HISTORIC FIRST: Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley is the first female and openly gay fire chief to ever lead the department. cbsn.ws/3NtDNXW | CBS Evening News

Ousted fire chief Kristin Crowley gave a brief thank you Tuesday to LAFD firefighters who showed up to cheer her on as she headed into a Los Angeles City Council meeting to appeal her removal by Mayor Karen Bass. Local 112 Vice President Chuong Ho and other local union leaders have been vocal in their belief that Crowley’s firing was politically motivated by Bass after the former chief spoke out about issues of underfunding and understaffing within LAFD during January’s devastating wildfire outb

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley says she has what she needs in “the here and now” after she made comments about the city letting the fire department down, which led to reports that the chief had been fired. Speculation over tension between Bass and Crowley began after it was revealed the Chief had issued a warning about $17 million in recent budget cuts, potentially hurting LAFD's ability to respond to emergencies. Both Mayor Karen Bass’s office and the LAFD have dismissed the idea of Cro