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 VOL. XCVIV May 2023 NO. 9

• FEATURES •
Hook and Ladde—Year 14 • .............................................06

Happy 100th Birthday—CII Robert Borgman • ....08

Photographer in Focus—Leo K aufman • .................11

Program of the Year—LAFD Cadets • ..................13

• CONTENTS •
President’s Message • ...........................................................................05
Battalion News • .....................................................................................15
Stress 101 • ............................................................................................40
The Coasters
Griffith Park Ponies • .......................................................................43
The Station Fridge • ...............................................................................45
Retirement Dinner Announcements • ....................................................46
Retired Guy
George Hurst • ..................................................................................47
LAFRA Mail • .........................................................................................48
Memorials • ...........................................................................................50
Avoiding Probate • ..................................................................................51
LAFD History
Drill Tower Part 2 • ...........................................................................52
Minutes of the Board of Trustees • ........................................................55
Classifieds • ...........................................................................................58
Tailboard
35th Anniversary of First Interstate Fire • ...........................................61

Notice: Production of The Firemen’s Grapevine magazine is very expensive, and while your dues
serve to underwrite a portion of the magazine’s costs, the bulk of funding comes from advertisers.
Many businesses advertise in the Grapevine. This does not mean that LAFRA endorses these
advertisers. Use of a Grapevine advertiser is at the risk of the member. If you are interested in any
of the advertisements, we urge you to use any and all means at your disposal to investigate them.

COPYRIGHT © 2023
Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association.
No material may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

2 • May 2023
 On the cover: A little High-Rise Training at Frank’s Place. Photo | Gary Apodaca

Photo Inset: E 108 & LF 78 handle a sheared Hydrant. Photo | LAFD Station 108

May 2023 • 3
 FIREMEN’S GRAPEVINE
owned and published by the
Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association
7470 N Figueroa Street, Los angeles CA 90041

EDITORIAL STAFF
John Hicks • Managing Editor............................................editor@lafra.org
Eric Santiago • Creative Editor...............................................eric@lafra.org
Display Advertising.................................................(323) 259-5200 ext. 231

PSO’s
Erik Scott, Nicholas Prange, Margaret Stewart

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Art Sorrentino, Deborah Lew, Mark Khitikian

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Gary Apodaca, David Blaire, Brandon Buckley, Chris Eckenrode, 564 Fire,
Greg Doyle, Harry Garvin, Yvonne Griffin, Justin Johnson, Gavin Kaufman, Mike
Meadows, Kyle Rausch, Jacob Salzman, Adam VanGerpen, Zak Holman

LOS ANGELES FIREMEN’S RELIEF ASSOCIATION

Chris Stine .............................................................President
Jim Duffy ........................................................Vice-President
Jim Dolan, Steve Ruda & Gene Bednarchik.......Community Affairs Liaisons

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Brian Wall Jeff Halloran Milton Quintana
Cesar S. Garcia John Jacobsen Paul Duke
Craig White John Marasco Steve Berkery
Danny Wu Juan Albarran Steve Tufts
Frank Aguirre Kenny Breskin Steven Jones
Henry Gasbarri Leon Dunn Tim Freeman Jr.
JD Fox Mike Sailhamer Tyler Tomich

CHAPLAINS
To contact a chaplain, please call Senior Chaplain, Tim Werle at
(213) 797-2404 or the MFC Floor Captain at (213) 576-8920

Kevin Smith..........................Chaplain Tim Werle............................Chaplain

Danny Leon..........................Chaplain Mark R. Wolf......................Chaplain
George A. Negrete..............Chaplain Jesus Pasos.........................Chaplain
Daniel Lee............................Chaplain Rick Godinez........................Chaplain

TELEPHONES
Fire-Relief ...............................................................(323) 259-5200
Relief Association Toll Free Number .........................(800) 244-3439
Relief Medical Plan ................................................. (866) 995-2372
Fax Number ..............................................................(323) 259-5290

LAFRA MANAGEMENT
Todd Layfer • Executive Director..............................(323) 259-5243
Vacant • Human Resources Director.........................(323) 259-5247
Liberty Unciano • Controller/Treasurer..................(323) 259-5225
Bob Dillon • Operations Manager.............................(323) 259-5233
Marlene Casillas • Development & Marketing Director(323) 259-5217

HealthComp
Claims & Benefit Information...................................(866) 99-LAFRA
THE FIREMEN’S GRAPEVINE (USPS 191-060) is published monthly by the Los Angeles Firemen’s
Relief Association, 7470 N Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, Cal­i­for­nia 90041. Annual $48 Subscription
included with Association mem­ber­ship; Non-members: $48. Single issues $4 postpaid. Back issues $7
postpaid. Pe­ri­od­i­cals post­age paid at Los Angeles, CA and at additional mailing office. POST­MAS­TER: Send
ad­dress changes to: THE FIREMEN’S GRAPE­VINE Magazine, P.O. BOX 41903, Los An­ge­les, CA 90041.

Printed by Collective Color, Los Angeles CA. For Clas­si­fied and Display Ad­ver­tis­ing rates please call (323)
259-5200, ext. 231 or 232. All editorial matter must be received by the Editor eight weeks prior to the month of
pub­li­ca­tion. The opin­ions ex­pressed here­in are those of the writ­ers and do not nec­es­sar­i­ly reflect the official
views of the Los An­ge­les City Fire De­part­ment or the Los An­ge­les Firemen’s Relief Association.

4 • May 2023
 Named after the Greek goddess Maia, the month of May brings
warmer temps, blooming flowers, and the fresh beginnings of summer.
From May Day celebrations to Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, and of
course Mother’s Day, May is a month worth celebrating. May is also
Mental Health Awareness Month. Millions of Americans face the real-
ity of living with a mental illness. That is why in May hundreds of or-
ganizations across the country are raising awareness for mental health.
Inspire others to raise awareness, and take part in sharing information,
resources, and support for mental health conditions. Many of our mem-
bers are experiencing the challenges of living with a mental illness. The
good news is we have so many resources to address mental illness.
UFLAC and the Los Angeles City Fire Department have built a
Behavioral Health Program that you have access to at no cost. You can
reach the UFLAC Center For Health and Wellness at (747)-200-6266.
Additionally, UFLAC/LAFD has a robust Peer Support Program. Cur-
rently, there are 115 well-trained peers you can contact directly. Access
to a complete roster of team members is posted on the UFLAC website.
Assistance is just a call or text away. The LAFRA PPO Medical Plan is
here to support you and your family if your mental health is suffering
and offers great mental health benefits. Mental Health is covered for
outpatient services at 100% with a small $15.00 copay for an in-network
PPO provider and $30.00 for a Non-PPO Provider. Mental Health- Inpa-
tient Room and Board for a PPO provider is covered at 100% after you
meet $250.00 deductible, then 10% of the first $5,000. Your total out-
of-pocket would only be 750.00 for Inpatient Room & Board (including
residential treatment facilities).
We have a new five-year contract: Attention pensioners and soon
to be pensioners. LAFRA, UFLAC, LAPRA, PPL, and LAFPP have
secured a new five-year contract. LAFPP requires LAFRA to operate
within this contract as we are one of the approved associations that pro-
vides benefits to our retirees. A tremendous amount of work was put
forth to make us successful in this endeavor. Thank you to the asso-
ciations, bargaining units, and LAFPP for your collaboration and pa-
tience over the many months of work. On April 6th, 2023, during the
LAFPP regular board meeting LAFPP commissioners approved a 6%
increase in the Pre-Medicare health subsidy for pensioners. I would like
to personally thank the LAFPP Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
for their diligent work and consideration to increase the Pre-Medicare
health subsidy. Continued increases in healthcare present an ongoing
financial challenge for our pensioners and this increase will help keep
premiums more affordable. We appreciate the long partnership with
LAFPP and are looking forward to continuing to work closely with
LAFPP for the benefit of our members.
On March 18th, 2023, the annual Hook and Ladder Enduro ride,
which supports Widows Orphans and Disabled Firefighters Fund, was
held in California City. This is the second year under the new leader-
ship of Tim Wuerful, the Cooper Family, and an army of volunteers. Of
course, this event was very well-attended and Tim, along with his crew,
put together an amazing event raising $28,000 for the WODFF. This
year was a great year, not only for fundraising, but hotdogs consumed
thanks to our LAFRA Trustee Steve Berkery and Teter’s Trailer. This
event never disappoints, provides great camaraderie for the whole fam-
ily, and supports our members. If you have never attended this event,
please consider adding this to your calendar next year.
Last month brought another successful year of the Lane Kem-
per Softball Classic. This great event has been a long-time Relief As-
sociation function, originally called “Bats and Beer” started by the late
and great Lane Kemper and now currently organized by Keith Bandy.
I would like to acknowledge the dedication and all the hard work put
forth by Keith and his volunteers. Keith has been at the helm for the last
five years and he does an incredible job creating an event that provides
great camaraderie for our members and their families. This is the final
chapter for Keith and the Lane Kemper Classic as he is hanging it up.
Judd Ream and Chad Corona will be taking over as the new leads for
this event. From all the Trustees here at LAFRA, thank you Keith for
your commitment and contribution to our Relief Association.
On April 18th, 2023, LAFRA, UFLAC, LAFD members, and
several family and friends attended the celebration of life for Captain
I George Roque. The celebration was held at The Pond at Casey Or-
chards in Redlands CA. The Roque family did an amazing job at putting
together one of the finest celebrations to honor this great hero. George
was a husband to Hope, a father to four children, and a grandfather to
eight grandchildren. This man, along with the entire Roque family, are
loved tremendously and that was obvious by the number of people who
attended his celebration of life. Rest easy Captain Roque.
Are you ready for this year’s annual Firefighter’s reunion at the
Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula? Come out and join us for some
great camaraderie including golf, a wine tour, pizza night, and Repre-
sentatives Day. We are looking forward to a record year so please make
your reservations early for the May 22-26 festivities. Save your RV space
by contacting Juan Albarran at (805)807-3616 or jalbarran@lafra.org.
If you are not going to book an RV space or they are taken, contact
Pechenga Room Reservations at 1 (877) 711-2946 to book your room.
Save the Dates:
Pechanga Reunion- 5/22- 5/26
Hope For Firefighters- 6/1
Fire Hogs Memorial Ride- 6/10
Scott Souter Charity Golf Tournament- 10/9
LAFD Invitational Golf Tournament- 10/16
Christopher Stine
president@lafra.org
323.259.5202
May 2023 • 5
 The 14th Annual Hook and Lad-
der Enduro took place on Saturday, March
18th, in its usual location off 20 Mule
Team Road in California City. This was
the new regime’s first time running the
event all by themselves. There was great
apprehension leading up to the event. De-
pending on which app you use, the weath-
er was not looking good. Attendance was
looking grim early in the week as Mother
Nature pounded the area with rain. One
of the roads in camp looked more like a
lazy winding river than a road. Some of
our early arriving campers on Wednesday
soon found out where the quicksand was.
Marty Svorinich was the guinea pig. Be-
ing the first to cross what was the river ear-
lier in the day, he sank his motorhome to
the cabinets. Luckily it sank evenly. When
Matt Lundgren got his motorhome stuck,
he had everyone worried it was going to
end up on its side. There was even a ru-
mor that the “Chili Dog IC” was stuck for
a while too. Thanks to Firefighter ingenu-
ity, shovels, tow straps, and manpower, all
were rescued and made it to their camp-
sites.
Mother Nature finally let up and our
die-hard attendees poured in. Our “God-
father,” Bruce Galien, was never worried.
He just kept repeating, “If you build it,
they will come.” He was right. The mo-
bile city in the dirt formed and when the
sign-ups opened at noon on Friday, lines
formed with eager participants. This year
we had several classes including: Motor-
cycles/Quads, 4-Wheel Vehicle/Side-by- Bradley Grossman. Steve Berkery and his Awesome Ogio Camo Bags with
Side, Powder Puff, PeeWee, and Picnic team put on an outstanding chili dog pic- the Hook & Ladder Enduro logo embroi-
Class. The main course was nearly 30 nic lunch on at “Teter’s Trailer” under the dered on them were given as awards in all
miles and the feedback on the layout was supervision of Jamie Horwedel and Jed the classes as well as to our most “senior”
unanimous – “spectacular.” The recent Teter serving just shy of 1000 chili dogs! rider and our youngest rider. Our winners:
rain left the desert an off-roader’s dream We added the PeeWee class on a separate
with the tacky dirt and no dust. There was course this year and it appeared to be a Moto/Quad (141 Riders):
so much green grass, it was like riding on hit and kept them safe. Speaking of safe, • Tied for 1st - Casey Clark &
your neighbor’s lawn. Thank you for set- we were grateful for an injury-free event. Eric Reynoso
ting the course Mike and Jammer Raden, Thank you to all our participants for rid- • Tied for 2nd - John Hishinuma &
Mike Rietmayer, Gavin Wuerfel, and ing staying safe, as it is “not a race.” Winston Cooper
6 • May 2023

• Tied for 3rd - Jared Lawyer &
Nick Rini
4 Wheel Vehicles (70 Drivers):
• 1st - Jason Hupp
• 2nd - Newton Grossman
• 3rd - Gary Maga
Powder Puff (32 Riders/Drivers):
• 1st - Alyssa Van Dusson
• 2nd - Kellie Delliso
• 3rd - April Riffey – Manny Vega
– Carl, Mason, & Gage Goldsmith
PeeWee (8): – Sarah Wuerfel
• 1st - Maverick Teter
• 2nd - Wyatt Caverhill We would also like to formally
• 3rd - Cohen Ghilardi thank the following sponsors:
Picnic Class: • Pedego of Palos Verdes –
• 1st - Fox Family Carlos Calvillo and Jeanine Yanes
• 2nd - Peters Family • Terrible Herbst Motorsports –
• 3rd - Lamb Family Todd Gorsuch
• Huntington Beach Honda –
The awards, raffle, and silent auc- Rick Dondero
tion did not disappoint. Thank you to my • Ron Rezek Engineering –
mom, Judye Cooper, for her hard work on See Devil Lights – Ron Rezek
putting together the silent auction. The • King Off-Road Racing Shocks –
grand raffle prize this year was a Pedego Brett King
electric bicycle donated by Chief Carlos • Lewis, Marenstein, Wicke, Sherwin,
Calvillo and Jeanine Yanes owners of Pe- & Lee, LLP
dego of Palos Verdes. Thank you for your • Pelican Industries – Jeff Rudel and
generous donation. Congratulations to the Pearl Sheets
winner, Gabriele Farrar. There may have • Garcia’s Custom Embroidery –
been a sighting of Chief Calvillo rocking Kathie Garcia
the drums with the live band, Tommy Pea- • Mechanix Wear – Chad Collins
cock, that played after the raffle. • House of Trophies – Nestor Lerena
This event is a monster to execute • Mob Armor – Derrick Dickson
and without the help of several people, it • Ogio Bags – Pat Lopez
would not be possible. We would all like • Huntington Beach Honda –
to thank our volunteers: Rick Dondero
• Delta Marine – Jared and Trisha Cooper
– Mike & Krissy Raden • Fire Hose American Flag –
– Jammer & Samantha Raden John Marasco
– Kenny & Elizabeth Willahan • Firewood – Dwayne Kastor
– Jason & Amanda Willahan • PCI Race Radios – Steinberger Family
– Bradley & Joanne Grossman • VP Racing Fuels – Heather Matthews
– Bruce & Debbie Galien • Firefighters First Credit Union –
– Mike & Sonya Rietmayer Kelly Ramsay
– Marty & Shellee Svorinich • RB Components - Jamie Foreman
– Tom & April Lambert
– Roy & Joanie Prince Well, it is in the books! We hope we
– Clifford & Cathy Runion made our mentors Bruce Galien and Craig
– Dennis & Danielle Hong White proud. Thank you and your families
– Steve & Rachelle Berkery for the dedication to this event for all the
– Doke Smith years! One last thank you to Scott Ames
– Chris Hart and Jammer Raden - Scott for dragging
– Dave Rowley the Hook & Ladder Enduro trailer back to
– Shawn & Shelby Heit Jammer’s house and Jammer for storing it
– Jamie & Tracy Foreman for us until next year. We hope to see more
– Terry & Judye Cooper of the younger families start attending this
– Trevor & Jared Cooper event. The camaraderie with co-workers
– Gavin Wuerfel & Ashley Sims and time with friends and family is what
– Geoff Lite it is all about! Remember…third weekend
– Mike Horst in March…that is March 16, 2024!
– Brock Harmon
– Edgar Garcia
May 2023 • 7
 from Franklin High in 1941. where he repaired PBYs and B-29s. While
After graduating, Bob worked for on Tinian, every moonlit night Bob’s unit
Pacific Railroad near Yuma, AZ. earning fended off Japanese aircraft bombing and
65 cents an hour rebuilding ramshackled strafed their position. On August 6, 1945,
railroad bridges. A few months later Pearl a modified B-29 named the Enola Gay
Harbor was attacked and shortly thereafter took off from the Tinian airstrip where he
he quit to become an arc welder. Once cer- was assigned – destination: Hiroshima, Ja-
tified, Bob worked at Kaiser Shipyards in pan. With the war now over, Bob was dis-
Richmond, Ca. building ships for a Navy charged in November ‘45.
contractor. Once back in the states, Bob signed
Bob received his draft notice in up for the “5220 Club” – a government
1942, but before being conscripted he program aimed at assimilating veterans
joined the Navy. When Bob informed his back into society by granting them $20/
February 15, 2023 was just another boss he had enlisted the boss replied, “You wk for 52 weeks. He then applied, inter-
Wednesday for most Americans, but for knucklehead! You’re working for a Navy viewed and was hired by the phone com-
retired Captain II, Robert Borgman, it was contractor – I could have gotten you a de- pany. While still in training, he was told
a uniquely special day as he became part ferment for the rest of the war.” On De- LA City FD was hiring. Being unfamiliar
of a select group of individuals known as cember 7, 1942, exactly one year after the with the intermingling of LA County and
Centenarians – people who have lived 100 attack on Pearl Harbor, Bob entered the City buildings in Downtown LA, Bob en-
years or more. Navy. tered the County Hall of Records and sub-
I recently visited Bob at his Oceans- Following boot camp, Bob was sent mitted his application – he had mistakenly
ide home to discuss his 100-year voyage to Aviation Machinists Mates School (air- applied to the LACoFD and was subse-
and found him to be in excellent health craft mechanic) in Norman, OK. After a quently hired in 1946.
and with the mental acuity of someone year in various Ports O’ Call, his Combat After 18 months with LACoFD, his
thirty years his junior. He was articulate, Aircraft Service Unit was sent to Tinian in captain convinced him to apply for LA
amusing, and quite thoughtful as I sought the war-torn archipelago, Mariana Islands, City because they had better pay, pension,
to unmask the many layers of his lengthy
journey.
Born February 15, 1923, Bob was
raised in a small house in Lincoln Heights,
just east of the downtown Shops. His fa-
ther was a machinist who also ran a ser-
vice station in Burbank and his mother
was a homemaker; he also had two older
sisters. Despite raising a family in the
midst of the Great Depression, his hard-
working parents provided ample shelter,
two squares a day, and a loving family.
As a youngin, Bob did what most
kids do: attend school, tend to chores,
and play with friends. For pocket change
he worked at his dad’s gas station, shined
shoes, and sold newspapers. His goal was
to earn 15 cents a week so he could go to
the movies and still have five cents left
over for candy. When it came time for high
school, Bob asserts these years came and
went rather uneventfully; he graduated

8 • May 2023
and benefits. Bob took his captain’s advice
and applied, tested and in April of 1948,
Bob Borgman reported to LA City Drill
Tower #1, the present-day Shops.
Bob’s first house was FS27 where
he was assigned to six-man, Salvage 27.
He claimed it was the busiest FS he ever
worked, averaging nearly a fire a shift. His
first fire was an old theater on Hollywood
Blvd. While operating a 2½” in a hallway,
Asst. Chief Meador crawled up alongside
them and said, “Pull your line back, the
ceiling’s going to collapse,” so they re-
treated. A bit later BC Egleson met up with
them and said, “You can’t reach the fire
from here – get your asses up there where
you belong,” so they again advanced. A
few minutes later they heard AC Meador
screaming, “God dammit, I told you guys
to get out of there.”
Bob’s second house was old FS13
(Pico x Kenmore) and his third was old
FS61, where he would remain for the next
10 years. Bob “C-shifted” for a construc-
tion company, but after a decade at 61s and
busting his butt on his days off, he studied
and placed #17 on the engineer’s list. He
was promoted in 1958.
Bob was sent to FS47 and shortly
thereafter joined a captain’s study pro-
gram. He later transferred to old FS7
(Main x 28th) and then to FS60 at the re-
quest of BC Pitts. Bob placed #30 on the
captain’s list and was promoted on day
one, in part because the LAFD had just
gone from two to three platoons. He went
from being an engineer at 60A to being a
new captain at 60C. The year was 1960.
BC Charlie Rossi was Bob’s chief
and quite a character. Rossi was a loqua-
cious fella who often awoke Bob in the
middle of the night just to chat. So, when
Captain John Burns from the Drill Tower
asked Bob if he was interested in a DT as-
signment, the seepy-eyed Bob said, YES!
He would remain at the DT until 1963 as
both an instructor and Drill Master.
When Bob was set to leave the DT a
vacancy opened at FS89. He told BC Rossi
he’d like the spot and Rossi said, “Sure, it’s
yours.” Rossi’s son had gone through the
DT when Bob was the Drill Master and
was all but certain Bob was responsible
for his boy graduating; Rossi transferred
him to 89s as a personal favor. From FS89,
Bob would eventually transfer to old FS22
(Main x Vernon) and then to old 87s. In
1970, he made CII on the very first CII
exam and was promoted into FS96, where
he would remain until retiring in 1978.
Bob loved the LAFD. The camara-
derie, playing handball, and going to fires
were the best … as were the pranks. While
Bob was at FS96, Capt. Bill Bennet was
detailed to learn about bombs, terrorism,
etc. When Capt. Vern Disney heard of this
he decided to make a bomb-lookalike to
see how Bennett would respond. One af-
ternoon, Vern left the device in the front
office as they went on a call. When a ci-
vilian strolled in and saw the fake bomb
he immediately called LAPD, who in turn
dispatched LAPD Bomb Squad and then
notified the Signal Office and ultimately
the Admin Office. Such tomfoolery back
then was par for the course.
In reflecting back, Bob said the
best skipper he ever worked for was Burt
Abel at old FS13 … “He was just a won-
derful man and a tremendous fire offi-
cer.” Bob also added the best Fireman he
ever worked with was Maurice “Johnny”
Johnson at 61s. “There wasn’t anything he
didn’t know, and on the fireground, there
was no one better.”
Following retirement, Bob moved
to Oceanside to be closer to his Ensenada
beach house where he enjoyed fishing and
spending time with family and friends. To-
day, Bob is as active as any 70yo and lives
a life that is fairly structured – each day
of the week is planned with Fridays being
the highlight as he attends the Elks Lodge
in Vista for dinner and dancing. Bob also
maintains his driver’s license, which en-
ables him to drive into Temecula once a
month to attend the Inland Empire Lunch
Club for camaraderie and an occasional
cocktail.
Bob is often asked about the secret
to his longevity, and his standard reply is,
“It’s all about genetics.” His mother lived
until 97, one sister to 91 and the other to
97 … “Oh, and most essentially, my con-
sumption of quality booze.”
Had Bob not become a Fireman,
he says, “I would’ve worked in the con-
struction field.” To that end, in 1949, he
purchased a lot in Sylmar and built a spec
home having never built a house before.
He would later do the same when build-
ing his first in-ground pool. Bob said, “If I
didn’t know how to do something I would
ask a Fireman or visit a construction site
and observe.”
Bob continues to live an active,
meaningful life surrounded by those clos-
est to him. On February 15, 2023, as fam-
ily and friends gathered to celebrate his
century of life, one can’t help but envision
his 100 illuminating candles reflecting
more than just his age – instead, they will
have revealed a life well-lived by a retired
LA City Fire Captain and treasured mem-
ber of America’s Greatest Generation.
NOTE: According to the US Dept. of Vet-
erans Affairs, of the 16 million Americans
who served in WWII only 167,000 are
alive today.
Editor’s Note: Due to technical issues in last
month’s edition, portions of this story were omit-
ted. Because of this, we chose to reprint the ar-
ticle in its entirety.” Our apologies.
May 2023 • 9
Paid Advertisement

Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association Medical Plan may cover this examination.
10 • May 2023 Contact your plan provider to verify.
 Any words of wisdom
to pass on to someone
wanting to shoot emer-
How did you get into photography?
gency incidents them-
I was introduced to photography by my grandmother and grand-
selves?
father who used to travel the world and take pictures of different cultures,
Emergency photogra-
nature, and animals. Ever since then I’ve been into photography. I’ve always
phy isn’t for everybody. You
loved the fire service and one day I put the two together and haven’t looked
must always keep your head on
back since.
a swivel and stand on the balls
of your feet while photographing
emergencies. But I enjoy captur-
ing our LAFD members hard
work professionally, in an envi-
ronment that most people will
never see with their own eyes.

What is your favorite fire photo

you’ve taken?
Over the years of capturing countless fire
What camera model do
photos, I have plenty of favorites. One that stands
you shoot with?
out to me was from a commercial building fire in
Over the years I’ve shot
Woodland Hills because not only does it show the
on many different camera bodies
massive flames towering over truck 105, it shows
but currently I’m shooting on a Fuji
members communicating and working all in one
XT4 and love it!
photo.

May 2023 • 11
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Happy May to all the Battalion 1 mem-
bers out there both past and present. As we’ve
all heard, there’ve been some integrity issues
as of late. I’ve got some advice: if you’re go-
ing to cheat (which I can’t say I recommend)
BE SMART ABOUT IT. Although, now that I
think about it, the smart ones aren’t necessar-
ily the ones who have to cheat… Don’t have
all the answers emailed to you (which can be
tracked) and then proceed to get a 100% on the
test. I’ve seen many tests in my time and even
the test writers wouldn’t get a perfect score.
Come on guys. Let’s have some integrity or at
least some intelligence. If Jonah Dipaola at 3s
can pass BUDS (which he just did), then I’m
sure you guys can figure out an LAFD written
test (not a shot at Dipaola, I’m actually very
proud of him). Good luck to all those taking
the Captain’s test a second time without cutting
corners, and to all those who got the extra two
months of experience they desperately needed
to now take it for the first time. There are a
few good stories that have come my way this
month so we’ll get right to it. First off, when
you lose the keys to an RA, you should prob-
ably check your turnout pants before writing a
police report. Not sure if it was an LAPD de-
tective or a Firefighter turned super snoop who
found them, but I heard they were found safe
and sound in the member’s turnout pants pock-
et a few days later and hadn’t actually gone-o
missing. Next up, 2s continues their pastime of
truck thrashing with a new spin on their old
ways. Since the friendly ghost who used to til-
ler for them has since transferred to 25s, they
had to use the next best thing: a SOD engineer
from a single engine. Turns out, the result was
the same but a little less catastrophic, result-
ing in only minor damage to the truck and to
the station. Progress is slow but forward and
that’s all we can ask. I’ve also heard that a cer-
tain member from 9s slept through not one but
two structures in one night including a career
fire (you know, that little one at Adams and
Grand). Sounds like he was the temporary PC
for the segment. Now, for an important les-
son learned. When you throw your aerial at a
fire, let’s try to keep enough space from live
power lines for guys to not have to army-crawl
up the ladder. Especially when those lines are
the blue line catenary system running 750V
DC with no insulation. Luckily ROC saw the
throw and knew to shut down the power be-
fore some of 10’s members were pensioned off.
Lastly, congrats to all the members promoting
from the battalion or into the battalion. Good
luck in all your ventures. It looks like Engineer
Hass at 82s got some congratulatory balloons
from his crew at 10s (see picture)… with only
the best of intentions, I’m sure. He must have
been very happy because rumor has it that ev-
ery time he hit the brakes on his way out, he
honked to say thanks. Remember to keep an
eye on your keys, learn how to tiller, get more
than one recipe, don’t play live wire limbo,
and celebrate your friend’s accomplishments.
Send all your stories, pics, and shenanigans to
battalionjuan@gmail.com or don’t… I’ll
probably find out anyway.
May 2023 • 15
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16 • May 2023 CONTACT: Juliet Brandolino (323) 259-5215 jbrandolino@lafra.org
Deputy Chief Phillip Fligiel congratulates Antonio Navarro on Congratulations to Matthew Lowenstein on his
promotion to Apparatus Operator. Photo | Captain Rausch promotion to Captain I. Photo | Captain Rausch

Congratulations to Sean Baker on his promotion Congratulations to Christopher Thyfault on his

to Apparatus Operator. Photo | Captain Rausch promotion to Captain I. Photo | Lafdsouthbureau

May 2023 • 17
18 • May 2023
Deputy Chief Ronnie Villanueva congratulates Brandon “Wicky” Wickman Deputy Chief Phillip Fligiel congratulates Juan Penuelas
on his promotion to Apparatus Operator. Photo | Lafdsouthbureau on his promotion to Captain I. Photo | Captain Rausch

Congratulations to Mark Wagoner on his promotion

They got each other’s back in Battalion 2.
to Engineer. Photo | Captain Rausch

May 2023 • 19
 BENEFITING

AFTER CEREMONY RIDE

Mulholland Harley Davidson (for a POKER DRAW)

20 • May 2023

FF Puebla and FF Samide fight fire in Venice!
Photo | lafd_firestation62
FFs from Fire Station 62 reunite with a patient that went into a witnessed
cardiac arrest. Great job Crew! Photo | lafd_firestation62
Hello from Hollyweird. Battalion Juan has given me some inspiration
to write a little something for us here in Battalion 5. First off, I want to say how
informative the chat with the chief seminars are. In the most recent edition Chief
Drake said that through a third party analysis of our deployment model, we need
“significantly more rescues.” Shocker. I would have thought that any member in
the field would have been able to tell him that, but sometimes you just don’t like
to hear it from your own people.
Next up on the list is a big farewell to a Chief headed off to special duty
in risk management. This chief has been known to be big on uniforms. Lucky for
him, everyone is aware of Frank’s dress code thanks to the new notice. They also
don’t run any call there, so no excuse not to be suited and booted at 6 A.M. sharp!
The Duke’s are getting a new A/O on the A shift. Going from slow to
slower, nice! I hope the year and a day A/O doesn’t treat newer members like
he did when he was a year and a day firefighter. While the Duke’s are gaining a
new A/O, they are also losing one. Congrats to A/O Carver on the promotion. I
wonder if he’ll get away with cooking one on his last shift.
Speaking of dodging things, did anyone hear what happened at 27s re-
cently? I was told that a nice LAPD officer came over asking if anyone saw
anything strange. Turns out that an upstanding citizen had slipped his cuffs and
walked right on out of the station. He then jumped the fence to 27s yard and dis-
appeared. Rumor is, he blended in so well with 27s crew that no one noticed (see
attached picture).
I also heard that a captain at 76s was trying to be a GG and move an RA
from 29s. The only problem was that him being a GG meant that the RA had to
receive some damage to the front bumper. I’m sure it’s nothing a karate chop
couldn’t fix over at the cobra kai.
Any tips, tricks, or stories, send me an email at hollywoodjohnny323@
gmail.com
Until next time,
Johnny Hollywood
May 2023 • 21
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Congratulations to MaKayla and Justen Gorski (76 “A”) on the birth Captain Leon leaves his home of seven years in the Cahuenga Pass
of their son, Colt Edward Gorski. He was born 03/13/23 weighing in at Station 76 for the blue of the Pacific. Best of luck at your new
at 6 pounds 15oz and 19.5” in length. Photo | @jenniferarthurphoto place of residence—FS 101. Photo | lafdstation76hollywood

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Photo | FF/PM Dickinson

May 2023 • 23
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 The Injury Prevention Unit visits Fire Station 37 to give
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On the “A” shift at 81s, Daniel Tinoco-Malacara had his proba-

tionary dinner finished by a move up company who brought
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Good to see we are still watching out for each other—class act!
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May 2023 • 25
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May 2023 • 27
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Congratulations to Robert Jackson on his promotion Congratulations to Matthew Sanchez on his promotion
to Apparatus Operator. Photo | Captain Rausch to Captain II. Photo | Justin Clayton

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May 2023 • 29
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30 • May 2023
 Swift water rescues a man from the big Tujunga River.
Photo | David “Doc” DeMulle’

LAFD Light Force 98 responded to a well-involved pick-up truck.

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LAFD Swift Water in their element. Photo | David “Doc” DeMulle’

May 2023 • 31
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32 • May 2023
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May 2023 • 33
34 • May 2023
Firefighters discovered a fire inside a bakery
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May 2023 • 35
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Station 93 participates in a CERT disaster preparedness fair

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May 2023 • 37
 An Automatic Alarm upgraded to Structure Fire.
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38 • May 2023
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on his promotion to Apparatus Operator. Photo | lafdsouthbureau Photo | EIT TA’Ana Mitchell

May 2023 • 39
 Mental Health and Stress:
The Importance of Seeking Support
Your job is physically and emo-
tionally demanding. It is stressful. It is
dangerous. You have trained and are pre-
pared for every possible scenario: fire,
mass casualty incidents, natural disasters,
vehicle accidents, medical emergencies.
You are called and you execute. You are
40 • May 2023
called again, and you execute. You are ence every single day you are at work.
called again, and while you really strug- Those feelings and those memories must
gled with the fatality on the last call, you go somewhere. They are often tucked far,
execute again. Then you’re called again, far away. Makes sense, because how in the
and again, and again. How do you process world can you go on a SIDS call at 7 a.m.
the calls, especially the ones that hit really then go on a full arrest at 9 a.m., then an
close to home? The ones where you felt as auto vs ped at 9:30 a. m.? Just one of these
if you could have done events can be traumatic enough for some-
something differently? one to be in therapy for years, yet you’re
That kid that died… the expected to manage it, figure it out, and be
one you told he’d be ok. prepared for the next call.
The house fire where We know that you have ways of
you burned yourself so processing these events. Gallows humor
badly but were too em- gets you through a lot of discomfort. It’s
barrassed to tell your an attempt to make light of a distressing
captain. You’ve seen event, to process it on some level, and, in
the worst of the worst. a way, it works. Talking with one another
You are aware of what in the truck, engine, rescue, and 800 after
humans are capable of a particularly difficult call is therapeutic.
doing to one another. It really works. There are times, however,
You’re tired. You find when that’s not enough. Consider taking
yourself becoming it one step further and talk to a peer sup-
more disconnected and porter, a classmate, a friend about things.
go home feeling numb, Open up lines of communication and seek
cold, and angry. support. It works.
Let me tell The intention of this article and fu-
you a little secret: the ture articles is to shed light on how trauma,
brain and body are not stress, and burnout affect the brain, mind,
equipped to see what body, and soul. You need to be aware of
you see and experi- how triggers, chronic stress, and negative
coping mechanisms can put you in a bad
place very quickly. It is important to be
aware of the warning signs and symptoms
of greater issues before they get out of
hand.
LAFD member Beau Porter (fire-
fighter/paramedic, 33B) and I will work
side by side in discussing the impact and
expression of stressors experienced on
the job and how to identify them, address
them, and keep them from trickling down
to other areas of your life. The hope is that
you realize that you are not alone. There
are solutions to what you’re feeling. There
is help. Let’s be proactive, not reactive
with your physical health, mental health,
and emotional well-being.
Beau Porter:
Many of us are looking for guid-
ance as to what makes us tick; we need
answers about hyper-vigilance, running on
overdrive, learning ways to slow it down,
and resiliency. We are problem solvers by
nature. When the answer is out of our con-
trol, we resort to criticizing and venting at
work and at home, day after day, month af-
ter month. This quickly leads to hopeless-
ness and may start you down a very dark
path. This distorted view point can turn
even darker, where you start to think about
giving up and self-sabotaging. I find that a
lot of people feel lost and need a road map
to finding themselves and relationships
that make them feel whole again. I need
others to know that they are not alone.
Dr. Lyndee:
Let’s begin with a simple exer-
cise: I want you to try to identify a cop-
ing mechanism that you typically rely
upon at work and at home. Is it healthy?
Is it causing more stress in your life? Is it
addictive? Does it affect those around you
in a negative way? Do you feel good after
you do it or do you feel worse? How often
are you implementing this coping skill?
Start to become conscious and inten-
tional about implementing positive cop-
ing mechanisms when you begin to feel
overwhelmed, stressed, or angry. Identify
the negative ones and replace them with
something positive.
Below you will find a list of simple,
easy to implement relaxation and positive
coping techniques. If you are unfamiliar
with them, research them a little more.
They can be easy, fun, and easy to apply. I
encourage you to try a few out. Try it out
for a week or two. Make it work for you.
They work.
1. Be intentional (Make decisions
and take action to the things that are
important to you.)
2. Be conscious (Be aware of your
thoughts, perceptions, existence, and
environment.)
3. Do your best to practice good
sleep hygiene (Sleep allows us to process
memories, emotions, and new informa-
tion.)
4. Implement an exercise rou-
tine (Exercise releases endorphins and
serotonin which reduces depression and
anxiety.)
5. Maintain a healthy diet (95% of
serotonin is produced in the gastroin-
testinal tract. A healthy diet promotes a
healthy gut.)
6. Meditate (Calm down your fight or
flight response. Meditation reduces beta
waves and increases low alpha and theta
waves in the brain.)
7. Walk outside without shoes (The
earth emits negative ions and electrons
which aid in increasing serotonin, reliev-
ing stress, and improving energy levels.
Wearing rubber soled shoes stops the flow
of electrical energy.)
8. Practice gratitude (Gratitude
takes away negative emotions and in-
creases happiness, joy, and optimism.)
9. Focused breathing (4-7-7 method:
Inhale for 4 seconds through your nose,
hold your breath for 7 seconds, then
exhale very slowly for 7 seconds through
pursed lips. This exercise tells your brain
that you are not in danger; it turns off the
fight or flight response. Try this exercise
uninterrupted for 5-10 minutes. Notice
the calming benefits.)
We know that creating a work-life
balance is a must. Prioritizing self-care
and implementing positive coping mecha-
nisms is imperative to managing stress
and avoiding burnout. Positive coping al-
lows one to adjust to negative events while
balancing emotions, independence, and
maintaining positive self-awareness.
Dr. Lyndee Venosta holds a Master of
Counseling Psy-
chology, Master of
Forensic Psychol-
ogy, and Doctorate
of Applied Clinical
Psychology. She is
married to LAFD
Engineer, Engel
Luistro, and they
have four sons.
May 2023 • 41
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42 • May 2023
L

On December 22, 2022 the pony tion and off to the side of the road?” “Is I bet if all the L.A. City Council
rides at Griffith Park ceased operations. your vehicle registered?” What? I wanted members had put their heads together and
These pony rides started in 1948 and put to give the lady a smart _ _ _’d answer but had come up with a upbeat song with a
an untold number of smiles on children’s I figured it would only delay gettin’ the good beat, than maybe
faces for 74 years. My mother took me help I needed. the animal protesters
there as a young child and I still remem- Have you noticed all the commer- would have been too busy
ber the thrill of that experience. I also took cials advertisin’ medical treatments and tappin’ their feet to the
my son there many times. A number of TV medications on TV all have catchy songs beat and the pony rides at
news stations were on hand that last day which include a group of actors that are Griffith Park might still
and interviewed a number of parents to dancin’ to the upbeat music. Whether be with us.
get their thoughts about losin’ this attrac- it’s a pill for heart issues, diabetes, joint
tion. Naturally, all the parents expressed pain, memory loss, or psoriasis, all these AC
sadness over this closure and reminisced medical problems take on a light-hearted KEEP SMILIN’
about their memories of ridin’ these po- approach to whatever ailment you’re suf- choppedup@att.net
nies when they were kids. ferin’ with.
A number of animal rights groups
were also present on that last day pro-
testin’ that the horses were bein’ abused.
This abuse included long workin’ hours
and claims of malnourishment. They also
claimed that four horses had died. Hey, af-
ter 74 years that seems like an excellent
track record.
lls And once these complaints reached
the L.A. City Council chambers, the coun-
cil members all caved in figuring the best
way to deal with the situation was to sim-
ply close the ride.
Well, so much for good clean en-
tertainment for the next generation of kids
that will miss out on great memories. Of
course, there is another alternative for par-
ents. They can always take their children
to Disneyland and have them experience
the thrill of waitin’ in long lines.
So, a few months ago, the wife and
I took a break from our retired life here
at home and we took off to our favorite
coastal town for some much-needed R & R
(rest and relaxation). Everythin’ was great
until the next mornin’ when I got to my car
and noticed my rear tire was flat. Luckily,
I have Auto Club, so I called for a tow but
not before goin’ through a battery of frus-
tratin’ questions. “Are you in a safe loca-

May 2023 • 43
 When you shop at Amazon,
YOU can purchase items on behalf of Widows & Orphans
for us to use in our fundraising efforts.

Simply visit our wishlist to see what

we’re currently looking for.

Any purchase you make will be

delivered directly to the Relief offices.

Visit givetoahero.org/amazon-wishlist to learn more.

44 • May 2023
e. May 2023 • 45
 JUAN COLSON, Captain I, Fire Station 79 JOHN GARNICA, JR., Captain II, Fire Station 38-C
DAMON LAWRENCE, FF/PM, Fire Station 79
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2023
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023
The Grand
2385 N 1st Ave
4101 E Willow St
Upland, CA
Long Beach, CA
4:00 PM to ???
Social Hour 6:00 PM - Dinner: 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Mexican Buffet : $60 pp includes tax, gratuity, & gift
Tacos, BBQ & Crawfish Boil
Call Carol Garnica: (951) 907-2802 or
Colson - Celebrating 33 years of service
Email: carolgarnica@gmail.com - RSVP by May 19
Lawrence - Celebrating 34 years of service
Celebrating 34 years of service
Call Donna - (909) 560-9012. RSVP by May 2

TIM AGUAYO, Engineer, Fire Station 49

ARMANDO HOGAN, Chief Deputy
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023
SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2023
Fire Station 49
400 Yacht St
City Club Los Angeles
Wilmington, CA
555 Flower Street 51st Floor
Los Angeles, CA
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Social Hour - 5:30 PM
Catered by Sweet Lou’s Rolling BBQ
along with 70’s music
$65 per person
Celebrating 37 years of service
Call Levisa Wade: (213) 709-6817
All are welcome!

SHANNON K. SAFFO, FF/ PM, Fire Station 112-B

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023

San Pedro Elks Club

1748 Cumbre Dr
San Pedro, CA

Social Hour - 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Dinner - 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM

$75 per person

All are welcome!

46 • May 2023
 Any of you who know about muscle cars
of the 1960s know the name, George Hurst. He
became famous in the drag racing world for the
Hurst Shifter which made it possible to shift
gears quicker than the factory equipment.
He also invented something known as the
Hurst Tool. He invented it after watching rescue
crews struggle with rescuing race drivers after a
crash.
They probably originally used rotary
saws to get drivers out of the wreckage but it could
take as much as an hour to remove them from the
wreckage. In addition to the time involved there
was the possibility of a spark causing a fire.
This very thing happened in the late
1970s in the Sepulveda Basin while trying to
rescue the crew from a downed DC6 airliner. If
you search for the photos they are still around.
When you see the photo of a firefighter from 90s
in a flashover engulfed in flames you can see how
dangerous the old way was.
The Hurst Tool was eventually adapted
by fire departments all over the country and was
renamed The Jaws of Life.
Before The Jaws there was the Porta-
Power. This was a hydraulic jacking system
which was a slow and cumbersome predecessor
to “The Jaws.”
Knowing how resourceful firefighters
are with tools, it didn’t take long for them to find
other uses for this one.
All of the stations from 100s to 107s were
built in the 1960s. If you have ever worked in one
of these stations, they are almost carbon copies of
each other, including the lockers.
One day, a group of guys were standing in front
of Tom Burroughs’ locker at 105s. They had with
them a tape measure, and one of the standard is-
sue gray steel chairs that were found in every City
building.
What they determined was that if you
used the Porta-Power you could spread the frame
of the locker just enough to put the chair into
the locker. When the pressure was released, the
frame sprung back to its original size and the
chair was locked in. Tom didn’t really appreci-
ate the remodel of his personal space. Eventually,
after some name calling and death threats they
reversed the process and Tom got his locker back.
I think Tom invented a few new words that day.
Basil Daughenbaugh, FS105 “C,” had a
large boulder placed in his locker using the same
tool after they found out it worked so well.
The problem with that was the boulder
had many small holes in it and hundreds of tiny
spiders lived in these holes.
He eventually got rid of the boulder and
the spiders.
There was no permanent damage done
to the lockers, they just returned to their original
shape and size.
JON, YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL
Jon Peters was an engineer at FS 100. He
was also a budding entrepreneur.
Jon had a pool business and he was on
the grapevine (not the magazine) quite a bit with
his personal business. The rest of the crew wasn’t
very happy about that.
For those of you unfamiliar with the
grapevines, they were a telephone in the station
that was for personal phone calls. There was usu-
ally a clipboard in the phone booth to write down
your calls. At the end of the month whoever was
doing the house dues would sort out the calls by
the members names and you would then pay your
phone bill. Task Force houses would usually re-
cruit additional help to sort out the calls. Some
stations had more than one line, particularly a
Task Force house.
If you came on after about 2002, these
phones were rapidly being replaced by personal
cell phones and the grapevines became obsolete.
The phone booths are still there, but the phones
are gone.
Stations 100-107 were all essentially the
same design.
Because they were designed for a Task
Force, the locker rooms were very large in these
stations. As a result of most of them being triple
houses, there were many extra lockers in the tri-
ple house, so a lot of the guys would have two or
three lockers.
Jon, being the astute businessman that
he was, took advantage of the situation and had a
private phone line installed in one of his lockers.
It was his private line and he paid for the installa-
tion and the monthly bill.
It was a brilliant move. He had a private
phone for his business and the crew had their
grapevine back.
Perfect, almost.
During one of the monthly inspections,
while the BC was inspecting the locker room,
Jon’s phone began to ring.
When the BC found out whose locker it
was and what it was being used for, Jon’s private
office disappeared. So much for being an innova-
tor!
LAY A LINE
I knew Dave Nordquist when he was a
Firefighter. He subsequently became an Engineer
and ended his career as a Helicopter Pilot.
When he was a Helicopter Pilot, he made a dan-
gerous rescue of several people from a hilltop
during the Woolsey fire. It was a very nice piece
of flying for which he won the Medal of Merit.
LAFD pilots are very skilled and can put
their helicopters in unbelievable places. I have
been there a couple of times when they flew into
some places so tight that it would make you puck-
er.
When Dave was an Engineer, he was
working at FS37 one day and everything was
going well... until he turned right from Wilshire
onto Veteran and pulled up in front of 37s.
It’s a long way from the corner to the sta-
tion. Several hundred feet.
The four-way valve had fallen off of the
tailboard at the corner and he had unknowingly
laid a couple of hundred feet of line.
Engineers do things like that from time to
time.
I am pretty sure that it was Don Stukey
who, while working at old 29s on Western Ave.,
went around a corner and dumped his transverse
bed into the street.
FILL ‘ER UP
Returning to FS37, whoever designed that
place made a big mistake. They put the gas pump
at the end of a long, narrow driveway which made
it very hard to get fuel.
The problem was solved, I was told, by a
visitor who drove into the wall in the back corner
of the parking lot.
Instead of repairing the wall, a gate was
installed, which made access to the gas pump
much easier.
FS37 had a strange type of gas pump at
the time. It was the only one like it. I have never
seen another one like it at a LAFD station.
It was a pipe that came out of the ground
with a meter attached that would allow you to dial
up the amount of fuel you needed. The hose was
attached to the meter and then you could pump
your fuel.
Old 47s, on Huntington Drive in El
Sereno, also had an unusual gas pump. Again, it
was the only one of its kind I had ever seen at an
LAFD facility.
In 1978, I was assigned to RA1 and be-
cause we were the closest RA to El Sereno at the
time, we were in 47’s district quite often.
One afternoon while en route back to 1s
we needed fuel so we pulled into 47’s backyard.
The had a pump, known as a visible
pump, that had a large glass bowl on top of the
pump. This thing probably dated to the 1920s to
1930s.
The way it worked was you would fill the
graduated glass bowl with gas, put the hose in the
filler pipe to your fuel tank, open a valve and the
fuel would drain into your tank by gravity. There
was no nozzle, just a metal tip on the hose.
Not real safe or fancy, but it worked.
If you ever watch American Pickers, you
will see these pumps.
Art Sorrentino
Daoldwestsidekid@Yahoo.com
May 2023 • 47

GEORGE W. OVERTURF—FIRE IN-
SPECTOR II
I met George when he came up to
the Bureau. He was an extremely pleasant
individual. Always had a grin on his face,
(like the cat that ate the canary). I don’t
think he had a mean bone in his body. I
was sorry to hear of his passing. Thoughts
and prayers to his family.
Terrence O’Connell
ALLEN R. WALOCH—ENGINEER
Among my fondest memories of
working at Fire Station 27 (new and old)
– besides Al’s faux chocolate chip cookies
made with refried beans, left conveniently
on the kitchen table as the aroma from
the real ones filled the firehouse – – will
be the mornings spent drinking the day’s
first cup of coffee and learning from Al.
Others who entered the kitchen at 5 AM
may have thought we were merely talking,
but to spend just five minutes alongside Al
meant you were being educated, mentored
and inspired in ways that were not limited
to the fire service, nor always immediately
apparent.
Thank you, Al for not only making
me a better member of the Department,
but a far better person. You are missed.
Please rest in peace.
Brian Humphrey
ROBERT L. KILPATRICK SR.—
CAPTAIN I
In 1986, I was a new recruit at DT-
89. Then Engineer Kilpatrick, kept me on
duty after I smashed my finger between
the drivers side door of a Crown Triple
and a metal I-beam post holding up shed
on the south-side of the drill yard. I was
able to finish the day, but as the night wore
48 • May 2023
on, I knew that I was going to be in big
trouble the next day.
That next morning while doing
housework in the kitchen, Bob noticed that
I was favoring my left hand and asked me
what was wrong. I showed him my swollen
finger and black and blue nail. He looked
at it, took me over to the GAS STOVE and
pulled out a pair if channel locks and a fin-
ishing nail. blood shot out and I felt instant
relief. He bandaged it up and told me to put
on my gloves, you’ll be just fine. I remem-
bered that day my entire career.
Years later, RJ and I were assigned
together on Special Duty. I think I told
him that story on the first day, but in typi-
cal Kilpatrick fashion, humbly shrugged it
off as no big deal. “That’s my Dad!” Bob
Kilpatrick was a true gentleman and a tes-
tament to the reputation of the LAFD.
My prayers and condolences go out to my
friend RJ, and the entire Kilpatrick family.
Jeff Elder
John G. Beiner—Fire Inspector I
And yet another LAFD “good guy”
is no longer with us.
John started his career with the
LAFD as a Paramedic, and a very dedi-
cated and passionate Paramedic was he.
I remember reviewing several letters of
commendation from his patients and their
friends and families attesting to his skills
and patient compassion. The essential
theme of these documents was that John
was sincerely committed to the welfare
of his patients and was deeply concerned
with their well-being.
He was very well liked and respect-
ed by members of his assignments and had
a VERY positive presence in the station.
This was very evident in his assignment to
Fire Station 93.
Even with his seniority, he made a
sterling effort to complete the cross train-
ing program.
John’s willingness to become an
outstanding Inspector are widely known.
When I was assigned as a Battalion
Chief in the Office of the Chief Engineer,
I had ample opportunity to see and visit
with Inspector John. He was truly an am-
bassador of what the LAFD was all about
to the public and to its members.
Adios old friend.
Allen N. Normanherr
ALFREDO VEGA—
ASSISTANT CHIEF
I first met Chief Vega when I was
appointed chaplain in 1980. I had the hon-
or of celebrating his 50th wedding anni-
versary with his dear wife, Elise, after he
retired. Was able to reconnect with the two
of them during the last 2 years when they
moved to a care facility in Dana Point.
Visited with him almost every week, shar-
ing many old fire stories and walking with
the two of them the journey of faith as
their health began to fail. Elise died about
6 months ago and I continued to visit Al
and spend time in prayer together. Another
legend of our department has gone. He was
devoted to his family, his faith, and his fel-
low firefighters. He leaves an incredible
legacy of devotion and service to God, his
family and the community. “Well done,
good and faithful servant. Come now into
the place I have prepared for you.”
Fr. Chris Van Liefde (Retired Chaplin)
RONALD G. MC INTYRE—
CAPTAIN I
Captain “No Slack Mac”, was his
nick name whom I had heard of prior to
being transferred to Fire Station 92 back
in 1981 as a rookie. Needless to say, I was
shaking in my boots prior to meeting him,
but found him to be the best officer I ever
served with. He was a giant of a man (liter-
ally), and was a great Truck Captain. I can
say that I learned a great deal from him
and incorporated many of his techniques
as an officer myself years later.
Above all though, Captain Mac be-
came a good friend both on and off the job.
Over the years, Captain Mac, Ed Tapia,
Richard Chrisman and myself stayed in
contact with one another. And though
we may not have always seen each other
physically, we regularly made calls to each
other assuring that all was well (thank you
for keeping that going Ed). Much thanks
to Tammy for opening up the family home
and allowing me and Richard the opportu-
nity to pay our respects to him last week.
He will be sorely missed, but I’m sure he’s
in heaven teaching the rookies there how
to throw a one man 35” extension ladder.
RIH Captain Mac!

Addison Birdine
Protect Those
BRENT L. HOGUE—CAPTAIN I

When I had only a few years on the

with Special Needs
job, I got involved with the Firefighter’s
Association. Brent was on the committee
Firefighter Justin Mendence set up a special needs trust to ensure his
also. He was fun, but sometimes he would son and entire family is taken care of in the best manner possible.
baffle me. Whenever we had to vote on
something, like attending a function, host- “You want to think everybody’s going to take care of your kid because
ing an event, or backing a politician, and it
was a slam dunk positive vote, Brent would
everybody loves him, but unless you have a plan in place…you’re planning
vote no. On another issue, if everybody to fail. Leaving it to chance is not in me and my wife’s vocabulary.”
voted against it, he would vote yes. I final-
ly asked him why he always went against
the almost unanimous vote. He said, “Well A Special Needs Trust Helps You:
you see, if turns out to be a positive thing, I
can say “we,” the Relief Association, were • Set up long-term funding for living expenses & care
behind that. But, if it turns out to be nega-
tive thing, I can tell the Association, I told • Determine who will be the primary caregiver
you so. So, I’m always right.” Now that’s
thinking outside the box! • Create an advisory group of experts to help caregivers make
sound decisions
Larry Hoerner
• Ensure your child’s assets are protected & well-managed
MYRON “MICK” H. DAVIS— • Ensure your child maintains eligibility for special services
ENGINEER

I worked with Mick at FS 35 in “I sleep a little bit easier at night knowing that my son is
1977/78. He was a great person to be
around and always carried his weight
set up for his entire life,” Justin said.
around the station and at fires. He owned
a beautiful little ’76 BMW 2002 that he
decided to sell and I was quick to buy it
from him. He made me promise to take
care of the car as well as he did, since he
was going to have to see it in the parking
lot every day we were on duty together.
We would see each other periodically for Whether you care for a child or adult with special needs or not,
years after that time at 35’s and always en- everyone should consider setting up an estate plan. Ask for a
joy reminiscing about our days there. My
“Getting Started Kit” today by emailing the Relief Association
condolences to his family.
Development & Marketing Director at donations@lafra.org
Mike Littleton or calling (323) 259-5217

May 2023 • 49
 MEMBERS
VARRICK L. YOUNG, FIREFIGHTER III.
Appointed November 1, 1956.
Retired on a service pension November 1, 1986 from FS 79.
Passed away February 16, 2023.

DONALD W. AINSWORTH, FIRE INSPECTOR II.

Appointed November 24, 1962.
Retired on a service pension July 18, 1999 from FPB Const. Serv.
Passed away February 21, 2023.

TERRENCE M. PALMER, FIRE INSPECTOR II.

Appointed April 13, 1986.
Retired on a service pension June 30, 2018 from FPB Contruction Unit.
Passed away February 24, 2023.

EARL G. WATZ, CAPTAIN.

Appointed February 20, 1960.
Retired on a service pension July 3, 1988 from FS 104.
Passed away March 3, 2023.

FRED J. HAWK, FIREFIGHTER III.

Appointed November 24, 1962.
Retired on a service pension July 4, 1988 from FS 18.
Passed away March 5, 2023.

ALBERTO S. DE LA PENA, CAPTAIN.

Appointed September 1, 1962.
Retired on a service pension February 28, 1992 from FS 47.
Passed away March 7, 2023

CHARLES I. WALLIN, FIREMAN.

Appointed Febraury 1, 1955.
Retired on a disability pension February 17, 1977 from FS 50.
Passed away March 11, 2023.

KENNETH D. CASSIDY, CAPTAIN I.

Appointed May 15, 1977.
Retired on a service pension January 20, 2012 from FS 56.
Passed away March 13, 2023.

FAMILY
Dolores J. Bjork, surviving spouse of Jerry Bjork, Passed away November 09, 2017.
Carole A. Murray, surviving spouse of August E. Plautz, Jr., passed away February 23, 2023.
Bettye Seeberg, surviving spouse of Donald W. Seeberg, passed away March 12, 2023.

50 • May 2023
 One of the primary advantages of using
a trust to pass on your home to your heirs is the
avoidance of the court process known as pro-
bate. Unlike a will, assets held in trust do not
have to go through probate. During probate,
the court oversees the will’s administration,
ensuring your assets are distributed according
to your wishes, with automatic supervision to
handle any disputes.
However, probate can be a long and
expensive process, which can be emotionally
draining for your loved ones. Depending on the
complexity of your estate, probate proceedings
can drag out for months or even years, and your
family will likely have to hire an attorney to
represent them, which can result in costly legal
fees that can drain your estate. Plus, probate
is open to the public, which can make
things risky for those you leave behind,
especially if the wrong people take an
interest in your family’s affairs.
Unlike a will, if your trust is
properly set up and maintained, your
family won’t have to go through probate
to inherit your home. Instead, your home
will immediately pass to your loved ones
upon your death, without the need for
any court intervention. Avoiding the de-
lay of probate can be especially critical
when it comes to a home to ensure the
property is properly maintained, since
the home may fall into disrepair while
probate is being completed.  family’s most valuable and treasured asset. In light of this, you want
Finally, unlike wills, trusts remain pri-
vate and are not part of the public record. So,
with a properly funded trust, the entire process
of transferring ownership of your home can
happen privately and on your family’s time.
PROTECTION AGAINST INCAPACITY
In addition to passing on your home
to your loved ones when you die, putting your
home in a trust can also protect your home in
the event you become incapacitated by serious
illness or injury. In contrast, a will only goes
into effect upon your death, so it would be use-
less for protecting your home in the event you
become incapacitated.
If you do become incapacitated with
only a will in place, your family will have to
petition the court to appoint a conservator or
guardian to manage your affairs related to
homeownership, including paying your mort-
gage and property taxes, keeping up with your
home’s general maintenance, and oversee-
ing the sale of your home. Like probate, the
process of petitioning the court to appoint a
conservator or guardian can be costly, time-
consuming, and stressful.
And there’s always the possibility that
the court could appoint a family member as a
guardian that you’d never want to manage your
family home. Or the court might select a pro-
fessional guardian, putting a total stranger in
control of your family’s most precious asset
and leaving it vulnerable to crooked guardians,
who could potentially sell your home for their
personal financial gain.
With a trust, however, you can include
provisions in the terms of the trust that appoint
someone of your choosing—not the court’s—
If you are like many homeowners, your home is likely your
to plan wisely to ensure your home will pass to your heirs in the most
efficient and safe manner possible when you die or in the event you
become incapacitated by illness or injury.
as successor trustee to manage your home’s
ownership and/or sale if you’re unable to do so
yourself due to incapacity. For example, your
trust could authorize your successor trustee to
sell your home in order to pay for the costs of
long-term care should you require it.
CONTROL OVER
ASSET DISTRIBUTION
Because you can include specific in-
structions in a trust’s terms for how and when
the assets held by the trust are distributed to
a beneficiary, a trust can offer greater control
over how your assets are distributed compared
to a will. For example, you could stipulate in
the trust’s terms that the assets can only be dis-
tributed upon certain life events, such as the
completion of college or marriage, or when the
beneficiary reaches a certain age.
In this way, you can help prevent your
beneficiaries from blowing through their in-
heritance all at once, and offer incentives for
them to demonstrate responsible behavior. And
as we mentioned earlier, as long as the assets
are held in trust, they’re protected from the
beneficiaries’ creditors, lawsuits, and divorce,
which is something else wills don’t provide.
AVOIDING FAMILY CONFLICT
If you leave your home to your loved
ones using a will and you designate more than
one person to inherit the property, there’s a
potential for conflict because each individual
gets an undivided interest in the home.
Given this, these individuals must agree
on what to do with the home—keep it or
sell it—and they may not see eye-to-eye,
which can create unnecessary drama
that can tear your family apart.
For example, if one of your children
wants to keep the home and live in it, but
the other prefers to sell it in order to pay
off their debts, the child who wants to
sell could go to court in order to force
their sibling to sell the property. How-
ever, this potential for conflict can be
avoided by putting your home in a living
trust.
If you name more than one beneficiary
for your home in your living trust, you can
name a neutral third-party as successor trustee
to decide what happens to the home, and then
manage the distribution after a clear determi-
nation is made. For example, the trustee could
allow one child to live in the home, while the
other could receive other estate assets of equal
value, or the trustee could come up with some
alternative solution to stave off the potential
for conflict.
This article is a service of Deanny
Lungu-Underwood, Esq., Lungu Law Group,
A Professional Corporation.
Deanny Lungu-Underwood, Esq.
Lungu Law Group,
A Professional Corporation
5320 E. 2nd Street, Suite 6,
Long Beach, CA 90803
www.lungulawgroup.com
May 2023 • 51
 Written | Frank Baker, LAFD retired

Drill Tower, Rookie life in the 50s,

and the two platoon system, Part 2

Our work schedule in the tower was somewhat the same as the
guys in the engine houses except that we had the weekends off.
That was because our instructors worked an eight-hour day, five
days a week. We worked three 24-hour shifts in one week then
two the next week. Nights were spent at the dormitory which was
at the other end of the block from the drill yard and tower.

There were two Captains, one for each of the shifts at the dorm.
This was in the two-platoon days. They were called house moth-
ers and the Captains also conducted training in the classroom that
was adjacent to the dormitory. They were on platoon duty and
supervised us at night. Sometimes, Cap would have us connected
to the signal office at night. And when we got a long ring, we
would slide the pole and call out our name to him. His office and
sleeping quarters were located downstairs. After that, we would
go back upstairs to bed. Needless to say, we didn’t get too many
night runs because he was getting up also.

The instructors who trained us in the drill tower were all Cap-
tains. No peer group of the Firefighter rank back then. However,
the Captains were dedicated to helping us to succeed. Sure, they
were tough on us at times, but not mean or vicious. They wanted
us to become good Firemen. Yes, we were called Firemen back
then, not Firefighters. That changed sometime in the 1980s when
the first female Firefighters came on board, but when I received
my badge it read “FIREMAN.” In the drill yard, Dick Carriger
was the drillmaster. On the engine side, we had Charlie Brown
and Russ Weck. And on the truck side, were Rudy Landgraf and
Bob Roudeau. Our house mother was Woody Culp.

Our daily routine started like I guess it had for all recruits since
time began. “Up And Over!” For any non-fire types that might
read this, let me explain what an up and over is. The drill tower
was a six-story, all-concrete building. It had a steel ladder fas-
tened to one side, and it ran from the ground up to the flat roof on
top of the structure. Just a straight, open ladder, no cage around
This 1967 aerial photo of the LAFD Supply and Maintenance facility shows the old
drill tower on the property at bottom right. Frank and his classmates trained on this
tower during their fire academy. The LAFD Shops were demolished and rebuilt on
site and completed in 1962. Only the drill tower remained of the original footprint.
It was eventually demolished in 1987.

52 • May 2023
it. On another side of the tower, a standard type fire escape stair-
way and landing like those found on many large buildings was in
place. First thing every morning and then again after lunch, all
of the recruits formed a single line at the base of the ladder, and
climbed up six stories to the top. Once we reached the roof, we
ran across to the fire escape and returned to the ground. Seemed
like every person wanted to be first in line so they could impress
on the instructors how fast they could climb to the top. But some-
how on our shift, it was always either Andy Kuljis or Don Antho-
ny at the front with the other one right behind him. It sometimes
looked like the guy in second place on the ladder was going to
climb right over the first one. I have sometimes wondered if there
were still imprints of fingers on those metal rungs, left there by
our clutching hands the first few times we climbed that ladder.
--TO BE CONTINUED
We recognize the Line of Duty sacrifice
of the following members during the
Month of May:
• Capt. Thomas J. McDonald – 05/11/1913
• Frm. Toney Arguello – 05/12/1924
• A/F Joseph Shill – 05/17/1929
• A/F John E. Arnell – 05/06/1933
• Eng. Walter Westphal – 05/10/1936
• Frm. Tony Arisco – 05/05/1941
• Frm. Peter Higgins – 05/13/1950
• Frm. Nick W. Holopoff – 05/17/1951
• Frm. Wesley W. Currie – 05/03/1958
• Frm. Rupert A. Black – 05/02/1960
• Frm. Richard V. Dikeman – 05/18/1968
• Eng. Gordon L. Anderson – 05/27/1969
• Frm. Jack W. Hancock – 05/25/1973
• FF Lynn R. Hazlett – 05/12/1979
• A/O Richard R. Carnes – 05/30/1984
• Capt. Charles S. Jennings – 05/30/1986
• FF Peter D. Rose – 05/01/1989
• FF Joseph J. Napolitano – 05/09/1993
• FF Michael A. Pizinger – 05/02/1998
• Eng. Jesse D. Kellogg – 05/21/1998
• Capt. John R. Gregory – 05/21/2005
• Insp. Jerald L. Coates – 05/20/2012
• Capt. Ray E. Van Blarcom – 05/01/2020
• Capt. John E. Ruedy – 05/22/2021
May 2023 • 53
 VISIT OUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PAGE
FOR MORE INFORMATION!

LOS ANGELES RETIRED FIRE & POLICE ASSOCIATION, INC.

APPLICATION NOW OPEN!

CLOSES MAY 15, 2023

Qualifications:
Be a high school senior at the time of application.
Achieve at least a 2.5 GPA.
Be a dependent of a legal guardian who is a
dues-paying member of the Los Angeles Retired
Fire & Police Association (LARFPA).

54 • May 2023
 LOS ANGELES FIREMEN’S RELIEF ASSOCIATION MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
March 1, 2023
CALL TO ORDER was discussed. Jim Duffy also attended.
3) Hook & Ladder Enduro: The event will
President Chris Stine called the Meeting of the take place on Saturday, March 18th. Jim will attend.
Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Firemen’s Re- Marlene Casillas will also attend with our videogra-
lief Association to order at 9:40 a.m. pher to do interviews with members, talk about the
event, take event video, etc.
ROLL CALL 4) HealthComp Staffing: Changes in staff-
ing were noted with Eliza Gonzalez on board now
MEMBERS PRESENT: as the Account Support Specialist. The position lo-
Chris Stine, President cated in LAFRA office is vacated and HealthComp
Jim Duffy, Vice President is actively searching for a quality candidate for the
Trustee Frank Aguirre position. This employee would be in the Relief of-
Trustee Kenneth Breskin fices, on at least a hybrid schedule.
Trustee Paul Duke For the March 15th Medical Committee
Trustee Leon Dunn meeting, representatives from the HealthComp
Trustee J.D. Fox Executive Team will attend to discuss and address
Trustee Cesar S. Garcia questions, comments, concerns, processes & proce-
Trustee Henry Gasbarri dures, and key issues with the Relief account.
Trustee Jeff Halloran 5) Drill Tower: There will be a presentation
Trustee John Jacobsen on March 7th for graduating Drill Tower candi-
Trustee Steve Jones dates. Chris and Ana Salazar, Relief Member Ser-
Trustee John Marasco vices, will attend.
Trustee Milton Quintana 6) Graduation: The graduation will take
Trustee Mike Sailhamer place on Thursday, March 9. Jim will attend and
Trustee Tyler Tomich represent the Relief.
Trustee Brian Wall 7) Board Offsite: A sign-up sheet for the
Trustee Juan Albarran – Pension Board Offsite meeting was distributed. This is a
Todd Layfer - Executive Director mandatory event. All trustees are encouraged to
Liberty Unciano – Controller/Treasurer sign-up and attend.. If for any reason a trustee can-
not attend, they are to notify Chris and Jim as soon
MEMBERS ABSENT: as possible.
Trustee Steve Berkery - Pension 8) Pechanga Reunion: The advertisement
Trustee Tim Freeman for this will be in the March Grapevine issue. The
Trustee Steve Tufts – Pension dates are May 22nd through May 26th. Juan Albar-
Trustee Craig White ran has been working on this event. There are 34
Trustee Danny Wu RV spots available and about half are already filled.
Those interested in attending should make their res-
GUESTS: None ervations as soon as possible. Several vendors will
be on hand for this great event. All trustees are en-
INVOCATION & Flag Salute couraged to attend, schedule permitting.
9) Roque LAFRA Plaque Presentation:
Mike Sailhamer led the invocation. John Jacobsen The Celebration of Life for George Roque will take
led the flag salute. place on Saturday, March 18th in Redlands at his
residence. Information about this should be coming
RATIFICATION OF ACTION out soon.
AND MINUTES There will be another event at FS 97 for
George on Saturday, March 25th. The presentation
Chris Stine entertained a motion to approve the of the LAFRA plaque, provided to the station, will
February 1, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes. J.D. Fox be done at this event. A lot of family and fire depart-
so moved. Jeff Halloran seconded. There was no ment personnel is expected to be present. All are
discussion or objections. encouraged to attend.
10) LAFRA Logo/Branding: There was
Motion carried to approve the February 1, 2023 an email circulated about a follow-up meeting for
Board Meeting Minutes. discussion on the LAFRA Logo/Branding happen-
ing after today’s board meeting. There were two (2)
PRESIDENT’S REPORT logos that were approved from the finalists. Those
attending today’s meeting will discuss any logo/
1) Pension Update: The new 5-year con- branding tweaks, proposed use, distribution, etc.
tract has been approved by all parties. March 2, is Danny Wu will have more information in the meet-
the medical plan presentation before the Pension ing.
Board Commissioners for approval. 11) Hope for Firefighters: A sign-up sheet
2) UFLAC Meeting: Chris attended the for Hope for Firefighters was also distributed. This
meeting last week. Nothing of major significance is another mandatory event. All trustees are encour-
aged to sign-up and attend this “all hands-on- deck”
event. The event will be on Thursday, June 1st. Juliet
Brandolino has several stations signed up already.
This will be the first Hope event in three years. The
Widows are committed to coming out and having a
booth. If for any reason a trustee cannot attend, they
are to notify Chris and Jim as soon as possible.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Chris Stine entertained a motion to move into an
Executive Session for voting members of the board.
Henry Gasbarri so moved. Tyler Tomich seconded.
The Board entered Executive Session at 9:53 a.m.
The Board adjourned from Executive Session at
10:42 a.m.
Member updates and employee matters were dis-
cussed during Executive Session.
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
1) 2023 Conferences: Jim advised of the up-
coming 2023 conferences. The Morningstar Invest-
ment conference will take place in April 25-27th in
Chicago. Interest in attending has been expressed by
one member. The Health Care Management Con-
ference will be on April 24-25th in Miami. Interest
in attending has been expressed by one member. A
reminder email will be sent out next week to those
trustees/committees who can/are eligible to attend
these two conferences. Early registration is March
13th for each conference.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT
1) Golf Kickoff Meeting 3/14: The kick-
off meeting for this year’s Golf Committee will be
Tuesday, March 14th via Zoom.
2) FRITS 3.0: The design buildout is about
to begin for the core CRM. This will involve user
profiles, user security profiles, dashboards and more
for the overall system configuration. The first area
Elevation Solutions will program is recruitment,
i.e., getting new members from the Drill Tower
into LAFRA, getting them in the medical plan, etc.
Then, they expect to begin work on medical ben-
efits in late March/early April. Weekly meetings
are still happening between Elevation Solutions and
key Relief personnel to keep the project on track and
moving forward. There are also monthly executive
summary meetings with Todd, Chris and Jim with
project updates.
3) New Employee: Vivian Dang is our new
HR/Payroll Administrator and will begin work on
Monday, March 13th. Vivian currently works as
the HR Coordinator for a construction company
and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Admin-
istration from Cal Poly Pomona. She is very smart
and possesses the core knowledge base the position
requires. Vivian has also taken some accounting
courses and could help that department, if/when
May 2023 • 55
necessary. We are excited to welcome her to the
staff.
Member Services Candidate: There will be
an interview with a potential candidate for the new
position in the Member Services department this
afternoon. Todd, Chris, and Jim will participate in
this interview. Todd will keep the group posted on
further progress for this position.
4) Proposed 2023 Budget: Todd presented
the detailed LAFRA Annual Operating Budget to
the Board with proposed expenses and revenues for
questions and approval. Some key points were noted
and explained for the increases in the budget.
• The 4.5% pay raise for firefighters is re-
flected in increased Relief dues and Sick & Injury
benefits
• More Drill Tower classes in 2023
• Grapevine costs have increased. Produc-
tion costs have increased significantly.
• Premium increases for the Kaiser Plan
Frank Aguirre motioned to approve the 2023 An-
nual Budget as presented by Todd Layfer. J.D. Fox
seconded. There was no discussion or objections.
Motion carried to approve the 2023 Annual Bud-
get as presented by Todd Layfer.
5) Grapevine Assessment: The last time the
cost of the Grapevine was increased was in 2017. It
went from $36 to $48; before that it was last raised
in 2009. This is the annual amount. The production
costs have increased as such the recommendation is
to raise the price by another dollar per month for an
increase to $60 per year.
Motion to increase the annual Grapevine Assess-
ment from $48 to $60. Frank Aguirre so moved.
Juan Albarran seconded. There was no discus-
sion or objections.
Motion carried to increase the annual Grapevine
Assessment to $60.
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE REPORT
1) Beacon Pointe Offsite Meeting: The
meeting took place on Monday, February 6th at
their offices in Newport Beach. Chris gave a brief
overview of the highlights of the meeting. Com-
mittee members met with a few of the investment
managers that we utilize and discussed current per-
formance along with looking forward. Inflation and
interest rates were also discussed.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
1) Audit Planning Meeting 3/13: The com-
mittee will have their next meeting on Monday,
March 13th via Zoom.
BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT
Juan Albarran reported on the new equipment in the
fitness room at the Relief offices. They are working
on HVAC updates to the building. Software updates
for all staff and Relief workstations are happening
now.
56 • May 2023
MEMORIAL FIRE STATION PLAQUES
COMMITTEE REPORT (THIS WAS NOT ON
THE AGENDA)
This was covered under the President’s report.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
REPORT
Tyler Tomich presented the following motions.
The committee recommends and I so move to pay
the usual and customary bills in the amount of
$1,161,149.52. There was no discussion or objec-
tions.
Motion carried to pay the usual and customary
bills in the amount of $1,161,149.52.
The committee recommends and I so move to ap-
prove the proposed 2023 Kaiser Plan premium rates
increase of 10.09% for the active and early retirees
and a decrease of 2.9% for Medicare retirees effec-
tive July 1, 2023. There was no discussion or objec-
tions.
Motion carried to approve the proposed 2023 Kai-
ser Plan premium rates as stated effective July 1,
2023.
MEDICAL COMMITTEE REPORT
Frank Aguirre presented the following motion(s).
The committee recommends and I so move to ap-
prove the medical plan bills totaling
$1,060,901.47. There was no discussion or objec-
tions.
Motion carried to approve the Medical Plan bills
totaling $1,060,901.47.
The Proposed 2023 Medical Plan Premium Rate
increases of 3.49% for Active and 5.97% Retirees
were included in Todd’s budget presentation and ap-
proved earlier in this meeting. These increases are
effective July 1, 2023.
Frank reminded the board that HealthComp repre-
sentatives will be in the building for the March 15th
committee meeting and invited any trustee to come
& sit in on the meeting and observe and ask ques-
tions. Heather Leavitt will also attend this meeting
in person.
RELIEF COMMITTEE REPORT
Mike Sailhamer presented the following motion.
The committee recommends and I so move to pay:
The Sick & Injury benefits for Active & Retired in
the amount of $53,500.61 The Estate Planning ben-
efit in the amount of $10,800
The Life & Accident Withdrawals of $2,215
The Assistance Committee in the amount of
$29,975.64
The Emergency Advancements in the amount of
$10,256.16
The Widows & Orphans Disabled Firefighter’s do-
nations in the amount of $8,506.18 The Life and Ac-
cident Death Benefit in the amount of $0
The Relief Death Benefits in the amount of $25,000
Motion carried to pay the above Relief benefits.
Mike Sailhamer read the names of members who
recently passed and asked for a moment of silence
from the Board.
MEMORIALS
Jerry L. Jackson
Duane D. Reese
Gary D. Knapp
Alan R. Waloch
Ted F. Norton
Due to the unfortunate passing of Kenneth Brink,
the committee has been reaching out and contacting
active LAFD members who are non-Relief mem-
bers to see if they want to join the Relief. There are a
few who have expressed interest. As such, the board
would need to approve the instatement (joining for
the first time) or reinstatement of these members to
the Relief Association. Three members were ap-
proved for membership and these members agreed
to pay any back Relief Dues.
Motion carried to instate or reinstate the mem-
bers names into the Relief Association, with the
appropriately executed promissory note on file, as
needed.
The board expressed their appreciation to the com-
mittee for their work in reaching out to these mem-
bers.
GRAPEVINE/WEB COMMITTEE
REPORT
Things are going well. Ads are doing good. The
busy season is coming up. John Hicks is working
with Kenny Breskin on the upcoming LA Galaxy
event/fundraiser.
SECRETARY’S REPORT
There is nothing to report.
BY-LAW COMMITTEE REPORT
There is nothing to report.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT
1) Application & Exam Dates: The appli-
cation is now open from March 1st to March 31st.
There is a spreadsheet set up to track when candi-
dates fill out their application. Any questions can
be directed to Mike Sailhamer and Jim Duffy via
the committee email at scholarship@lafra.org. The
exam date will be Saturday, April 22nd.
MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE REPORT
The Development & Marketing department staff is
working on wrapping up last year’s golf and plan-
ning for this one. They are also working on the LA
Galaxy fundraiser. Marlene is also working on nu-
merous videos.
A new graduation video is up on the websites and
YouTube and we are about to debut a great video
on LAFD Girls Camp for Women’s History Month.
We also are working on the Online Auction (solicit-
ing items and sending thank you letters), the new
trustee binders, and the new Relief logo. A meeting
will take place after this meeting to try to finalize
the new logo/branding. We are beginning work on
a CPK multi-state fundraiser to take place in Sep-
tember.
NEW BUSINESS
1) Firefighter Event Reimbursement Form:
This form is available on the Relief website, under
the Relief Benefits tab. This new benefit is adver-
tised in the March Grapevine. The reimbursement
for food & drink for events held at a fire station is
inclusive of pickleball, handball, racquetball tourna-
ments.
OLD BUSINESS
1) Member Profile Report: The reports are
being mailed out to each member, detailing their
benefits, coverages, and donations were sent out last
week. They should be hitting members’ mailboxes
very soon. Please review thoroughly and contact
the Relief with any questions or concerns. Trustees
were instructed to contact Chris or Todd if they have
not received their report by March 15th.
SETTING OF MEETING DATES
1) Hook & Ladder Enduro will take place
on Saturday, March 18th. All trustees are encour-
aged to attend, schedule permitting.
2) George Roque Celebration of Life will
also take place on Saturday, March 18th in Red-
lands.
3) George Roque LAFRA Plaque Presenta-
tion at FS 97 on Saturday, March 25th.
4) Pechanga Reunion will take place on
Monday, May 22nd through Friday, May 26th.
5) Hope for Firefighters is scheduled for
Thursday, June 1st. Chris encouraged the trustees to
get their stations and/or service area involved in the
event.
The next committee meetings will take place on
Wednesday, March 15th. The next board meeting
will be on Wednesday, April 5th.
RETIREMENT DINNERS
1) Sean Wonders Retirement Breakfast will
take place Thursday, March 30th at FS 88 from 8:00
a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
2) Mike Mac Innes Retirement Breakfast
will take place on Friday, March 31st at FS 88 from
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Chris Stine entertained a motion to adjourn. Mike
Sailhamer so moved. Jeff Halloran seconded. There
was no discussion and no objections.
Motion carried to adjourn. The Board of Trustees
meeting adjourned at 11:42 a.m.
Chris Stine, President

Donations to Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund

HAMER TOYOTA in honor of Fire Station 75 - CHRISTINE M. BRUMBAUGH in memory of

Lane Kemper Softball Mike Brumbaugh

MARK R. KEMPER in honor of Lane Kemper BRUCE E. GALIEN in honor of Lane Kemper

DANIEL W. MCLEAN in memory of JOSEPH C. LONGAN in memory of

Myron “Mick” Davis Steven L. Robinson

CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA FIRE STATION #5 from the Fire Extinguisher Fund

JOSEPH C. LONGAN in memory of RICHARD J. ERQUIAGA in memory of

Robert L. Kilpatrick, Sr. Terence M. Palmer

STEVEN J. BERKERY from your PATRICK M. SHANLEY in memory of Ted F. Norton

Corporate Secretary Payment
PATRICK M. SHANLEY in memory of
EDWARD L. REED Robert L. Kilpatrick, Sr.

DANIEL J. KEMP in memory of Gilbert B. Ramelli NETWORK FOR GOOD

May 2023 • 57
 CLASSIFIEDS
For advertising information, please contact:
Eric Santiago - (323) 259-5231 - eric@lafra.org
REAL ESTATE
FOR SALE
TWO S/B/S GRAVE SITES FOR
SALE. Rose Hills Cemetery Whit-
tier, curbside graves in the Garden
of Affection, $9,000 ea., or both
for $17,500. Contact: Larry Wilson
(LAFD retired) @ (951)780-1838.
SERVICES
BUSY BEAVER TREE AND
LANDSCAPE. Tree trimming
and removal, stumpgrinding, and
firewood sales. Mixed firewood,
eucalyptus and oak. Delivery
available or pick up. Licensed and
insured. Dwayne Kastor, FS 63-B -
(818) 535-6368.
CRAIG SANFORD HEATING &
AIR - Free estimates, residen-
tial, commercial. Great rates for
LAFD and LAPD. Toll free (877)
891-1414, (661) 298-3070, FAX
(661) 298-3069. State License No.
527114
INCOME TAX PREPARATION
Tired of paying excessive fees for
lncome Tax Preparation? A and J’s
Tax Service has been in business
for over 30 years. We offer year-
round friendly service at very af-
fordable prices. We are located on
Ventura Blvd. ln Woodland Hills.
Joe Flores, Certified Tax Profes-
sional, retired LAFD firefighter/
paramedic.
Business telephone (818)340-
3575. Cell phone (818)521-9227
ajstax@hotmall.com
KEVIN LOCKHART ROOFING &
CONSTRUCTION
Roofing repair and maintenance,
construction waterproofing
solutions. Kevin Lockhart 18 A
(661)810-4980
lic #536528
MONDAY MORNING TRUST
(714) 929-1040. $595 Full living
trust packages (trust, will, p.O.A
finances/healthcare, d.N.R.).
Bradley Ball - 11801 Pierce St.
#200 Riverside CA 92505. Riv-
erside lDA # 000392. I am not an
attorney, I can only provide “self-
58 • May 2023
help” services at your specific
direction.
REAL ESTATE & MORTGAGES.
We all know someone in the
business, that doesn’t mean you
shouldn’t shop. No obligation free
quotes. You work hard for your
money; keep more of it. Buying,
selling, or financing, call me,
John Sullivan (310) 961-8282.
West Shores Realty, Inc. DRE
#01260041, NMLS #2010982
VACATION
RENTALS
AZ - VACATION RENTALS. Home
to Spring Training, Barrett Jackson
Auto Auction, and Arabian Horse
Show – WestWorld. Two homes.
1. Walking distance to Sloan Park
- Chicago Cubs Spring Training
Fields, 3+2 - Pool - Putting Green
– Mesa
@cubbiehousemesaaz
2. Walking distance to Scottsdale
Stadium and 10 minute drive to
Salt River Talking Stick Fields
and Tempe Diablo Stadium. 3+1
- Old Town Scottsdale @scotts-
dale76th
Call us – Rod, FS-56B or Diana:
(661)294-0971 to book direct
and avoid the short-term rental
platform fees.
BEAUTIFUL BIG BEAR CABIN.
Two-story with vaulted ceiling,
2BD/1BA . Close to lake, shops,
skiing, and forest. Great deck, lots
of trees, fireplace/wood, cable TV/
WiFi, BBQ, fully equipped except
linens. 6-person max , pets ok.
$150/day, 2-night min. Week rate
available. Contact Donna at (760)
723-1475 or DnBeep@gmail.
com. See photos at www.schaf-
fercabin.com
BIG BEAR RENTAL. 3 bedroom,
3 bath chalet with large loft with
it’s own bathroom in Fawnskin,
Big Bear Lake. Sleeps 10, walking
distance to some of the best hik-
ing trails in Big Bear, 15 min drive
to Snow Summit and Big Bear
Village. Huge back deck area with
phenomenal views of the lake.
Lots of cooking supplies; instapot,
air fryer, and more! Game room
with boardgames, pool table,
foosball and darts.
https://abnb.me/24MAsKIuZlb
CAMBRIA HAVEN IN THE PARK
HILL AREA OF CAMBRIA. A
beautiful studio with one queen
bed, perfect for two people to get
away. Enjoy ocean sounds and
views with a patio and yard for
that small pet. Full size kitchen.
Close to Moonstone Beach, the
Fiscalini Ranch and Cambria’s
West Village. Hearst Castle is
minutes away. Call Ana 559-
974-2509 for fire family discount
pricing.
COEUR D’ALENE, ID HOME
One story 2 bed, 1.5 bath
located in quiet neighborhood in
the Sanders Beach area. Fully
furnished, wifi, central heating/
ac, laundry. Walking distance to
downtown CDA, the lake, parks,
and multiple bars/restaurants.
No pets, no smoking. Contact
Andrew at CDArental99@gmail.
com for questions, availability,
pricing.
COZUMEL, MEXICO CONDO
Beautiful, large, modern 3
bedroom, 3.5 bath condo at The
Landmark, 3800 sq. feet. Sleeps
6, ocean views, steps from beach.
Smart TV, Wi-Fi, pool, jacuzzi,
tennis. All master suites with
ensuite bathrooms. No smoking.
Call David (LAFD retired) at 949-
294-2953. Email: azmalproper-
ties@gmail.com Facebook: The
Landmark 511
GORGEOUS WATERFRONT
RIVERHOUSE on the lagoon
of the Colorado River for rent.
Family home-5 bedrooms, large
bonus room for kids, 4 1/2 baths .
Sleeps 15. Fully loaded with top of
the line appliances. Private launch
ramp. No pets. No smoking. No
large parties or events. Contact:
Gigi (714)454-0922 (Spouse-
LAFD) for special firefighter family
rates and for snowbirds Check out
details:
https://airbnb.com/h/theriver-
housevacationhome
GRAND CANYON/ WILLIAMS,
ARIZONA. 4 bed,
3 bath Historic Home one
block from Route 66. WALK
to everything! 8 person MAX.
No special events. Gorgeous
house. Unique property.
www.HistoricYellowHouse.
com
Listed on National Register of
Historic Places Grand Canyon
Railway, Bearizona, Elephant
Rocks Golf Course. Call
Kerry-Lynn Moede (602) 818-
6559 JDMoede@aol.com
HAVASU/BOATERS.
3bdrm(2king,1full) 2bath, turnkey,
w/d, WiFi, Dish, gas bbq,
1/2 mile to Windsor launch, cov-
ered gated boat parking,
3 nites $450, $100 for each addi-
tional nite- cleaning included, pics
available. Email:
rickpuglisi1103@msn.com
(626) 665-9890
HAVASU LANDING
3 Bd, 2 BTH home, sleeps 6-7.
Gated Community. Fully furnished,
pano view of lake. Wi-fi, direct TV,
flat screens and BBQ. Clubhouse,
pool, spa and rec. center steps
away. California side of Lake
Havasu. Enjoy the casino, two
launch ramps or the 12 min cata-
maran shuttle to London Bridge. No
Smoking/Pets. $175 nt. Weekdays,
$225 nt. Fr-Sat. Excl. Holidays. 2
nt. min. Cleaning fee of $125. Call
Tony Wren 760-688-6082 LACoFD
for questions and pics.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA HOME.
Across the street from Indianapolis
Motor Speedway.
3Bed/2Bath in town of Speedway.
Walk or bike to Main St.
Short drive, 7 miles, to Lucas Oil
Stadium, Downtown Indy, River-
front, Museums, Etc. Available
most dates except May 20 to 27.
Call Tina or Craig at 805-377-0686
or 805-377-3640
JUNE LAKE CABIN. 2BR/2BA
cabin with Carson Peak View.
Sleeps 8. Within a mile of fishing
& skiing. Close to Mammoth and
Yosemite. Spacious living room,
kitchen, and wood deck. Smart TV
and Wifi. $150/night plus cleaning
fee of $125. Email for pictures.
Brian Smith LAFD (310)872-7311.
junecabin52@gmail.com
LAKE HAVASU AMAZING
LAKEVIEW POOL HOME. 1800
sq.ft. built 2018, 3 bed, 2 bath,
sleeps 8. (King, Queen, Full
2xTwin). Finished backyard with
pool and spa. Fully furnished w/
linens, WiFi, internet TV, laundry,
large kitchen, BBQ, 2 car garage.
Quiet neighborhood. 3 miles from
launch ramp. No pets / no smok-
ing. Call Karen (661) 965-0542.
LAKE HAVASU LANDING
RESORT. 3 bedroom, 2 bath,
waterfront house, boat, mooring
out front, fully furnished, laundry,
gas BBQ, launch ramp, gated com-
munity, grocery store, hardware
store. No pets, no smoking. Email
Kathy at scarkj@yahoo.com or
call (760) 858-4470
LAKE HAVASU BEAUTY FOR
RENT - 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1600 sq.ft.
Fully furnished with all ameni-
ties- Laundry & BBQ. 13,000 sq.ft.
lot. 3 car boat-deep garage. 3
miles from launch ramp. Close to
downtown shops & restaurants.
View of the lake. Quiet street in
good neighborhood. No pets. No
smoking. Snowbird rates. Call
Mike (661) 510-6246
LAKE HAVASU GETAWAY
3 bed, 2 bath, Kitchen, Boat Park-
ing, with a AMAZING VIEW of the
lake. located near restaurant’s,
and the option to use two different
boat launches both about 1 mile
from house. large fenced in back-
yard. Small PETS are welcome,
NON SMOKER Please. $180. nt.
Weekends $240. Fri-Sat EXCL
Holidays. 2 night min. Cleaning
Fee $125. pics avaialable. Email
rbrianson@hotmail.com call
Brian LAFD 714-376-2032
LAKE HAVASU LANDING.
TH1-29, Waterfront, 3 BD 3 BA,
Direct-TV, DVD, WiFi, BBQ,
Mooring, Casino, Market, Launch
Ramp, Marina, Off Road Trails,
Gated. No Smoking/Pets, $285
Weekday, $850 Weekend, $1995
Week, Maid $150, Resort TOT fee
25%, bring linen, (310) 418-1577,
daggertooth@aol.com
LAKE HAVASU LANDING RE-
SORT BEACHFRONT HOME with
boat mooring. Swim, ski or fish
from front yard. 4 bed/2 bath, fully
furnished. DirectTV/DVD/WiFi,
pool table, laundry, BBQ. Gated
community with casino, groceries,
marina, launch ramp and off-road
trails. No pets, no smoking. $350
Bowen/Garner email:
havasulanding27@gmail.com
LAKE HAVASU POOL HOME.
1900 sq. ft. remodeled 3 bdrm,
3 1/2 baths, sleeps 8. (1 King,
2 queens). Backyard with pool,
jacuzzi with underwater lights.
Fully furnished w/ linens, laundry,
WIFI, INTERNET, TVs, BBQ. $150
weekdays, $250 weekends, $125
cleaning fee. 2 night minimum.
No smoking. Call Gabe Moreno
or email
fightin25@yahoo.com
LARGE LAKE HAVASU HOME
FOR RENT – 5 bedroom, 3 bath,
2900 sqft home with amenities &
pool that easily sleeps 14+ people.
Centrally located, 1 mile from the
lake, close to downtown shops
and restaurants. Check out home
at
https://www.vrbo.
com/4648549ha
Call Julie 818-268-7906 for special
firefighter family rates.
LOG CABIN NEAR JACKSON
HOLE WY: Close to Snake River,
Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, World
Class Skiing. Call (818) 207-
0811 LAFD Retired. Visit: www.
aspenhill
cabin.com for all information.
MAMMOTH CONDO, La
Vista Blanc, Cozy 2 BD 2 BA,
Furnished, WiFi, Cable, Pool,
Spa, BBQ, Sleeps 4, Winter $150,
Summer $130, Maid $175, 14%
TOT(6092), No Smoking, (310)
540-4648, pvignery@aol.com,
(310) 418-1577, daggertooth@
aol.com
MAMMOTH CONDO AT MAM-
MOTH ESTATES. 4BR/3BA,
sleeps 10, fully furnished, 2
TVs, DVDs, WiFi, towels/linens,
fireplace. Full kitchen. Walk to
Gondola Village and shuttle. Com-
plex has pool, spa, sauna, laundry.
Winter $355/night, Summer $240/
night, plus cleaning. Includes city
bed tax. No pets, no smoking.
Dory Jones (310) 918-0631 or
Kelly Corcoran (310) 619-5355
MAMMOTH CONDO IN SNOW-
CREEK IV
Super nice 2 bedroom / 2 bath-
room located in FANTASTIC
Snowcreek IV. *PETS WEL-
COME! King, Double Queen
bunk, & trundle, Nicely furnished
with high-end appliances. Fully
stocked kitchen. Washer/Dryer in
the unit. Pricing varies by season
and demand. Exceptional condo!
Goldencreek637@gmail.com,
909-576-2025, Website: https://
goldencreek637.wixsite.com/
mysite
MAMMOTH CONDO. Updated
2 bedroom 1 bath old mammoth/
eagle lodge area. Sleeps 5. Fully
equipped kitchen, wifi, pool, spa,
laundry. Walk to restaurants, bars,
stores, park and trolly. Winter $175
summer $130 plus cleaning fee,
holiday rates vary, multiple night
discounts. No pets.Contact Will
Nevins 26”B” (714) 697-2587
MAMMOTH CONDO. Two
bedrooms, Large loft. Three full
bathrooms. Sleeps 8. Walk to
Canyon Lodge. DVD, Cable, Wifi,
Pool, Spa, Rec. Room, BBQ.
Winter $175 Sun - Thurs $195 Fri
/Sat Holiday Periods. Summer
$150 Plus Cleaning. No Smoking
or Pets. Call Craig Yoder (909)
948-3659.
MAMMOTH CONDO AT THE
WOODLANDS - Spacious &
sunny. 2 bedroom, loft, & 2 baths.
Sleeps 8. Cable HDTV, DVD, &
Wi-Fi. Pool, Jacuzzi, & sauna in
complex. On shuttle route. No
smoking & no pets. $160/night
winter, $125/night summer. Plus
cleaning and bed tax. Call Terry
Imlay (949)322-3473 or (949)458-
0768
MAMMOTH LAKES - One
bedroom, extremely charming
wildflower condo. Full amenities,
close to shuttle. Antiques, art,
satellite TV, fireplace. Sleeps 4.
Winter $110, Summer $85 plus
cleaning fees. Call Bill Clark (818)
371-6722
Email: shakesong@aol.com
MAMMOTH SEASONS 4
CONDO. Cozy 1 bedroom condo
with full-size pullout couch and bo-
nus room with twin size bunkbed
that comfortably sleeps 4 adults
and 2 children. Conveniently
located 15 min walk between the
Village and Canyon Lodge at 244
Lakeview Blvd. Visit https://www.
seasons4.com/94269/ for pics,
amenities, and reviews. $125/
night; off-peak (May, June, Oct,
Nov): $100/night; cleaning: $100.
Bobby (310) 350-5552.
MAMMOTH SNOW CREEK IV.
Beautiful 2bd 2ba 1140sqft. Check
us out at Airbnb.com/h/ourdeer-
friendsretreat for availability. Email
us directly for fire family pricing.
OurDeerFriend
sretreat@gmail.com. Shane
Hirsch(LAFD) 714-803-9324
MAUI, HAWAII VACATION
RENTAL. Kamaole Sands beach
front resort, spacious I bedroom,
2 bath condo #7104 located in
Kihei beautiful beach and garden
views with park like settings, with
pool, jacuzzi and bbq stations
just outside of relaxing lanai. For
pictures and rates contact:
mauirentalgroups@vtrips.com
complex #7104 sleeps up to 4
adults with some exceptions for
children. Retired firefighter owned
with 10% discount given to all
LAFD firefighters and policemen.
NASHVILLE CONDO. Two bed-
room condo, sleeps 6, in Down-
town Nashville. Walking distance
to Broadway St, hockey and NFL
stadium. Contact Wayne, LAFD
@ (805) 796-7863 for availability
and price.
PALM DESERT CONDO.Montery
Sands, 3 BD 2 BA, Furnished,
WiFi, Cable, Pool, Jacuzzi, Ten-
nis, Sleeps 4, $200 Night, $800
Week, $3200 Month, Maid $150,
12% TOT(STR2019-0002). No
Smoking, (310) 418-1577, dag-
gertooth@aol.com
SHELL VACATION CLUB time-
share points for sale! Points allow
for maximum travel flexibility. Stay
at any Shell Resort or use RCI to
travel the globe with thousands
of options! 8700 annual points
can be used for accommodations,
airfare, rental cars, or cash out.
Take over deed for $10,000 obo!
Same point value costs $30k-40k
at resort. Maintenance fees are
$235 monthly. Vince Nixon—LAFD
retired 805-585-8808
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE Romantic
Chalet Family getaway. 3 bed/2
bath plus loft. Sleeps 8–10. Cable
TV, washer/dryer, microwave,
woodburning stove. 7 minutes to
casinos and Heavenly. Located in
Tahoe Paradise. $115 per night
plus cleaning. Call Shawn or Rose
Agnew at (661) 250-9907 or (661)
476-6288.
WATERFRONT RIVERHOUSE
ON THE LAGOON OF THE
COLORADO RIVER for rent.
Beautiful family home-5 bedrooms,
large bonus room for kids, 4 1/2
baths,Sleeps 15. Fully loaded
with top of the line appliances.
Private launch ramp. No pets. No
smoking. Contact: Gigi (714)454-
0922 (Spouse-LAFD) for special
firefighter family rates. Check out
details: https://airbnb.com/h/theriv-
erhousevacationhome
For
advertising,
email:
eric@lafra.org
or call:
323-259-5231
May 2023 • 59
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60 • May 2023
 35th Anniversary of the First Interstate Fire

MAY 2023 marks the 35th Anniversary of the First Interstate Fire. On May 4, 1988, a huge
fire ignited in the 62-story downtown Los Angeles headquarters of First Interstate Bank,
destroying floors 12 through 16. There were no firefighter fatalities, but one civilian did
perish in the fire. At the time, the First Interstate Bank building was the tallest high-rise
building west of Chicago. Photo Compliments of LAFIRE.COM

May 2023 • 61
 Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association
7470 N Figueroa Street
Los Angeles CA 90041-1725

If It Has a Key,
We Can Insure It.
The professionals at Firefighter Insurance
Services (FIS) understand the unique lifestyles
of firefighters and their families. FIS can
evaluate your current policies to help make
sure you have the appropriate coverage.

GET THE RIGHT COVERAGE

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For more information and to get a quote, please visit:
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Or, call (800) 231-1626
License #0G87848