The fires in Southern California have caused tremendous devastation in the greater Los Angeles area. As of this report, they have taken the lives of 24 people, burned 40,000 acres and destroyed nearly 12,300 structures. Our hearts go out those living in the L.A. area, who have lost their belongings, businesses and lives. As members of the Esthetics' Council, we reached out to founder Susanne Schmaling to find out what resources and information were available not only to our spa community in the L.A. area, but to all those living there. Provided here is a summary of the information she sent us.
Stay On Top of Updates
For those in the L.A. area, we know that the situation is changing every hour. Use the below resources to stay on top of updates.
Emergency Alerts: https://www.caloes.ca.gov
https://emergency.lacity.gov/aler ts/notifyla
CAL FIRE Incidents: Use the https://www.fire.ca.gov
Air Quality: SouthCoast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
Evacuation Routes and Shelters: https://lacounty.gov/emergency
Emergency Shelters Through American Red Cross Los Angeles Region
Evaculation Assistance: Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management: 211 or visit 211LA; Use apps like Zello to communicate if cell networks fail
Protect Your L.A. Spa Business
In uncertain times, it is important to do all that you can to secure your business in the event that it is impacted. Schmaling made the following recommendations.
- Turn off utilities such as gas and electricity to prevent additional hazards.
- Store licenses, insurance papers and digital backups of client records in a fireproof safe or cloud storage.
- Use group texts, email campaigns, or apps like Mailchimp to inform clients about appointment cancellations or delays. Post updates on your social media channels, such as Instagram and Facebook, and on your business website. Update your Google My Business profile to reflect closures.
- Ensure all employees are safe and accounted for. Set up a group chat on platforms like WhatsApp or Slack for real-time communication if you have access to the internet.
- You may want to apply for FEMA aid and/or call your insurance at this time. Due to the uncertainty of the situation be sure you DO NOT sign any insurance documents until the situation is stable and you get advice. The CA Dept of Insurance can guide you before you settle. https://www.insurance.ca.gov
- Continue with your business documentation as usual. If all of your business records have been destroyed, try to re-create what you can in a ledger-your credit card and bank accounts can help.
L.A. County Economic Development: Offers up-to-date resources for businesses during disasters. Visit Emergency Management LA or call (213) 484-4800.
Mayor’s Office of Economic Development: Provides assistance to small businesses affected by wildfires, including financial resources. Contact: https://laedc.org/2025- wildfire-assistance or (213) 622-4300
Small Business Assistance: The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Los Angeles provides guidance for disaster recovery: SBDC LA | Phone: (866) 588-7232
Access emergency grants or loans through the City of Los Angeles’ BusinessSource Centers: BusinessSource Centers.
Documentation to Compile
- Get all of your personal information ready, including: social security numbers for your whole household, business EIN, bank account information and personal ID like passports or state issued IDs. You may need to prove citizenship, so having birth certificates ready are helpful.
- Keep all reciepts. Any money you spend for food, lodging, pet supplies or any personal expense should be documented.
- Photographs or Videos: Many forget to take clear, dated images of the damage before starting repairs or cleanup.
- Detailed Inventory: People often overlook creating a list of damaged items, including descriptions, estimated values, and receipts (if available). This includes business inventory.
- Get Your Insurance & Business Policy Information: A full copy of the insurance policy (homeowners, business property, renters, auto, etc.).
- Documentation of any claims filed or insurance payouts received.
Donate To Those Affected
As the rest of the country watches the devastation in communities and businesses in greater L.A., it is important that we do what we can. That includes donating your support and time to those providing aid to the area.
Make sure your donations go to known agencies. The Red Cross, Salvation Army, ASPCA and Fleet of Angels are all well know entities that are raising money. This will be an ongoing need.
You can also donate to industry organizations raising money to support the beauty industry in the area. Those include PBA Disaster Fund, Esthetics Council Aid Support, and other business related organizations will have small business support funds. Make sure they are legit before sending $.
If you are close to the L.A. area, there will be many opportunities to help. If you are outside the area and want to help provide support for estheticians, reach out to the Esthetics Council. We will be offering help navigating the red tape
