Outrage as LA's elite hire $2K an hour private firefighters to drop pink flame retardant to save homes

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As catastrophic wildfires sweep through Los Angeles, wealthy residents are facing intense backlash for hiring private firefighters for $2,000 an hour to drop pink fire retardant in an effort to protect their multimillion-dollar homes.

Real estate investor Keith Wasserman sparked outrage, along with billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, for using private firefighters to protect their land.

Meanwhile, the fires continue to rage, worsened by strong winds, as crews work tirelessly to contain the flames and prevent further destruction.

Which LA millionaires hired private firefighters to save their homes?

As three major fires rage through Los Angeles, causing widespread destruction and leaving at least 16 dead while displacing hundreds of thousands, the ultra-wealthy are facing backlash for hiring private firefighters to protect their multimillion-dollar homes. These firefighters use bright pink flame retardant, a move that has angered many residents, as per the Daily Mail.

The online fury was sparked by Keith Wasserman, co-founder of real estate firm Gelt Venture Partners, who sought "private firefighters" to safeguard his property in the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood. In a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Wasserman asked, “Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades?”

He continued, “Need to act fast here. All neighbours houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.”

Wasserman's post drew heavy criticism, which he dismissed as coming from "trolls." 

Billionaire developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso also faced scrutiny after hiring private firefighting crews to protect his properties in the Palisades Village, as per The US Sun.

According to reports, Caruso, who owns a mansion in the area as well as a luxury mall, confirmed that his private team was deployed to protect his retail space, despite the ongoing water shortage.

Company Covered 6, which provides fire protection services and safety training to Hollywood's elite, revealed that it has been flooded with requests for help.

"My phone has been ringing off the hook. Demand has never been higher," owner Chris Dunn told the Mail on Sunday.

One source explained, "This week’s events have shown you can’t trust the city to protect your property."

However, some argue that if the city can’t be trusted to safeguard residents, celebrities are justified in seeking private assistance.

The source added, "I have the money, so why not?"

Other celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Sylvester Stallone, and comedian Kevin Hart, were fined for excessive water usage to protect their homes, resources that could have been allocated to others in need.

LA millionaires under fire for hiring private firefighters

After learning about millionaires Keith Wasserman and Rick Caruso's efforts to protect their homes, many users expressed outrage on X. One user wrote, "Terrible." 

One dubbed, "Incredible nerve… His family is evacuated and he’s trying to hire private firefighters to risk their lives to save a home he most certainly has insured. Incredibly tone deaf."

Another explained, "This is beyond tone deaf . He hired a private firefighting service ? No kidding he was able to combat the fires. This has to be a joke."

One X user said, "So you’re suggesting that potentially lifesaving resources (even if “private”) should be diverted to save your house because you’re rich while tens of thousands of people try to evacuate?"

One expressed, "This disgusts me so much cause the rich people most definitely have other properties to live in and enough money to rebuild their lives unlike the people whose only homes are burning down along with all their valuables..these resources should be used for them."

An outraged user claimed, "It is right. Diverting resources and caring for your property is a selfish response only available to the wealthy. He talks about failures and consequences of the city’s response while he himself is unaffected by it. He cares about himself and not Angelenos."

Someone else shared, "A mega millionaire attempting to divert emergency services to his personal property during a public catastrophe is monstrous and despicable

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