Join the Los Angeles Fire Department in our efforts to help a member of our fire family. Please consider donating your blood or platelets to help the young son of Firefighter Mike Fortini. "Little Mikey" was unfortunately diagnosed with A.L. Leukemia and is expected to undergo at least two months of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He needs our help!

Two Blood Drives will be held during the month of June, with a Firefighters' Pancake Breakfast and other snacks served to all donors.

June 15, 2011 in Downtown Los Angeles at Fire Station 4, from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Fire Station 4 is located at 450 East Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA  90012. For additional information, contact Nelson Joo at (949) 636-6077 or Fire Station 4 (213) 485-6204.

June 23, 2011 in the San Fernando Valley area at Fire Station 87, from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Fire Station 87 is located at 10124 Balboa Blvd, Granada Hills, CA  91344.  For additional information, contact Fire Station 87 at (818) 360-1440 or (818) 756-8687.

For those unable to make either of these events, there will be an on-going blood and platelet donation for Michael Fortini Jr. at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd., L.A., CA  90027. The hospital's donation hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm and on weekends from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm. Please call the hospital in advance to make an appointment at (323) 361-2441.

As a reminder, all blood types are needed and all blood donations will benefit Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and LAFD family members.

Please mark your calendars and make plans to join us. On behalf of "Little Mikey" and the rest of the LAFD Families in need, we thank you!

Submitted by Matt Spence, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Blood Drives and Pancake Breakfasts to Benefit Fire Families

A host of uniformed firemen stood in silent respect near a bronze casket covered with an American Flag. They were there, with other friends, to bid a final goodbye to a colleague, while affirming their eternal support for his young wife and orphaned children.

As the last words of prayer dropped from the Minister's lips and as rifles were raised toward the Heavens in a final salute, a brisk breeze whipped up the Colors into a military snap and stirred the flowers, as the minds of many drifted back just three days prior...

At ten o'clock in the morning of Sunday, March 20th, 1949 the spacious new fire station at 800 North Main Street was unusually quiet. Churchgoers passing by the new facility - opened less than 90 days prior, looked in on an apparatus floor, deserted except for the waiting fire apparatus and the lone LAFD member on floor watch.

LAFD Station 4 circa 1949

A close observation however, could have detected a hum of activity behind one of the nearby doors. Clearly and concisely, one member of a group which formed an attentive semi-circle was reading aloud from a Department manual: "Article 3, Section 43...A rope life line shall be secured around members before permitting them to descent into shafts, deep pits, etc. The following line signals will be used: one jerk signifies All is Well, two jerks...Advance, three...Take up, four...Help."

As the reader continued on, the collective thoughts of each fireman listening was varied. To some this was material for coming civil service exams, to others it was a routine drill. Some of the newer men pictured emergency situations wherein such knowledge would be vital...older men remembered times when it was. The voice rolled on.

Not a one however, with all their varied thoughts, could have pictured what was to occur within two short hours...

John H. Herbert

Los Angeles Fireman John H. Herbert, 'Herbie' to his friends, was born in Great Britain...Swansea, Wales, to be exact. Five years as a paratrooper for Uncle Sam gave him plenty of opportunities to get his sights on the enemy that threatened his birthplace. He enlisted in Los Angeles as a member of the Reserves before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

In a short time, Herbert found himself in the middle of the fracas in Europe sporting an Army Officer's insignia and terrific pride in the fighting group which he commanded, a part of the famed 101st Airborne Division. Dropped out of the sky on "D" Day near Normandie - deep behind German lines, Herbert led the dogged advance of his group for five days against the enemy.

On the sixth day the Germans had his outfit pinned down on two flanks. Staying under cover was of prime importance. But Herbert spotted one of his men who had become unknowingly exposed to enemy gunfire. He left his own protection to crawl out and pull the man to safety when an enemy mortar shell hit near his position. Killing two of his men, the explosion sent him reeling back with a shattered jaw and a body torn by shrapnel.

In a bleeding and dazed condition he started a miraculous trek...a walk to a first aid station which took him across a railroad trestle in full view of enemy snipers and along a route infested with entrenched Germans.

Yet amazingly, he wasn't shot.

Much to his loved ones relief, Herbert returned after five years of military service with a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and his own slice of a Presidential Unit Citation...not to mention a body full of shrapnel - and an effervescent will to become a Los Angeles Fireman.

Which brings us to that Sunday on North Main Street...

At 11:10 AM, the new tapper at Fire Station 4 began sounding its alarm, feeding out inches of alarm tape. As the crews dropped their work and ran for the rigs, they counted the bells 1...2...3...6! The Captain jerked the tape from its tapper and held it under the corresponding number on the running card.

Third and San Pedro. "Truck only".

As the second and third rounds of bells came in, the Engine Company Captain pushed the control buttons and sent the modern marvel of automatic doors sliding open and soon with siren and air horn blasting, the big aerial truck swung out onto Main and then Aliso enroute San Pedro at 3rd.

It was there that Fireman John Herbert came to face dark, dense and ugly smoke that boiled up... (read more...)

To learn more about our Brother John and others who have made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to the City, we encourage you to visit the Los Angeles Fire Department Museuem and Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Hollywood.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - 61 Years Ago: Basement Fire Takes the Life of Fireman John Herbert

On Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 6:16 AM, 4 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Hazardous Materials Teams, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Greg Gibson responded to a HAZ-MAT at 333 S. Alameda St. in The Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived to discover a leak causing the spill of an unknown substance in a large cold storage facility. Further investigation revealed several gallons of ammonia had spilled inside the structure from a utility room. Crews took precautions as they commenced with the evacuation of a dozen individuals, who were in the building doing some repairs.

Only one onsite manager was directly affected by the spill, with minor injury. He was treated and transported.

One Firefighter suffered a non life threatening exposure injury and was transported to area hospital for observation. The cause and investigation of this incident was turned over to L.A. County Health Haz-Mat.

Submitted by Devin Gales
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Haz-Mat Scare In Cold Storage Facility

On Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 8:37 AM, 19 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 5 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 132 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Richard Warford, joined by a CERT Coordinator, responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 633 South Mission Road in the Boyle Heights area.

Firefighters arrived quickly in an industrial neighborhood to find smoke showing from a large one-story commercial structure. Forcing entry and extending handlines deep into the smoke charged 39,800 square-foot building under renovation, firefighters discovered a large quantity of burning foam rubber debris in the central portion of the vacant building.

The fire, held in check by fire sprinklers, was confined by firefighters to the burning debris and extinguished in just 43 minutes.

There were no injuries.

Loss from the fire is estimated at $100,000. The cause of this blaze remains under investigation.

(photos)


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Blaze Erupts in Vacant Eastside Commercial Building