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October 30, 2020
Here’s the latest news impacting Los Angeles Firefighters…

Feature
Photo by Mindy Schauer
OCFA chief: 2 firefighters injured in Silverado fire are ‘fighting for their lives’
Two firefighters critically burned on Monday while battling the Silverado fire are “fighting for their lives,” Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said Tuesday, Oct 27. The two men, ages 26 and 31, were part of a hand crew working near where the fire started, the chief said. They both had second and third-degree burns. Though authorities would not release any details as to what led to the two being critically injured, the chief said an accident review team from the state was requested to investigate the incident, which he referred to as a “burnover.” A burnover is when flames overtake firefighters or their equipment, and there is no opportunity for an escape to safety.

Please consider donating to our brothers and sisters from Orange County Firefighters, Local 3631, who are raising money in support of 2 firefighters critically injured while protecting our community battling the Silverado Fire.

All proceeds donated through this GoFundMe page will go directly to the Fallen Fire Fighter Relief Fund to cover additional costs related to burn care and family support during this difficult time. Please understand that the families have asked us to not release their names as of yet.


‘Remarkable Milestone’: LA Teams Up With USC For Rapid COVID-19 Test Pilot Program
The city of Los Angeles has teamed up with the county and the University of Southern California on a pilot program for a rapid coronavirus test. “Today, boiled down, is about making sure that we can test people more quickly in a way that will allow us to be able to develop protocols to hopefully put even more people back to work, back into schools and to keep our recovery path moving forward,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday. About 750 Los Angeles firefighters will be among the first in the nation to try the rapid test. “The speed would be nice,” Nick Prange, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson, said. “I know so many family members that waited five to seven days, and by that time the information doesn’t matter too much after a week.”

Firefighters battle 3 small fires in Sepulveda Basin as region sees more hot temps
Firefighters gained control over a small brush fire that ignited Friday afternoon in the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley as the region saw another day of hot temperatures. The blaze, dubbed the Burbank Fire, was reported around 1:16 p.m. in the 15700 block of Burbank Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Responding crews encountered three burned areas on either side of Burbank Boulevard that scorched a total of seven acres before over 100 firefighters contained the flames around 2:40 p.m.

3 hospitalized after multi-vehicle crash in Mission Hills
Three people were hospitalized after a two-car collision in Mission Hills Friday night, officials said.
A total of five people were involved in the crash just before 10 p.m., on the northbound 5 Freeway, just south of the 118 Freeway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. At least a dozen firefighters were at the scene, working to get all the involved people out of their cars safely. One person had to be extricated from a vehicle and was transported to the hospital in critical condition. “The extrication was an extended operation due to the severity of damage to the vehicle,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Two additional people were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The remaining two people declined hospital transport, the department said.

Fire Watch
Firefighters Battle 8 Acre Brush Fire in Chatsworth
Firefighters have stopped the spread of the Oakwood Fire burning in Chatsworth at about eight acres, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department's Margaret Stewart. No structures are threatened and no injuries have been reported.

Fire Destroys Vacant Building in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in the Arlington Heights area. Firefighters arrived to find a one story vacant bungalow well involved with fire. Firefighters made a quick attack on the fire keeping the fire to the building of origin. Firefighters had the fire knocked down in 25 minutes. At this time no injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.

Photo by Raphael Richardson
Fire destroys structure behind San Pedro home
Fire destroyed a structure behind a single-family home in San Pedro Monday night and burned for 31 minutes before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. Crews responded to the 2200 block of South Gaffey Street near West 22nd Street at 9:25 p.m. and found the structure fully involved with fire, according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department. A total of 30 firefighters kept the flames from spreading to nearby homes, and a knockdown was called at 9:56 p.m., Prange said. Initial reports that someone may have been inside the burning structure turned out to be false, as all persons were accounted for, and no one was found during a search of the structure by firefighters, Prange said.

LAFD Battles Structure Fire in Tujunga
The LAFD responded to reports of a structure fire at 6461 Valmont Street. Firefighters arrived to a one-story home “well involved” in flames. Crews went into defensive mode and began to attack the flames from the outside. The flames quickly reached the attic and caused a partial roof collapse. The fire also created several holes in the floor of the raised foundation creating a hazard to firefighters. The cause of the fire is unknown. All occupants made it out safely and no injuries were reported.

LAFD Extinguishes Homeless Trash Fire in South Los Angeles
A large pile of trash near a homeless encampment was on fire when firefighters from the LAFD arrived on scene on October 18, 2020. Fire crews handled quickly work to extinguish the flames and checked for extensions to a nearby building that the fire was up against.

LAFD Engine 66 Crew Handles Car Fire in Hyde Park
On October 27, 2020, firefighters from LAFD Engine 66 promptly responded to the scene of a car fire in Hyde Park (South Central, Los Angeles). Fire crews quickly deployed and extinguished the flames within minutes of their arrival.

60-year-old woman dies after fire breaks out in Hollywood assisted living facility
A 60-year-old woman died after a fire broke out inside an assisted living facility in Hollywood Wednesday night. The fire started just before 10:45 p.m. in the facility located on North Las Palmas Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Firefighters located the fire in one unit. After the flames were extinguished, firefighters rescued the woman during a search of the apartment. The woman was treated at the scene then taken to a hospital, where she later died, officials said.

Image courtesy of Google Street View
Trash fire spreads to cafe in Van Nuys Civic Center area
A trash fire in the Van Nuys Civic Center area spread into a two-story commercial building early Thursday morning and burned for about 40 minutes before being extinguished. Firefighters responded to 14449 Friar St., near Van Nuys Boulevard, just after 3 a.m. and quickly extinguished the trash fire while other crews went inside the building, where they found fire burning on both floors, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The flames were extinguished inside the building, and a knockdown was called at 3:43 a.m., she said. The address corresponds with Pao’s Pastries & Cafe. The Art Deco-style building also houses a burger restaurant, a Mexican restaurant and a number of offices.

First Responder News
Police open fire after witnessing shooting near USC: LAPD
Los Angeles police said they opened fire after seeing gunfire between people inside a gray sedan and at least one person on a sidewalk while the officers were on patrol near the University of Southern California late Saturday. LAPD said no officers were injured but did not confirm whether they struck anyone. An L.A. Fire Department ambulance was seen responding to the incident. The series of events happened around 11:35 p.m. as officers in a patrol vehicle traveling north on Budlong Avenue near Jefferson Boulevard happened to witness the occupants of a gray sedan exchanging shots with at least one person on a sidewalk, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Photo courtesy of Brandon Buckley
Tree Topples Wires, Sparking Sun Valley Blaze
A falling tree toppled high voltage electric lines in the 7800 block of North San Fernando Road on October 16, 2020, starting a non-injury roof fire at a nearby storage facility that was quickly extinguished by Los Angeles City Fire Department responders.

Passenger Trapped After Driver Crashes into House in Leimert Park
One person was taken to the hospital after a car crashed into a house Friday night. The driver was not injured, however, the passenger was injured and was trapped in the vehicle. Arriving firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department quickly extricated the passenger and transported to the hospital in unknown condition. LAPD is investigating the crash and LA Building and Safety is responded to the scene.

Two LAPD Officers Hospitalized After Two-Car Crash in South LA
Two Los Angeles Police Department officers were hospitalized following a two-vehicle crash Wednesday night in a South Los Angeles neighborhood. The crash occurred in the 1000 block of East Vernon Avenue, near Central Avenue, about 10:20 p.m. Firefighters worked to free a trapped officer and a second officer was out of the vehicle and being assessed for injuries, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Both officers and one person in the second vehicle were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Stewart said.

Car Slams Into Street Vendor, Trapping One
Firefighters arrived to find a solo vehicle that had jump a curve and drove through a street vendor and struck a woman trapping her between the vehicle. Firefighters used a large chain attached to the vehicle and a fire engine to pull the vehicle away to free the woman. The victim was transported by LAFD Paramedics to a local hospital in critical condition.

Photo by Khallid Shabazz
Body Found in Hollywood Hills
A person was found dead Thursday along the Cahuenga Pass in the Hollywood Hills.
The body, located in the 6700 block of West Mulholland Drive, was reported at 9:43 a.m., according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Paramedics "arrived quickly'' to the scene and pronounced the person deceased, he said. Firefighters alerted the Los Angeles Police Department of the death, and officers from the Hollywood Station were headed to the scene at 10:10 a.m., according to Officer Melissa Podany of the LAPD's Media Relations bureau.

LAPD officer, 1-year-old among 5 injured in Exposition Park car crash
An LAPD officer and 1-year-old child were injured during a traffic collision, which also left three others injured in Exposition Park Friday night. The crash was reported around 9:45 p.m. and reportedly occurred at the end of a police chase near Normandie Avenue and West 37th Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. A firefighter on scene was seen picking up the small child from a stretcher and boarding an ambulance. The boy, a 40-old man and a 17-year-old girl were taken to the hospital but details on their injuries were not released. The officer and a fifth patient declined to be taken to the hospital, according to LAFD.

LAFD Firefighters Rescue Man From Rollover in Granada Hills
A man was extricated after his Dodge pickup truck lost control and flipped over Wednesday morning. LAFD Firefighters responded to the 11100 Blk of Gaynor Avenue in Granada Hills just after 1 AM to a solo vehicle rollover. Authorities arrived to locate a single male occupant trapped inside the truck, unable to get out. Firefighters used a myriad of heavy equipment tools to cut their way to the man. After several minutes, the windshield was cut back and the patient was freed. The man was transported to a nearby hospital with serious cuts sustained to the head and face. The pickup he was driving had struck two parked cars, which had enough force to push his truck on top of a red car.

One Dies After Falling Off Cliff in San Pedro
Crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department, including the Urban Search & Rescue Team, responded to reports of a person over the side of a cliff in San Pedro at Point Fermin on October 16, 2020. Sadly, arriving firefighters found a male, approximately 40-years-old, unconscious and not breathing at the base of the cliff. The individual was pronounced DOA, and fire crews used a litter basket operation to recover the body. LAPD will remain on scene for the investigation.

Firefighters Free Trapped Man From Rolled over SUV
Firefighters from the LAFD freed a man that had crashed his SUV into a fence and landed on the sidewalk in Los Angeles. In the video above, the man can be seen standing up in his sideways SUV as fire crews work quickly and safely to cut the window out so he can exit freely without being harmed.

National News
Photo courtesy of HPC Wire
Fighting Fires with Supercomputers
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Tim Werle cranked the temperature up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, tuned the Santa Ana winds to swirl hard from the northeast, and dropped the humidity down to a bone-dry 5%. He carefully picked his target, a mostly uninhabited grasslands preserve just outside San Diego. With a click of his laptop’s mouse, he dropped a match into conditions perfect for a disaster. His eyes widened as the brushfire burst angrily across 1,500 acres in just two hours. Looking across the WIFIRE Firemap, a satellite image map overlaid with terrain and access roads, Werle could instantly strategize exactly where to send his crew to get ahead of this fast-moving, simulated blaze, to practice for the real thing.

Community
UFLAC was pleased to welcome Councilmember Mike Bonin as our special guest speaker at our October General Membership Meeting


“Gayle on the NEW NORMAL Go!" report - Fire Prevention Month
October is Fire Prevention Month. The Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department are reminding us to be sure we have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; make sure they are in working order as well as having fire extinguishers and a home emergency plan. Both departments feature websites containing important fire safety information.

Photo courtesy of Gary Apodaca
LAFD Welcomes Graduates of Recruit Training Academy Class 19-2
The Los Angeles City Fire Department's Recruit Training Academy Class 19-2 celebrated their class graduation with a formal ceremony on October 21, 2020, as they became proud probationary members of the LAFD. These 45 men and 5 women began a rigorous 21-week initial training curriculum on May 26, 2020. Assembling before dawn each day at the 4.6 acre LAFD Valley Recruit Training Academy facility in the central San Fernando Valley, they learned the many duties and responsibilities of being a Firefighter for the City of Los Angeles, including the safe and proper methods of handling a broad variety of specialized equipment and apparatus in multi-faceted Truck, Engine and Emergency Medical Service operations. These men and women trained as if their life - and yours - depended on it, because it does! We salute these 50 newest members of our fire service family.

Photo courtesy of Canyon News
Brentwood Holds Fire Safety And Preparedness Town Hall
On Wednesday, October 21, the Brentwood Home Owners Association held a town hall on fire safety and preparedness. Guest speakers for the event included West Bureau Commander, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Armando Hogan and AlertWildfire and University of California, San Diego Dr. Neal Driscoll. LAFD Chief Hogan discussed having a plan, being prepared, and act of doing. “Hillside communities within Los Angeles are under continuous threat with devastating wildfires. As the risk increases, It is important you protect yourself and your family by planning, preparing, and staying aware,” said Hogan.

Photo courtesy of the LAFD
LAFD Fire Chief Congratulates World Series Champion Dodgers
At the conclusion of Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, where the Los Angeles Dodgers captured their first World Series titled in 32 years, LAFD Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas posted on his Instagram account, “Congratulations Dodgers!!! World Series Champions...you made our City proud!! All LAFD members are approved to continue wearing Dodger Caps until November 1:) #LATOGETHER!!”

In Remembrance
Remembering Our Fallen Brothers & Sisters
Engineer
Richard G. Christensen
Deceased: 10/25/2020
Appointment: 06/17/1952
Assignment: FS112
Retired: 06/17/1979

Fire Inspector
Harold E. Matson
Deceased: 09/26/2020
Appointment: 07/02/1956
Assignment: Building Standards Unit
Retired: 07/06/1986

Firefighter III
Norman L. Mc Elvain
Deceased: 10/12/2020
Appointment: 05/19/1958
Assignment: FS66
Retired: 05/01/2002

Captain
Dale R. Dickson (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/30/2020
Appointment: 01/16/1965
Assignment: FS104
Retired: 02/10/1991

Engineer
John Lahickey (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/27/2020
Appointment: 06/17/1952
Assignment: FS95-B
Retired: 06/29/1982

Captain
Maurice G. Gasporra (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/19/2020
Appointment: 01/02/1962
Assignment: FS95
Retired: 06/24/1993

Captain
Robert E. Engel (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/04/2020
Appointment: 08/27/1946
Assignment: FS80
Retired: 06/01/1978

Captain
Gerald W. Ramaekers (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/29/2020
Appointment: 01/29/1959
Assignment: FS48
Retired: 08/01/1989

Fire Inspector
Harold E. Matson (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/26/2020
Appointment: 07/02/1956
Assignment: Building Standards Unit
Retired: 07/06/1986

Captain I
Richard H. Olson (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/21/2020
Appointment: 08/23/1969
Assignment: FS95-C
Retired: 04/30/2007

Engineer
Richard G. Peterson (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/05/2020
Appointment: 02/20/1960
Assignment: FS18-A
Retired: 07/07/1985

Fireman
William I. Rolland (Ret.)
Deceased: 09/18/2020
Appointment: 09/23/1957
Assignment: FS37
Retired: 01/01/1970

2019 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 2019, 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.