Brothers and Sisters A call for help!

Remember back to the day when you were pursuing your dream career (some of us need to think way back). You were doing everything humanly possible to achieve your goal. Becoming a firefighter with the best Fire Department, The Los Angeles County Fire Department, OUR Fire Department.

Think back to those days in the tower. Long, hard, tough days. Pulling hose, tying knots, donning BA's. Recruit Captains pointing out everything you have done wrong over and over. You work through the pain day after day. Super glue your cuts together so you wont have to miss a day. We all fought through aches and pains everyday. You leave for the tower early, get home late, study, get everything clean and ready for the next day and get to bed.

Now imagine you are just a few months into the tower and you have a pain that will not go away. You have done everything you can to self diagnosis your problem but you fight through it day after day. One day you tell your 7 month pregnant girl friend you cannot take the pain any longer and decide that you have to go see a Dr.. When you are done with your examination you are told you have stage 4 colon cancer. Your entire life flashes before your eyes. You think of your girlfriend and the unborn child she is carrying. You think of your career you have been working hard to obtain....imagine what you would feel. Well one of our firefighters is living this firsthand.

30 Year old Recruit Firefighter Jesus Ontiveros, otherwise known as Recruit 31, is now fighting for his future. Class 138 is doing everything they can but now its time for his family, us, to do what we can. Everyday we do all we can for people we do not know. We take care of our firefighter family whenever there is a need. We have seen our members do this time and time again.  Its that time again!

Your Local 1014 Executive Board is asking for your assistance in helping Jesus and his family.

We have seen firsthand the friendships that have been built and the disappointment and disbelief of his classmates knowing that one of their own is fighting for his life.  Your Executive Board in conjunction with the Insurance Trust is exploring all available options to see that recruit Ontiveros has medical coverage for him and his family during this difficult time.  Please read, post and discuss with others the following EA put out by the Department. Let’s do what we do best, by digging deep and reaching out to help someone in a time of need.

Your Executive Board

See the letter below by Training Chief Alkonis to our Department members

LACoFD Family,

Sometimes life deals us challenges. Sometimes these challenges are so big they require the help of others to overcome. Recruit 31, Jesus Ontiveros of Recruit Class 138 needs our help more than ever as he fights for his life.

Jesus was amongst the top of his class before finding the abdominal discomfort he had been experiencing for several weeks is stage 4 colon cancer. Since last Thursday he has been at San Antonio Hospital in Upland undergoing tests and having emergency surgical procedures performed to reduce the pain. His family, his friends, his doctors, the Department, and Mike Dubron of the Cancer Support Network are at his side researching all available treatment options.

Adding complexity to Jesus' situation is his status as a LACoFD employee. As a firefighter trainee he is a temporary employee without leave time whose job is dependent on him attending training. Because he cannot be present at recruit training he is not earning money for days he is absent and risks losing his health care benefits. This is tragic, but this is not all. Jesus and his girlfriend are expecting their first child in December.

This devastating circumstance offers an opportunity for you to make a difference. If we all pull together, small acts can mean big results.

How can you help?

Monetary Donations

Personnel can make direct deposit donations to the Jesus Ontiveros Fund at F &A Federal Credit Union (login site: https://mfa.fafcu.org/auth/Authorize?fiid=1), account number 690360 S1. These monies will help pay for his living expenses, medical bills, and preparations for his child due in December.

Cards, Letters and CHECKS can be mailed to his home at:

Jesus Ontiveros
282 Witney Ave.
Pomona, CA 91767

Leave Time Donations

Donating your leave time will extend Jesus' employee status and enable him to continue to receive his Local 1014 health care benefits. This is essential to him receiving the treatment from the specialists skilled in dealing with his type of advanced cancer.

The same "Authorization to Donate Leave" form sent with (click here) EA-403 yesterday is attached. We will send a follow up email when all the necessary leave time has been donated.

Please find how you can help.

If you have any questions, or would like to participate in future service projects for Jesus and his family, please email me at dalkonis@fire.lacounty.gov or call me at Training, 323-881-2436 or cell at 213-435-4852.


Battalion Chief Derek Alkonis
Director of Training