Safe Youth Zone Initiative
Program Information
The County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) is a proud partner in the Countywide Safe Youth Zone (SYZ) initiative. This initiative provides a temporary haven for any youth facing a potentially threatening situation and needs a place to go, particularly those in danger from human trafficking and abuse. Oftentimes these youth have no place to go for help and end up going back to unsafe spaces, exploiters, traffickers, or other situations where they may be subjected to more abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation.
Originally launched in November 1997 as the Safe House Program that focused on children under threat of violence, the initiative was expanded and rebranded in November 2016 as the Safe Youth Zone Program to include commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) and created a countywide network of safe spaces for at-risk youth and victims of child sex trafficking to seek refuge. Through the SYZ program’s first responder protocol (FRP) for law enforcement, the LACoFD and other public organizations can immediately engage other partner agencies to secure services and resources for any youth, so they can be placed in a healthier, secure environment than the previous area they have fled.
The LACoFD pledges and commits its support by designating all 175 fire stations as SYZs that allows youth an opportunity to find a safe place to connect with services that empower them to escape violence, human and sex trafficking, and other vulnerable situations impacting their life and safety on the streets.
The LACoFD promotes the program by placing visible, yellow placards in visible locations at fire stations. Should a minor come into a fire station (SYZ) in need of emergency services, fire station personnel render aid, summon paramedics if needed, and make the necessary notification to the County of Los Angeles (County) Department of Children and Family Services in accordance with the SYZ protocol outlined by the County of Department Health Services.
For additional information about the SYZ program please click here. If you are aware of youth in a crisis, please call the County’s Child Protection Hotline at (800) 540-4000.