Hawthorne's three LA County fire stations have treated 2,740 patients through a specialized mobile medical unit since 2023 and are part of a pilot program that puts blood transfusions in paramedics' hands before patients reach the hospital, Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told the Hawthorne City Council on Tuesday, July 14.

Marrone's briefing covered staffing, the mobile medical program, a pre-hospital blood transfusion pilot, and facility concerns at one station. It was the council's last meeting before its summer recess.

Blood transfusions before the hospital

Marrone told the council that paramedics can now administer blood transfusions in the field. That capability arrived in Hawthorne through the LA-DROP pilot program, which launched Tuesday, April 1, 2025, covering Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale, and the unincorporated communities of Del Aire and El Camino Village.

The LA County Quality and Productivity Commission awarded LACoFD a $380,000 grant in December 2024 to fund the two-year pilot. Partners include the City of Compton Fire Department, the LA County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and San Diego Blood Bank.

The program has already shown results. In a February 2026 Spectrum News report on early outcomes, LACoFD Chief Medical Officer Dr. Clayton Kazan said: "In the hospital, we're talking about saving one or two minutes. With paramedics, we're talking about 20 to 25 minutes earlier."

By February 2026, paramedics had delivered 43 blood transfusions across 11 South Bay and South Gate-area stations, each costing roughly $900. The current total was not disclosed at the July meeting.

Mobile medical unit: 2,740 patients

Marrone highlighted the Advanced Provider Response Unit, which pairs a nurse practitioner or physician assistant with a firefighter paramedic. The team assesses patients on scene, performs interventions, and can redirect people to appropriate care without an ambulance ride or emergency room visit.

The chief said the unit has treated 2,740 patients in Hawthorne since 2023, though the department did not specify whether that date marks a local deployment or a program expansion. The APRU concept launched countywide in late 2019.

Three stations, 12 on duty daily

The department operates three stations in Hawthorne with 12 personnel on duty each day across three shifts. The majority of calls are medical emergencies, Marrone said, according to Herald Publications' account of the meeting.

Hawthorne contracts with LA County Fire on a fee-for-service basis, paying an annual fee based on staffing costs. The city falls under the department's Division 1, which also covers Hermosa Beach, Gardena, Lawndale, and the Palos Verdes-area cities.

Station 162 needs work

Marrone acknowledged that one of Hawthorne's three stations, Station 162 at 12151 Crenshaw Blvd., needs "real improvement." He said the department is working with City Manager Von Norris to address the issues. The specific deficiencies were not detailed at the meeting.

The Hawthorne City Council does not meet again until Wednesday, September 9. Residents can reach Station 162 at (310) 970-7973 or contact LACoFD at fire.lacounty.gov.