo, which was obtained through a public records request, showed the "strategic response plan" in working with PR consultants in order to mitigate concerns related to the fire as well as protect the credibility of the mayor and the fire department.

Details in the memo then show how the LAFD wanted to stage preparation meetings with the LAFD Fire Commission to "minimize tough Q and A" at pressers as well as to "secure alliance ahead of the City Council public meeting."

Bass’ office said in a statement in response to the reporting, “It's important to note that the Fire Department hired this consultant, not the Mayor's Office, and consultants write all sorts of memos promising to save the world. LAFD incorporated this consultant into its team, so of course and appropriately the Mayor's Office engaged with that team.”

“Mayor Bass removed the previous fire chief over the chief's refusal to do an after-action report and for failure to pre-deploy. The notion that the Mayor then took a U-turn and 'watered down' a report that justified her removal of the chief and her public criticisms of pre-deployment failures is just bonkers,” the office added.