Thu Jan 09 14:44:46 UTC 2025: ## LA Millionaire CEO Faces Backlash for Requesting ‘Private Firefighters’ Amid Wildfire
**Los Angeles, CA** – Keith Wasserman, co-founder of Gelt Venture Partners, a real estate investment firm, is facing intense criticism after pleading for “private firefighters” to protect his Pacific Palisades mansion during a devastating wildfire that has ravaged the area. His plea, posted on X (formerly Twitter), garnered over a million views before being deleted.
Wasserman’s message, which read, “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,” was met with swift and widespread condemnation. Many users criticized his request as tone-deaf and insensitive, given the massive scale of the emergency and the thousands of residents forced to evacuate their homes.
The wildfire, described by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as “the big one,” has claimed at least five lives and forced over 100,000 people to evacuate. Hurricane-force winds have fueled the blaze, which has consumed homes in some of Los Angeles’s most exclusive neighborhoods, including those of several celebrities. The fire is so extensive it is visible from space.
Social media users expressed outrage at Wasserman’s apparent prioritization of his own property over the broader crisis. One user commented, “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.” Another criticized his actions as a display of “what you have become as a human being.”
The incident highlights the stark inequalities faced during natural disasters, prompting further discussion on resource allocation and access during emergencies. While Wasserman’s post has been removed, the backlash continues online, serving as a potent symbol of the social tensions exacerbated by the ongoing crisis.
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