As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, a wealthy real estate executive is facing backlash for attempting to secure private firefighters to protect his Pacific Palisades mansion, New York Post reports.
Keith Wasserman, co-founder of Gelt Venture Partners, posted on social media platform X on Tuesday, sparking outrage with his request: “Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? Need to act fast here. All neighbours’ houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.”
The post, viewed over 900,000 times before being deleted, was widely criticised as tone-deaf, with many accusing Wasserman of prioritising his wealth over the collective crisis.
“Incredible nerve,” wrote one user, Sam Vance. “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 critic slammed his sense of entitlement, asking, “So you’re suggesting that potentially life-saving resources should be diverted to save your house because you’re rich while tens of thousands of people try to evacuate?”
Despite the criticism, Wasserman initially responded dismissively, calling his detractors “trolls!” and joking, “Mama, I’m going viral!” He later deleted his X account entirely.
Firefighters battle unprecedented challenges
The Los Angeles wildfires have already claimed at least ten lives, forced 30,000 residents to evacuate, and destroyed over 10,000 structures. Fire officials reported that water supplies in Pacific Palisades had been stretched to the limit, with hydrants running dry amid escalating demands.
Janisse Quiñones, chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, described the strain on the system: “We had a tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades. We pushed the system to the extreme.”
Experts predict these wildfires could become the costliest in US history. According to JPMorgan analyst Jimmy Bhullar, economic losses could reach $50 billion, with insured losses estimated at over $20 billion. The final figure may rise further if the fires remain uncontrolled.
This isn’t the first time private firefighting services for the wealthy have drawn attention. Since 2019, some Californians have turned to “on-call” private firefighting companies, a controversial trend in a state grappling with increasing fire intensity.
