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September 20, 2019 Here’s the latest news impacting Los Angeles Firefighters…

Feature

3 Firefighters Hurt Battling Major Fire at Downtown LA Fabric Warehouse Three firefighters were hurt early Monday battling a major fire that engulfed a fabric warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. The fire broke out just after midnight at Payman Fabric, at 1915 E. 7th St., a wholesale fabric firm in a 10,360-square-foot building in the downtown Arts District, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. With flames shooting out of the one-story building, the major emergency fire forced firefighters to stay outside the pre-1933 building and battle it from the street. Part of the roof of collapsed, and there is still concern that part of a wall could also fall. It took nearly three hours for more than 180 firefighters to get control of the blaze, but not before three firefighters required medical care. CBS2

Photo by Gary Apodaca/LAFD

Southern California Remembers 9/11 With Solemn Ceremonies, Volunteer Work On the 18th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, police and fire officials gathered with community members across the Southland Wednesday to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. In Los Angeles, first responders gathered at Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Elysian Park in a plaza that includes a 23-ton section of metal recovered from the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the attack that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. The metal wreckage is the largest remnant of the destroyed World Trade Center outside New York City. CBS2

IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Service 2019 Firefighters from across the United States and Canada will be in Colorado Springs on September 21 for the annual International Association of Firefighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial. At this year's memorial, the IAFF will add 132 fallen firefighters from the United States and Canada to the Wall of Honor. Families from across the nation come to Colorado for the event to honor our brave firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice on the job. The annual ceremony remains an uplifting service for the families, friends and loved ones, celebrating the lives, heroism and accomplishments of our bravest of the brave. IAFF

September is National Suicide Prevention Month During this month, attention is given to the many resources that already exist with a particular focus on the prevention of suicide and the assistance available for bereaved loved ones. Didi Hirsch’s Suicide Prevention Crisis Line provides free, confidential 24-hour telephone counseling and resources to people in distress and their concerned family and friends. To speak to a counselor now, please call the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). UFLAC

Fire Watch

Crews knock down large fire burning at Van Nuys junkyard Firefighters have knocked down a large fire burning at a scrap yard in Van Nuys. The fire sparked around 4 p.m. Friday on the 14600 block of Raymer Street. Several cars and trucks went up in flames. The fire sent a large plume of smoke across the valley. Crews used a ladder pipe to pour water on the smoldering debris and combed through large piles to extinguish hot spots. Nearby structures were protected and no injuries have been reported. Fox11

Two Injured, One Critically in Harvard Park Arson Attack A suspected arsonist is in custody facing felony charges, after an intentionally set fire in the Harvard Park area caused two persons to sustain injury Thursday morning, including a man who remains hospitalized in critical condition. The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 5:09 AM on September 5, 2019, to the 1600 block of West Slauson Boulevard, where they discovered a man and a woman suffering thermal burn injuries. The pair stated they were in a nearby homeless encampment when their tent was purposely set ablaze. LAFD

Photo by Harry Garvin/LAFD

Trash Fire Spreads to Large Storage Building in Downtown Los Angeles Firefighters needed more than an hour and 45 minutes Saturday morning to extinguish a stubborn rubbish fire that spread into a large storage building in downtown Los Angeles. Crews responded to a 30-foot-by-200-foot building in the 300 block of 18th Street, near Maple Avenue, under the Santa Monica (10) Freeway, at 12:41 a.m. and located the fire inside and outside the building, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. MyNewsLA

Neighbors Blame Squatters for Abandoned House Fire in Pacoima Firefighters extinguished a fire inside a vacant, boarded up Pacoima home that has been taken over by squatters according to neighbors. Crews responded to a home in the 13100 block of Eustace Street, near Fellows Avenue, about 2 a.m. Saturday morning and received reports one person may have been trapped inside, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. A search of the home found no one inside, but a partial roof collapse left significant debris inside the home and caused the delay of a second search to ensure no victims were in the house, she said. NBC4

Firefighters Knock Down Flames at a Mid-City Office Building Firefighters knocked down flames at a Mid-City area office building early Thursday, battling heavy smoke and preventing damage to nearby businesses. Crews responded at 2:39 a.m. to the building at 8563 Venice Boulevard, just west of La Cienega Boulevard. They faced heavy smoke inside the building from a fire at the rear of the structure, according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department. A total of 42 firefighters battled the blaze and a knockdown was declared at 3:10 a.m., Prange said. NBC4

Firefighters Knock Down 2-Acre Beverly Crest Brusher Firefighters knocked down a brush fire that erupted in the Beverly Crest area Friday evening, scorching two acres. L.A. City Fire was dispatched to the scene in the 1500 block of N. Beverly Drive around 10 p.m. Fifty-five firefighters battled for 50 minutes to fully extinguish the blaze involving an outbuilding. According to fire officials, all nearby homes were successfully protected. KCAL9

Crews Contain Small Brush Fire Along 118, 5 Freeways in Mission Hills Firefighters have contained a brush fire that broke out along the 118 and 5 freeways in Mission Hills on Sunday afternoon. The Los Angeles Fire Department at around 12:30 p.m. said that its ground and air crews were responding to vegetation burning on the right shoulder and median of the 118. They contained the fire on both spots to 1 acre of brush in about 45 minutes, the Fire Department said. KTLA5

Photo by Shane Salzman

Firefighters Respond to Grass Fire That Destroyed RV Along 210 Freeway in Pacoima Firefighters responded to a grass fire that destroyed a recreational vehicle along the 210 Freeway in Pacoima Saturday. Around 12:30 p.m., crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department and the L.A. County Fire Department doused the 1/2 acre patch of grass on an embankment along the eastbound lanes of the 210 near the 118 interchange. A large supply of hay bails stacked near the edge of the grass was seen engulfed in flames, along with what appeared to be a trailer. KTLA5

First Responder News

Photo by Jacob Salzman

SUV crashes through window at Starbucks in Canoga Park A driver was hospitalized Saturday morning after an SUV crashed into the window of a Starbucks in Canoga Park, authorities said. Los Angeles City firefighters responded to the coffee shop in the 7200 block of Canoga Avenue just past 10:30 a.m. and found the driver outside the vehicle, Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said. Daily News

Natural gas leak prompts evacuations in Lake Balboa neighborhood An underground gas leak on Thursday morning prompted the evacuation of a surrounding neighborhood in Lake Balboa, authorities said. A high-pressure natural gas line was apparently ruptured by utility workers about 10 a.m. in the 17600 block of West Saticoy Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. There were no immediate reports of injuries or fire. Aerial video from AIR7 HD showed a mixture of gas and dust rising from an open trench at the intersection of Saticoy Street and White Oak Avenue. There were a total of 25 homes and businesses and one house of worship that were evacuated during the leak out of an abundance of caution, the LAFD said. ABC7 / LAFD

Person Found Dead Near Griffith Park Possibly Killed by Electrocution A person was found dead after possibly being electrocuted near Griffith Park Wednesday afternoon. One patient was found deceased near Griffith Park Drive and Zoo Drive with the suspected cause being electrocution. The Los Angeles Fire Department and Search and Rescue teams were on the ground attempting to reach the victim. Crews were challenged by steep and uneven terrain and poison oak. CBS2

SUV Crashes into Building In Sherman Oaks Two people were injured when their SUV slammed into the wall of a building Saturday night. Firefighters freed the vehicle’s occupants, who suffered only minor injuries. The incident occurred on the 5400 block of North Sepulveda Blvd. around 8:30 p.m. The LA Department of Building and Safety was called to assess the structural integrity of the unoccupied building. KCAL9

Man Airlifted to Hospital After Flying Off Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest A man was airlifted to a hospital after his car went flying off the side of Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest. The crash happened near Deep Canyon Drive at about 10 p.m. Sunday. A Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter found the crash and lowered a rescuer to the 50-year-old man as ground crews approached from the road, officials said. The man, who was the only person inside the car, was hoisted up to the helicopter and was taken to a trauma center. KCAL9

Crossing Guard, 16-Year-Old Girl Injured After Being Hit by Vehicle in Valley Glen A crossing guard and a student were hospitalized after being struck by a car in Valley Glen on Monday morning, in an incident that is being investigated as an accident, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. About 7:20 a.m., a vehicle was traveling eastbound on Vanowen Street near Sunnyslope Avenue when the car hit the 16-year-old girl and female crossing guard as they were walking across the street, LAPD Sgt. David Delgado said. Both victims were transported to a regional trauma center, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department alert. KTLA5

Natural Gas Pipeline Ruptured At Construction Site In Pacific Palisades The Los Angeles Fire Department was working with SoCal Gas Monday afternoon after a natural gas pipeline was ruptured in Pacific Palisades. Officials reported to the natural gas leak at 17337 W. Tramonto Drive just after 4 p.m. The gas leak was said to have been the result of an approximately three-inch subterranean natural gas pipeline being ruptured at a construction site near an apartment building and school, according to LAFD. LAFD was working to move an unknown number of people from one nearby large apartment building. KCAL9

Sylmar helipad reopens for fire season June to October is the driest time in Southern California making it the height of fire season. City and county officials have revamped a helipad next to Olive View Hospital that will be used for firefighting air crafts and crews. "This helispot was inoperable going back to the 2008 Sayre Fires, so making sure that we had a full suite of available resources was a priority of mine," said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez of L.A. City Council. Councilwoman Rodriguez partnered with Supervisor Kathryn Barger in getting this helipad up and running. However, they hope that the fire department won't have to use it too often if everyone prepares. ABC7

State News

The biggest wildfires currently burning in California California has seen 157,160 acres burn in wildfires this year, according to Cal Fire data, which includes wildfires 10 acres or larger. That’s a fraction of how many acres had burned by this time last year. But fire officials have cautioned residents to remain vigilant and keep an eye on the weather. It’s the time of year when offshore weather patterns typically bring hotter, drier and windier conditions, drying out fuels and increasing the probability of ignition, said Capt. Tony Imbrenda, a spokesman for the L.A. County Fire Department. In other words, there’s still plenty of time for this year’s fires to rival last year’s. LA Times

National News

At 9/11 Memorial, New Recognition for a Longer-Term Toll When the names of nearly 3,000 Sept. 11 victims were read aloud Wednesday at the World Trade Center, a half-dozen stacks of stone quietly saluted an untold number of people who aren't on the list. The granite slabs were installed on the memorial plaza this spring. They recognize an initially unseen toll of the 2001 terrorist attacks: firefighters, police and others who died or fell ill after exposure to toxins unleashed in the wreckage. The unusual addition reflects a memorial that is evolving as the aftermath of 9/11 does. NBC New York 9/11 firefighters at risk for serious cardiovascular issues, new study finds New York City firefighters who rushed to the remnants of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terror attacks are dying from health issues — and that may include serious cardiovascular diseases, according to a study published Friday. The findings, published in the journal JAMA Network Open and conducted by doctors at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "suggest a significant association" between greater exposure at the World Trade Center and a higher risk of long-term cardiovascular disease. The study points out that the cardiovascular care is not currently covered by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, meaning 9/11 firefighters receive no compensation for cardiovascular diseases from the fund. NBC News

Above & Beyond

LAFD Paramedics Feted for Saving Life of 1-Year-Old Choking Victim On September 3, 2019, during a meeting of the Los Angeles Fire Commission, the executive leadership of the Los Angeles Fire Department formally recognized a pair of veteran LAFD Firefighter/Paramedics for saving the life of a 1-year-old boy who was choking on a rubber ball. The incident took place at 6:33 AM on February 2, 2019, when LAFD Paramedic Assessment Engine 15 and Paramedic Rescue Ambulance 47 responded to a 9-1-1 call of a child choking on Ithaca Avenue in the El Sereno neighborhood of northeast Los Angeles. LAFD

Remembering Our Fallen Brothers & Sisters

Fire Inspector II Richard H. Van Daele (Ret.) Deceased: 9/18/2019 Appointed: 2/9/1963 Assignment: Engineering Unit Retired: 9/4/1991 Fireman Robert G. Gabel (Ret.) Deceased: 9/16/2019 Assignment: FS 80 Retired: 9/15/1990 Captain Jack D. Chell (Ret.) Deceased: 9/8/2019 Appointed: 7/11/1949 Assignment: FS 2-B Retired: 1/1/1977

Fireman Eugene E. Tolman (Ret.) Deceased: 8/12/2019 Appointed: 4/14/1974 Assignment: ACCT Retired: 3/21/1984 Captain II John A. Nuttmann (Ret.) Deceased: 8/14/2019 Appointed: 4/18/1959 Assignment: FS 20 Retired: 7/7/1997 Firefighter III Michael DeLaBarcena (Ret.) Deceased:8/11/2019 Appointed: 9/1/1962 Assignment: FS 8-B Retired: 4/30/2010

Engineer William F. Hammel (Ret.) Deceased: 8/8/2019 Appointed: 7/23/1946 Retired: 6/1/1976 Captain II Robert P. Lutz (Ret.) Deceased: 7/29/2019 Appointed: 1/8/1942 Assignment: FS 58 Retired: 4/1/1972 Firefighter II Rex H. Shepherd (Ret.) Deceased: 7/20/2019 Appointed: 9/1/1962 Assignment: FS 95-B Retired: 11/1/1976

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2018 LAFD Year In Review Photo Book  On behalf of the more than 3,400 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers, Pilots, and Inspectors of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City IAFF Local 112 (UFLAC), we are proud to present the 2018 Los Angeles Fire Department Year in Review photo book. UFLAC’s mission is to lead the way to protect and advocate for the health, safety, working conditions, wages and benefits of our members and their families. This publication helps to tell the story of our dedicated members who protect lives and property in Los Angeles 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In 2018, our Firefighters and Paramedics responded to more than 453,000 emergency calls for service throughout the City of Los Angeles - an average of 1,200 emergency calls per day. As an all-risk fire and rescue agency serving more than four million people, we are ready to answer any call that may come our way. UFLAC is honored to help showcase the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the men and women of the LAFD. Click HERE to view this publication.

About UFLAC:  Since 1918, UFLAC has been the labor organization of the proud men and women that serve as firefighters and emergency medical responders protecting the City of Los Angeles. The members of the Los Angeles Fire Department rely on UFLAC to focus on the wellbeing and safety of those that protect the lives of others. For more information, visit  www.uflac.org .

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