How One Gym Chain Is Helping Out Community Amid L.A. Wildfires
As wildfires continue to rip through Los Angeles County, one popular gym chain is looking to lend a helping hand to all those affected.
In a statement shared with Men's Journal, Planet Fitness announced that all locations in Los Angeles County are immediately opening their doors to anyone impacted by the growing fires, from first responders to affected residents. Access is available regardless of membership status with the gym.
This move will provide some much-needed services in a time of need for local residents and first responders, including free access to showers, Wi-Fi, and electrical outlets to charge their devices. They'll also have free access to locker rooms to store items as well as HydroMassage loungers. First responders, the chain said, will receive "a place to help them feel supported and cared for between shifts."
So far, at least two people have lost their lives in the wildfires, which have been fanned out of control by a powerful Santa Ana winds event. More than 1,000 of buildings have been destroyed and nearly 70,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes, according to Reuters.
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The biggest fire has burned up more than 5,000 acres in the neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, which lies on the coast near the towns of Santa Monica and Malibu. Overnight, fires began breaking out in the areas of Eaton Canyon, threatening nearby Pasadena and Altadena, as well as the area around Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley.
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If you're in the Los Angeles region, check to see if you're under an evacuation warning and heed all safety orders by local officials.