|
|
Brothers and Sisters,
The soul of “The Big House” - Fire Station 164, was ripped from the fabric of the walls when the crews woke to find smoke and fire showing from the app floor. Engine 164, Quint 164, Squad 164 and BC 13 were all well involved with extension into the structure. We are all grateful and thankful that all station personnel are alive and well, as they woke to find smoke creeping down the hallway a mere 60 feet from the bunk room as the app floor was consumed.
Thanks to our members' professionalism and quick response, this fire was extinguished swiftly with no injuries to our members and no disruption in service to the local communities. While this fire is an example of the heroism and professionalism of our members, it is also a stark reminder of the aging infrastructure and equipment that we deal with daily which poses a danger for our firefighters, as we have seen here, but also for the public we serve.
Fire Chief Marrone and the Union were on the scene as the overhaul was finishing. Many members of the department management and Union team had worked at fire station 164. It was hard to see the damage to the station, and memories of the work at the station and the people who worked with us started to flood our minds. On a good note, much of the memorabilia from the station was saved and will be ready to put back up when we rebuild.
Incident Management Team 2 for the County was activated to help recover and rebuild. Turnouts, SCBAs, Radios, and reserve rigs were all a priority, along with Peer Support, to give the tools of the craft back to the members who lost them in the fire. Fire Station 54 prepared Engine 554 in the battalion ASAP to get 164’s crew back up and running. Reserve Squad, Quint and BC rig were also found and placed in service ASAP. Engine and Quint 164 were housed at Fire Station 52 with Squad 164 moved to Fire Station 165 to keep service in place for those we serve, and to get the crews from 164’s back in service and up and running.
Thank you to the ongoing support from Fire Station 52 who rose to the occasion and brought the big house into their house without hesitation, and thanks to the IMT Team, C and M, and all the other resources who have been working tirelessly to help the crews recover and get back to business.
As the investigation continues, we look for long-term rebuild plans, and the support and outpouring from department members from many stations have been appreciated. Please reach out to 164’s crews housed at 52’s and 165’s and let them know you are thinking about them. We will push hard to expedite the work to rebuild the station and restore the place where many fire family memories have been made. We will also work to learn from the incident to make changes in stations to ensure the safety of our members.
LA County Fire Fighters are resilient, strong and a family with solidarity as good as it gets, and we will get through this together and in support of each other. May we all be eternally grateful for no injuries and no one was killed in this fire, and may we all rise to support the crews of Fire Station 164, both past and present as we work to get restored and rebuilt at the Big House.
|
|
|
Celebrating Easter this year at Station 164
|
|
|
Celebrating the Life of Brother Henry H. Flores
This Tuesday, family, friends, and colleagues gathered together to honor the life of Fire Captain Henry H. Flores.
Brother Flores was remembered as a dedicated public servant, with a deep love for his family, including his wife, children, mother and father, and brothers and sister. He lived life with a love of God, faith, and family coupled with his many hobbies and interests – his passion for playing the guitar, and a dream of becoming a rancher which defined a man with endless enthusiasm and spirit.
Fire Captain Flores faithfully served the Department and Los Angeles County residents for 23 years. During today’s memorial service, the flag that flew over Fire Station 169 in the City of El Monte was presented to Henry’s wife, Amy, by Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone, along with a bible from Local 1014 President Dave Gillotte.
May God bless Henry, his family, memory, and the loved ones he leaves behind. He will never be forgotten. Cards and letters are welcome and may be sent to: The Flores Family, P.O. Box 1819, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.
|
|
|
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MEMBERS WHO VOLUNTEERED THIS WEEKEND!
Thank you to all our members who showed up this past weekend to gather signatures for the LA County Fire Safety Measure!! We now have over 160,000 signatures gathered from voters throughout the Fire Protection District!
Gathering signatures is a tough job but one that makes a true difference as we educate voters on the need for more resources for our aging infrastructure and equipment and the critical need for staffing.
As we continue to push for the 180,000 signatures needed to get on the ballot in November and near the filing period, we will update you on the progress of this measure and how you can help prepare for the future. We cannot stress enough that political action is the most important thing we do as a union to safeguard our members. This measure is critical to the future of the Department and the future security of our members and their families.
|
|
2nd Annual Retirement Celebration
This week, the LACoFD hosted its 2nd Annual Retirement Celebration Luncheon at Department headquarters. Chief Deputy Jon O’Brien and Fire Captain Sheila Kelliher were joined by Department team members, families, and friends to properly honor recently retired personnel for their many years of County service. Local 1014 joined the the Los Angeles County Fire Museum, the Association of Chiefs, F&A Federal Credit Union, and the Benefit and Welfare Association in sponsoring the event.
We wish all our retirees a healthy, happy, and well-earned retirement! |
|
In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
|
|
|
|
|
|
