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www.CityEmployeesClub.com
City Employees Club Store
120 W. 2nd St.
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Arlene Herrero
(213) 225-1792
aherrero@cityemployeesclub.com

Cheap Tickets - Insane Service - Affordable Insurance

Team Buzzard Bait

20th Annual

Hwy 10
We invite you, your family & friends to
THE 20th ANNUAL FAMILY FUN RIDE across
from OCOTILLO WELLS STATE OFF-ROAD
VEHICLE AREA.which is located in EAST SAN DIEGO CO.
WIN C ASH AND PRIZES, in an off-road
adventure ride. Bring motorcycles, quads, buggies
or four-wheel drives.
LOOK for red and black "B" signs ON HIGHWAY
78 South Side between Split Mountain Rd and the
Blu Inn. Follow green course markers.
The family ride will be on Saturday the 14th.
SIGN UP WILL BE AT 8:00AM SATURDAY
Raffle satrts at 3:00 PM sharp. The ride should take
about 2-4 hours, figuring out the clues ???????

Palm Springs

"""

""C

:::

--

Hwy78

CAMP

Blu Inn

January 13 - 16, 2017

(MLK Holiday weekend)
FOR INFO:
MIKE REITMAYER FS 1-B OR CELL 760-822-1641
DOUG WEBER FS 17-C OR CELL 951-453-2520

Fee for the ride will be $20.00 PER PERSON.

All proceeds benefit the
WIDOWS, ORPHANS & DISABLED

FIREMEN'S FUND

On the cover: Major Emergency Fire - Mount Washington Photo by: Rick McClure

Inset photo by: Yvonne Griffin

Major Emergency Fire - Mount Washington
2 December 2016

30

VOL. XCIII

DECEMBER 2016

NO. 4

FEATURES
Annual Open House Extravaganza

The holiday season kicked off a little early this season

with LAFRAs Open House Party in November. And it
looked like everyone got the message as hundreds
attended the event ................................................................06

Secrets to a Successful Firefighter Marriage

The needs, support and expectations in a firefighter couple

relationship is by no means traditional. Here are some
tips to a successful marriage from a few LAFD couples .............10

CONTENTS
Presidents Message ..........................................................................05
Tribute to a Warrior
LAFRAs Person-of-the-Year, Dennis Mendenhall ............................09
Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Photo essay from this years ceremony ............................................13
Battalion News ...................................................................................15
The Retired Guys ...............................................................................29
Department in Action ............................................................................30
Station Fridge .......................................................................................33
Retirement Celebrations
Michael Monroy ............................................................................35

Jerry Coffey ..................................................................................36

LAFD Golf Club
The Annual Partner Championship ....................................................38
Craig Alder Golf Tournament
The 20th annual convention of the charity event ..............................41
Retirement Dinner Announcements ...................................................43
Memorials ...........................................................................................45
Mailbox ...............................................................................................46
Dollars and Sense
Business financing tips ......................................................................49
Ponet Square Hotel Fire
A personal view ...............................................................................50
LAFD History
The evolution of Fire Boat 2 ..............................................................51
Minutes of the Board of Trustees .....................................................53
Classifieds ...........................................................................................57
Tailboard
Engine Company 52 ...........................................................................60
COPYRIGHT 2016

Los Angeles Firemens Relief Association.

No material may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.
Notice: Production of The Firemens Grapevine magazine is very expensive, and while your dues
serve to underwrite a portion of the magazines 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.

December 2016 3

FIREMENS GRAPEVINE
owned and published by the

Los Angeles Firemens Relief Association

7470 N Figueroa Street, Los angeles CA 90041

EDITORIAL STAFF
Dave Wagner Editor..........................................................editor@lafra.org
Eric Santiago Creative Editor.....................................esantiago@lafra.org
DisplayAdvertising.........................................(323) 259-5200 ext. 231 or 232

PSOs

Margaret Stewart, Brian Humphrey, Erik Scott

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Art Sorrentino, Mike Mastro, Matt Mickey, Frank Borden, Jim Stiglich, Steve Ruda

PHOTOGRAPHERS

David Blaire, Doc DeMulle, Greg Doyle, Harry Garvin,

Steve Gentry, Juan Guerra, Brian Haimer, Gavin Kaufman, Ryan Ling, Rick McClure,
Mike Meadows, Lloyd Payne, Jeff Zimmerman, Yvonne Griffin

LOS ANGELES FIREMENS RELIEF ASSOCIATION

Robert Steinbacher................................................President
Jeff Cawdrey ..................................................Vice-President
Andrew Kuljis ........................................................Secretary
BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chris Hart
Chris Stine
Craig White
David Ortiz
David Peters
Doak Smith
Frank Aguirre

Gene Bednarchik
Jim Duffy
Joe Vigil
John Jacobsen
Juan Albarran
Mark Akahoshi
Mike Sailhamer

Rick Godinez
Steve Berkery
Steve Ruda
Steven Domanski
Tim Freeman Jr.
Tim Larson
Tyler Tomich

SUPERVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Barry Hedberg
Dave Lowe

Dennis Mendenhall
Jim Coburn

Tom Stires

CHAPLAINS

To contact a chaplain, please call Senior Chaplain Rick Godinez at (213)

797-2404 or the MFC Floor Captain at (213) 576-8920
Greg W. Gibson...................Chaplain
Danny Leon..........................Chaplain
George A. Negrete...............Chaplain
Aquil F. Basheer..................Chaplain
Tim Werle............................Chaplain

Hershy Z. Ten.......................Chaplain
Roger Fowble.....................Chaplain
Mark R. Woolf.....................Chaplain
Jesus Pasos.........................Chaplain
Craig Poulson.....................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
Becky Valverde Human Resources Administrator.....(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
Ana Salazar Member Services Coordinator.............(323) 259-5223
HealthSCOPE Benefits

Claims & Benefit Information...................................(866) 99-LAFRA

THE FIREMENS GRAPEVINE (USPS 191-060) is published monthly by the Los Angeles Firemens
Relief Association, 7470 N Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90041. Annual $24 Subscription
included with Association membership; Non-members: $36. Single issues $3 postpaid. Back issues $6
postpaid. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to: THE FIREMENS 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 Firemens Relief Association.

4 December 2016

Welcome the last month with 31 days for the year!

We had another successful year at LAFRA. You the
members help us in being successful by engaging with us
whether its sharing a positive accolade about how you and
your family were helped, or by letting us know how we can
do a better job of serving you. The Management team takes
your feedback seriously and motivates us to continuously
look at how we do things.

I want to thank all of you for participating in our
LAFRA elections. There were two bylaw changes that we
presented to you. Traditionally, when the Board proposes
by-law changes presented to the membership we include
the current version of the applicable by-law section with the
proposed changes. There was an oversight in that this was
not included with your election materials. Lesson Learned.

Our nations elections have been a topic of conversation around every water cooler! The presidential election
has taken much of our time, opinions, concerns and curiosity. There may be more uncertainly now with some of the
Affordable Healthcare Act laws and rules. We will be keeping up on the changes and letting the membership know
how it will affect them and their families. It is our hope that
the key components will be brought forth in a way that can
be fully evaluated so we can plan for the impact it will have
on our health plan. Stay tuned.

LAFRA held its Open House on November 5th and it
was very well attended. Last count we had over 350 people
in the house for the one day event. It truly was a pleasure
for me to introduce Dennis Mendenhall as our LAFRA Person of the Year. Dennis has been an inspiration for me on
this job and also the way I conduct business at LAFRA.
Mission, Men/Women, Myself is the way Dennis approaches any situation and I try to do the same. Another big thank
you to Jack Wise and the LAFD Fire Hogs for another huge
donation to benefit our Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund. They raised $26,500 this year alone. THANK
YOU.

We have had overwhelming demand for the LAFRA
110th Anniversary Dinner Dance that the event is sold out.

The event is being held on December 17th at the Los Angeles Athletic Club and many stations are joining us for their
holiday party. I look forward to celebrating and having
some holiday cheer with all of you who will be attending.

Just a heads up, your Relief Dues will be increasing
on January 1st, 2017. For actives the new monthly amount
is $64.42 and for retirees $6.44.

If you would like to donate your time for a great
cause here are some of the dates of future events we have
coming up.
Upcoming dates:
Buzzard Bait - January 14-17
Hook and Ladder - March 18th
Health Fair April TBD
Kemper Softball Tournament May TBD
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy Kwanzaa!

Robert D. SteinTalker Steinbacher

president@lafra.org
323.259.5200

December 2016 5

he holiday season
kicked off a little
early this year at your Relief Associations
HQ. With the 110th Anniversary Dinner Dance scheduled for December, it was decided to hold the Open House Party in November.
And it looked like everyone got the message as hundreds turned out
for the festivities.

The autumn themed decorations by Flowers by Tomlinson
were great this year but the food was even better. Cornucopia Catering outdid themselves again with a huge array of culinary creations.
From hand-carved Beef Tenderloin and Prime Rib for the fork and
knife diners to a Three Noodle Cheese Bake for those who like to
tuck their napkins into their shirts, undoubtedly no one went away
hungry. There was a Slider Bar with your choice of Angus Beef,
BBQ Chicken or Pulled Pork with Jicama Slaw. There was also
a Chili Station with Housemade Steak Chili and Vegetarian Chili
served with Corn Chips, Corn Bread, Sour Cream, and Cheddar
Cheese. And as usual, the bar was wide open, serving whatever
adult beverage one could dream up.

Those in the know saved room for dessert though, as there
was quite an array of delicious treats from which to choose. Delicacies included Chocolate Fudge Brownies, New York Cheese Cake,

6 December 2016

and Chocolate Chip, Peanut

Butter and Oatmeal Cookies.
New this year was Terri Godinez, wife of Trustee and Fire Captain Rick Godinez, who set up Terris
Mobile Espresso Bar. She served up specialty coffees with intricate designs floating atop each beverage (look for
the coffee pic on this page)

LAFD Fire Apparel set up shop outside on the back patio
giving everyone the opportunity to do a little pre-holiday shopping.
And back by popular demand was Jerrod Websters (MFC) Photos
and Fountains family photo booth. Take a look at the crazy shots of
your friends and co-workers on the next page.

This years Open House honored Dennis Mendenhall, a
retired LAFD Captain and long-time Relief Association Trustee.
Dennis also flew more than hundred missions over North Vietnam
from the USS Coral Sea. You can read about both of his illustrious
careers in the following pages.

There was a second presentation a little later from the
LAFDs own Fire Hogs. Their giant cumulative donation of
$26,000 was presented on a giant check to President Steinbacher
for the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund.

LAFRAs ever faithful cadre of volunteers was on hand to
greet guests as they arrived and for myriad other logistical functions throughout the day. They included Maria Riley, Marshall
Stevens, Ruth Derwin, Donna Capelouto, Marta Peterson, Virginia
Newcomb, Anne Munsell, and Lydia Andrews. LAFD/LAFRA
photographer David Blaire set up a display of his photo albums
and shared photos of department members and incidents that span
many decades.

Under the direction of LAFRA Events Coordinator Juliet
Brandolino, this Open House Party was another unqualified success. If you missed the event, you can check out all the fun you
missed on LAFRAs Flickr page.

December 2016 7

8 December 2016

oung Dennis Mendenhall always knew

he had big shoes to fill. His dad, Ralph,
was a Navy veteran of both WWII and
the Korean War. The senior Mendenhall also
was a well-respected Captain II on the LAFD
from 1953 until 1978. A great-uncle, Fred De
Weese, was an LAFD member who suffered a
duty-related death in 1966.

Never one to rest on the laurels of others, Dennis quickly took control of his own
destiny and joined the Navy in 1967. In less
than a decade, sitting in the back seat of a F4
Phantom jet as the Radio Intercept Officer, he
had logged more than 2000 flight hours, graduated the prestigious Top Gun school, flew
168 missions over North Vietnam, and made
more than 500 carrier landings.

With the war winding down, Dennis
resigned his commission in 1975 and joined
the LAFD. Working in some very busy and demanding assignments, Dennis shot up through
the ranks, settling in as a Captain II in 1986.

Overall, says Dennis of his leadership philosophy, I tried to practice aggressiveness on the fire ground but with restraint.
Everything was done with the crews welfare in
mind. I really enjoyed going to fires and training with the guys.

Taking the Navy axiom Ship, Sailors,
Self, Dennis turned this into something befitting the fire service. Mission, Men, Self became his mantra. He put these principles into
effect during stints at 35s, 3s, 60s and Air
Operations with great success.

Dennis crews were some of the best,
recalls Dave Lowe. They worked and played
hard, and always looked sharp. His guys performed well at fires and looked like they were
having fun doing it.

Having grown up LAFD, Dennis was
well aware of the importance of the Relief As-

sociation to his family. Knowing that it was

time to give back and wanting to make a difference, he decided to run for election as a Trustee
in 1983.

Right from the start, it was very clear
to Dennis that LAFRA needed to upgrade their
investment portfolio. He knew that cash in a
shoebox and a few tiered CDs were not meeting the fiduciary responsibilities entrusted to
the Board by the membership. He brought in
a fellow Navy flier turned financial consultant,
Garth Flint, to overhaul and diversify the portfolio. And as the Investment Committee Chairman, he pushed to educate the Board. He had
them reading the Wall Street Journal, attending
investment seminars and even taking courses
at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton
Business School.

Dennis was also aware that LAFRA
needed more professional management. In addition to being the impetus for business management training for all Board members, he
was instrumental in bringing in a full-time executive director and a controller to run the dayto-day operations of the Association.

There have been tumults and transformations at LAFRA throughout Dennis tenure,
but he has always stayed the course and tried
to see the bigger picture. During these worst of
times, he was often the reassuring voice of reason and sanity.

Not to be out-done by an illustrious father, Dennis kids can boast achievements of
their own. Son Michael did 20 years on a Navy
destroyer as a communications specialist. Son
Greg is an Academy grad with three tours fly-

ing helicopters and still in the Navy, is a flight

commander on the small carrier, the USS Boxer. Daughter Holly has three advanced degrees
but chooses to be a stay-at-home mom.

Dennis retired from Boat 4 in 2009, and
now enjoys his retirement with his wife, Mary.
He and Mary tied the knot 31 years ago but in
reality, he has had a soft spot for her ever since
the eighth grade.

The truly amazing part of Dennis story
is his battle with cancer. He has fought four
bouts since 1999. He rewards and refreshes
himself after each bilious skirmish with a long
ocean voyage. So far he has signed on to crew
Orange Coast Colleges 65 sailboat for cruises
from Tahiti through the South Pacific, races
from LA to Hawaii and LA to Easter Island,
and the hazardous journey around Cape Horn.

While the legacy of Dennis Mendenhalls service lingers in the Relief Association
board room, the tangible improvements for
which he advocated are felt in every LAFD
firehouse. His decades of dedication will benefit LAFRA members and their families for
generations to come.

Dennis received an 1104 Reprimand after

this photo appeared in the newspapers.
Notice he is smoking a cigar!
December 2016 9

t is no surprise that firefighters have

a higher than average divorce rate.
Long periods of time away from home,
limited communication, and physical and
mental exhaustion are often to blame. It
takes an incredibly patient, understanding, and supportive spouse to manage
the home and family by oneself for long
periods of time.

The needs, support, and expectations in
the relationship of a firefighter couple is by no
means traditional. There must be mutual understanding, acceptance, and respect for this atypical relationship and the demands it places on
the couple. If not addressed early on in the marriage or relationship these demands may begin
to generate frustration, anger, and resentment
which can lead to separation or divorce.

So how do couples make this unique
and demanding schedule work? How do they
communicate? What about the needs of the
spouse? How about the kids? I recently had the
opportunity to meet with some couples of the
LAFD firefighter family who gave great insight
into how they make their marriages work.

Ryan and Christin OGorman:

Active Duty Firefighter/Analyst
Married 4 years
What has worked:
The OGormans both work fulltime
jobs. Christin takes care of the household responsibilities while Ryan will take care of yard
and house maintenance
Because they have a toddler, they generally have time to relax, unwind, talk, and reconnect after the baby goes to bed

10 December 2016

 Texting each other and having short

conversations throughout the day keeps them
connected
Facetime or Skype with the Christin,
toddler, and Ryan
No matter how busy Ryan was at work
he is able to switch gears when he comes home
to be dad and husband. He is great at balancing
work and home life
Christin also has support of family
and friends in the community when Ryan is
working
Having trust and respect for each other
Making time for dates and vacations

Rob and Christie Caropino

Active Duty Firefighter/Homemaker
Married 29 years
What has worked:
We make our life work for us- Christie
My success is due to Christie- Rob
Christie makes sure that the house is
clean, food is made, and everything at home is
taken care of when Rob is working at the fire
station (bills paid, kids taken to school, activities, etc.)
Understanding that the responsibilities
at home are not 50/50.
Having a common goal
Being flexible and supportive to Robs
studying and promoting
Communicating with each other daily
Keeping the minor issues and distractions at home
Giving as much support as possible, especially when at a busy station.
Educating oneself on the types of calls
Rob goes on and how his body, mind, and soul
reacts to them

Reconnecting with each other after

Rob works or studies several days in a row. At
times, and especially when the kids were little,
they would simply have a date in the backyard
and talk over a bottle of wine. Now, since the
kids are both out of the house, they may go to
dinner or even camp together for few days.
Understanding that it is not give and
take but rather a common goal
Planning vacations in advance so there
is something to look forward to

Vacation - Planning small frequent trips

together as a family and as a couple. Because
they are both retired now, they often travel for
longer periods of time.
Understanding that there is a dark side
to being the spouse of a firefighter; it gets pretty
lonely at times.
Make the best of the situation - Bring
the kids to the station. Bring snacks, cookies,
and fruit to share. Creating memories at the fire
station for the kids and yourself.
Three common themes:
1. Having respect and trust for each other.
2. Having the ability to be independent, flexible, and patient.
3. Stressing the importance of mental, emotional, and physical intimacy.

Noel & Cathy Murchet

Retired Firefighter/ Retired ER Nurse
Married 40 years
What has worked:
Mutual respect - because the Murchets
worked fulltime jobs, there was an understanding that whoever was not working that day was
in charge of caring for the kids, preparing dinner, cleaning up the house, etc. Both Cathy and
Noels careers were equally important.
Giving space - Allowing each other
time to relax and unwind after work due to the
physical and mental demands of each of their
careers
Trust - Having respect for each other
and the marriage, including sexual and emotional fidelity
Never holding the other one responsible
for their own happiness - While Noel would be
at work, Cathy kept herself busy and active
with hobbies, meeting up with friends, work,
and attending events with the kids. Because
of the unique schedule of a firefighter, she
couldnt (and wouldnt) allow herself to wait
around to be happy - she was responsible for
her own happiness.

As the wife of an LAFD firefighter and
a psychotherapist, I am always interested in
how other couples manage their lives in this
capacity. I was honored to interview each of
these couples, and I have since implemented
some of their routines into my own work and
family life. It was refreshing to learn how they
have each developed a strong working relationship, and how they continue to cultivate it. Of
course, this has been done through trial and error, and with an abundance of patience, trust,
and love. We all have somewhat of a routine
in place now that works for us. Continue to
do what works, however, if change is needed
in one area or another, consider implementing
some of the things that have worked for these
couples.
----------

Lyndee Venosta holds

a Master of Counseling Psychology and
a Master of Forensic
Psychology. She is the
founder of the Avery
Centre, where psychotherapists specialize
in treating trauma,
post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and loss. She is
married to LAFD Firefighter Engel Luistro and they
have four sons.

December 2016 11

Paid Advertisement

12 December 2016

Los Angeles Firemens Relief Association Medical Plan may cover this examination.
Contact your plan provider to verify.

n Saturday, October 8, 2016, scores of firefighters and the community came together to support the families of our own members who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to the City. At a ceremony held at Los Angeles Fire Department Museum
& Memorial, the 264 LAFD members whose names are inscribed on the memorial Wall were honored and remembered.

December 2016 13

All proceeds benefit your Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund,
a 110-year-old non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated helping our LAFD families in times of crisis

14 December 2016


Task Force 3 and Command 22
stopped by Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
last month to pay a special visit to William.
William is the youngest son of Captain I Dan
Lievense (assigned to OCB) and his wife
Stephenie. The members of 3s decorated his
room with superhero posters and balloons.
They brought toys and activities to help William pass the time while he is hospitalized.
William has been diagnosed with a rare heart
disease and is awaiting a heart transplant. He
will likely be in the hospital for an extended
period of time. Along with TF 3, the prayers of
the entire fire family are with William and the
Lievenses, with hope that he receives his new
heart and this little guy will get better soon.

TF 3 makes a fire family visit at Childrens Hospital

On 10/9/16, companies handled a Blue Line Train vs minivan

at Broadway & Washington. Photo by Martin Nate Rawner
December 2016 15

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5941 Naples Plaza Long Beach, CA 90803
16 December 2016

Engine 12 members received Medals

of Merit at the LAFD Awards Luncheon

FF/PM Bob Foglemans retirement party at FS 5 on 10/04/16.

FS 59 assists My Safe LA and the Smoke Detector Campaign on 10/12/16.

December 2016 17

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18 December 2016

Truck 35 shuts down a hydrant on Lexington on 9/21/16.

Photo by Yvonne Griffin

USAR TF 85 drills at Pt Fermin in October

Companies participated in a drill at the Shell Marine Oil Terminal in the Port of LA

TF 88 stood by and represented the
LAFD in Ventura County during a difficult
time for the fire family of fallen brother Engineer Ryan Osler. They received the following
letter from Brad Peters, Ventura County Fire
Department: A huge thanks to the guys at
Task Force 88 for their unbelievable courtesy
and class, taking care of Ventura County Fire
Department Fire Station 41 yesterday. They
were beyond amazing as they watched over
our station, ran our calls and even had dinner made for us when we returned from our
memorial service. A huge thanks to your guys.
Class acts, all of them.

LAFD staffs Ventura County station

December 2016 19

90s handled an auto on Nordhoff on 10/23/16. Photo by Rick McClure

OVBs Mike McIndoe and Pat Butler competed

in the Playa Del Rey Triathlon.

99s and 88s save a pooch in October

On 10/27/16, Eng 100 handled an auto on Hayvenhurst Ave

LF90 extinguished a trash truck on fire at Parthenia

and Woodley on 10/24/16. Photo by Greg Doyle
20 December 2016

Two were transported from a fire on the 4th floor of a high

rise on So Union Ave on 10/10/16. Photo by Yvonne Griffin

6s participated in a community celebration

in Angeleno Heights on 10/3/16.

Neighbors mug with firefighter after fire on So

Catalina on 9/26/16. Photo by Yvonne Griffin

Rescue 13 with Magic at a

Dodger Stadium stand-by

Carlos Vera (FS 11) celebrates ten happy

years on the LAFD. Photo by Yvonne Griffin
December 2016 21

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22 December 2016


On November 1, 2016, at El Cariso
Regional Park in Sylmar, more than 200 firefighters from SoCal fire departments attended
the 50th anniversary memorial ceremony for
the Loop Fire tragedy. The El Cariso Hotshots
were constructing fireline in the Angeles National Forest above Pacoima in 1966 when the
fire blew up below them. Twelve of the young
Hotshots perished in the fire.

The LAFD was honored to participate
in the ceremony. Task Force 98 flew a flag
from their aerial and Chief Joe Castro spoke
on behalf of our department.
Photos by Jeff Zimmerman, EPN

El Cariso Hotshots remembered

LF 75 handled an auto in the alley behind 16060

Lahey St on 11/1/16. Photo by Rick McClure
December 2016 23

LAFD and USFS work a fire in Kagel Cyn on

10/19/16. Photos by Greg Doyle and Doc DeMulle
On 10/31/16, Eng 98 responded to an
auto on Terra Bella. Photo by Rick McClure

On 10/29/16, firefighters attempted to rescue a man from his

overturned vehicle on the 210 Fwy. Photo by Rick McClure

Firefighters extricated a driver off of

the 210 Fwy. Photo by Rick McClure
24 December 2016

60 acre brush fire in Lakeview Terrace.

Photo by Mike Meadows

Companies extinguished a fire near Hansen

Dam on 10/9/16. Photo by Doc DeMulle

Multi-agency battle in Big Tujunga Cyn.

Photo by Doc DeMulle
December 2016 25

LF 64 treats a shooting victim on So Broadway

on 10/29/16. Photo by Yvonne Griffin

Companies and bike medics worked the

Taste of Soul L.A. event on 10/15/16

LF 78 extricated this kitten from behind

an auto dashboard on 10/12/16.

Brush Fire in OMelveny Park on

10/19/16. Photo by Mike Meadows
26 December 2016

On 10/29/16, companies rescued three victims whose car plunged

off Woolsey Cyn Rd. Photos by Rick McClure and Joe Lyneis

Engine 72 supports the Yes I Can Organization at the Winnetka Bowl on 10/24/16.

Three car T/A at 3528 W. Exposition

on 9/30/16. Photo by Yvonne Griffin
December 2016 27

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28 December 2016

few years ago I made two promises to

myself. #1 - I would never buy a smart
phone and #2 - I would never buy a laptop computer.

I did have one of them flip phones
years back and it accomplished everything I
needed. I called for a tow truck when my Harley broke down and my wife would call to tell
me she loved me. What better reason to have a
cell phone?

So when the smart phone came
along, which is basically a compact computer, I
wanted no part of it. I have a home computer.

But, as technology progressed and the
smart phone was able to make buttered toast,
show us the way home with GPS trackin and
make it possible to deposit checks by takin a
picture, well, my first promise had to be broken.

However, my second promise was
poured in concrete. I told my wife that a second
computer would be a waste of money. And if
we were away from home we could surely wait
to check e-mails and bank accounts when we
returned.

Plus, there was no way I was about to
sling a carryin bag over my shoulder with laptop in tow and head over to the coffee joint,
because then Id have to order my favorite hot
steamin cup of Soy Macchiato Frappuccino
Latte. Of course promise #2 plainly stated that
I would never, ever be seen sittin in the coffee
joint, sippin on a Soy Macchiato Frappuccino
Paid Advertisements:

Latte and playin on a laptop. Promise #2 bit

the dust as well.

But, there is a silver linin to this dark
saga. Im thinkin that a number of retired Capt.
IIs hang out at various coffee joints as well,
with their laptops and lattes. If my hunch is
correct, I might be able to blend in and take a
seat close by. Then maybe I can discover the
secret on how these guys made Capt. II.

So Ill be hangin out at the coffee joint,
peekin over my laptops screen, to see if I can
spot one of them Latte Warriors on a laptop.

I read there are a number of countries,
eight to be exact, where $200,000.00 would
last the average person for 30 years. Sounds
good, huh? Buyin a Porsche or Rolls Royce
as a means of transportation would be ill advised but owin a donkey or llama would definitely be smarter choices. Now, runnin water
and electricity may be an issue, so livin near a
stream or river would be encouraged. Theres
usually lots of rocks and boulders by the river
bed for you or your wife to beat your clothes
against. Of course it goes without sayin that a
washin machine would be a waste of time.

I had my wife convinced of the move
and she was just about finished packin her
bags when she asked, So, will our new hut be
within walkin distance to a Tiffanys or Louis
Vuitton store?

All I can tell you is my answer wasnt
what she wanted to hear, so now I seriously
doubt my savins account is goin to last 30
years.

COWBOY HUMOR
An Indian walked into a
cafe with a shotgun in one
hand while pullin a buffalo
with the other.
He said to the waiter,
Want coffee.
The waiter replied, Sure
Chief, comin right up.

He brought the Indian a tall mug of coffee and the Indian drank it down in one gulp.
The Indian then turned and blasted the buffalo
with the shotgun. The Indian causally walked
out of the caf.

The next mornin the Indian returned.
He had his shotgun in one hand while pullin
another buffalo with the other. He walked up
to the counter and said to the waiter, Want
coffee.

The waiter said, Whoa, wait just a
minute. Were still cleanin up your mess from
yesterday. What was that all about anyway?

The Indian smiled and proudly said,
Trainin for a position in United States
Congress. Come in, drink coffee, shoot the
bull, leave mess for others to clean up, disappear for rest of day...
KEEP SMILIN!
AC
choppedup@att.net

December 2016 29

STRUCTURE FIRE
Sunland - Tujunga

Photos by David Gardner and Doc DeMulle

30 December 2016

A blaze broke out just before noon at 10141 N. Samoa Ave in Tujunga. It was knocked
down in 37 minutes. Sixty-eight firefighters worked to extinguish the fire that engulfed two floors of a three-story townhouse. Firefighters also managed to save an
adjacent townhouse.
The fire engulfed a first-story garage and extended to the second floor, where firefighters were reported taking heavy heat in their efforts. The cause and the amount of
damage were being investigated. Three people were taken to a nearby hospital to be
treated for minor injuries.

December 2016 31

MAJOR EMERGENCY STRUCTURE FIRE

Mount Washignton

Photos by Yvonne Griffin, Rick McClure and LAFD Photos by Harry Garvin

32 December 2016

Firefighters looking for an 84-year-old man who vanished during a house fire say they believe his body is
inside the still-smoldering home but they havent
found it. PSO Brian Humphrey says a dog trained
to detect corpses was sent to the Mount Washington
home. He says firefighters conducted an exhaustive
search, moving tons of debris, but found nothing.
The 9,100-square-foot home at 4057 Sea View Ave
erupted in flames on 10/20/16. Firefighters rescued
a 74-year-old woman, pulling her from a window moments before a room flashed over. She was treated
for smoke inhalation.

143 LAFD members extinguished the bulk of the fire
in 2 hours and 47 minutes

December 2016 33

34 December 2016

s we go through our careers, we hear

about legends and hope we had the
good fortune to know these individuals and learn for them before they retire. As I
write this I can only hope that those of you who
are reading this had the opportunity to work
with Engineer Mike Monroy and learn from
this great man who to many of us was a legend. What makes someone a legend is difficult
to define, however it seems we often agree on
those individuals who we collectively place
into this elite category.

Some of the words that I think of to
describe Mike are dedication, professionalism,
pride, integrity and role model. As I watched
countless firefighters prepare for the engineer
promotional examination process, one of the
engineers that candidates would consistently
seek out for guidance and mentorship was Engineer Mike Monroy. I am hopeful that those
engineers who took the time to learn from him
will pass this information on to the next generation as this is the only thing Mike would accept
as payment for his time - Pay it forward!

Mike joined the Los Angeles Fire Department on September 10, 1978. He was
originally scheduled to be hired in April of that
same year but the April class was cancelled due
to Prop 13. After the April class was cancelled
Mike began workouts with the University of
Hawaii football team as a highly recruited collegiate athlete. When Mike received notice that
he was being offered a position with the LAFD,
he left Hawaii to pursue his true passion which
was to become a Los Angeles firefighter. Only
a few people within the Department knew of

Mikes athletic talents as a linebacker who

could take your feet from beneath you in an instant, however Jeff Marcus learned this lesson
from probationary firefighter Monroy the hard
way. As many of you know, the long standing
tradition of racing for the front door did not
end well for the young and not so quick Jeff
Marcus. The doorbell rang and Mike reacted to
the sound as if it were a loose football. The last
thing that Marcus remembered was the sound
of the bell. Mike knocked the door off of the
frame and sent Jeff flying! After this demonstration of his speed, strength and agility, Mike
was ordered by the Captain NOT to run for the
door anymore.

Not many people know that during Mikes probationary year he questioned
whether the job of a firefighter was something
that he was really meant to do. It was during
Mikes first probationary year that the Los Angeles Fire Department lost two firefighters, and
Mike was present at both incidents. It is difficult to imagine how Mike reacted to the tragic
death of not one but two fallen brothers, and
how Captain Ron Meador was able to convince
Mike to not resign.

When Mike was downtown preparing
for his retirement, and visiting all of the sections and offices to ensure all of the final details
were in order, he ran across Chief Deputy Joe
Castro. Mike was sharing with the Chief that
he was not sure he was going to have a retirement dinner. Chief Castro told Mike that all of

the members that were questioning whether

or not to have a dinner had told him that they
were glad they had gone ahead and done it.
Mike took the advice of Chief Castro and had
an overwhelming response from more than 200
active and retired members alike. Both friends
and families were in attendance to congratulate
Mike on his retirement and thank him for all
of his countless contributions. I know Mike is
thankful to Chief Castro for the great advice
and how moved he was to see so many people
from his past that wanted to pay tribute and
congratulate him on his retirement.

As always an event of this size does
not happen without the help and hard work of
several individuals. On behalf of Mike, a special thank you goes out to Keith Saffo and his
lovely wife Wendy who coordinated the evening and created all of the table decorations.
Also thanks go out to the C shift who assisted
with all of the planning and coordination of the
retirement dinner. Lastly, a special thank you
to Captain Jim Vels who created the surprise
retirement gift. Jim transformed a fire hydrant
into an incredible piece of artwork paying tribute to two of Mikes assignments, Fire Stations
10 and 48. The fire hydrant which symbolizes
the work of the engineer to provide water in
support of firefighters to extinguish and knock
down flames and protect those in harms way.
Engineer Mike Monroy, we thank and salute
you for your service and contributions and
wish you a long healthy retirement!

December 2016 35

n a brisk October 16th morning, nestled in the hills of Cutty Valley, 32 of

Jerry Coffeys closest friends gathered
at his Frasier Park ranch to partake in a retirement ride to celebrate the end of his long and
distinguished career. For those that know Jerry
Coffey, this ride would be the most appropriate
of tributes.

Our day began with one of our riders
securing the American flag to the corral and
then Wendell Smith, a renowned patriot, led us
in the salute to Old Glory. Moments before
Wendell led us in the flag salute; we witnessed
what it would be like to be defibrillated while
standing up. Unbeknownst to Wendell, Jerrys
corral had an electrified fence, and you guessed
it, Wendell curled his hair. After his hair

36 December 2016

stopped smoking, he carried on with the salute.

In keeping with our salute to God, country and
Jerry Coffey, Rick Estrada led us in a prayer
asking God to keep us safe on our journey. At
the conclusion of the prayer, Brian Hishinuma
presented Jerry with the Union Plaque.

Now it was off to the ride, so we
thought. We were just getting ready to line up
and kick the dust up, when no one could find
Jerry. We searched high and low, calling out his
name, but to no avail. Then suddenly, someone
spotted a silhouette in the distance. It was Jerry.
Out in the corral with a wheelbarrow feeding
the horses. Again, we were victims of being on
Coffey time.

With all members finally in place, Jim
Eberle and Craig White conducted a safety

briefing and delivered our action plan. We were

to leave in two waves. Jim Eberle and Jerry
would lead the first wave of riders at 10:30 and
the rest of us slow pokes would leave at 10:45.
Jerrys son Josh, also a fireman and his buddy
Kenny, a lifelong friend, would lead this wave.

Jerry, a very accomplished dirt rider,
informed us that on the ride we would encounter a small rutted-out hill with riverbed rocks
and exposed tree roots. After we navigated this
area it would be a piece of cake. Not! When the
second group caught the first group at the base
of this long and treacherous hill, we knew we
were in trouble. If the first group was having issues, just imagine our neophyte members. But
thanks to Josh and Kenny, all was well for us
lesser riders as they guided us up the hill with

only a few wrinkles, some of which included

smashed toes, overheated bikes and crushed
egos. After this ordeal, we arrived safely at
Sues Tavern for our much-deserved lunch.

The ride back to Jerrys ranch was
much less torturous and we all made it back in
one piece. Our fiesta concluded at Jerrys with
a delicious Taco Cart and some much appreciated beverages. At the close of our meal, we all
formed a semi-circle around Jerry and recounted the wonderful memories we shared with him
over his distinguished career.

Our Award of Valor goes out to Brian
Hishinumas buddy Vic and retired Captain
Lyle Taylor, both in their 70s, for making it up
the Matterhorn and finishing mid-pack. A special thanks to retired Arson Investigator Rick
Chew who filmed the entire event with his
GoPro and downloading it for us. Honorable
Mention goes to Tony Valdez, Rick Estrada and
Craig White for running the communications,
driving the chase truck, and handling the ride
sweeper duties. Last, but not least, a million
thanks to the guys that made this all happen,
The Hook and Ladder Enduro Organizers.

Looking forward to seeing you at the
Hook and Ladder on March 18, 2017. Our intentions are to start on schedule that day, but
then again, theres always Coffey Time to
deal with.

December 2016 37

e had 90 of the LAFDs finest active and retired golfers plus two
guests meet at the Sycuan Resort
in El Cajon for the LAFD Golf Club Annual
Partners Championship. As per the usual, we
had our LAFD Golf Club Annual membership
meeting following the first day of golf at Steele
Canyon accompanied by a great barbeque
lunch.

This is considered the most popular of
our tournaments. We play two-man teams playing three different formats, on three different
courses, in four handicapped flights. The three
formats played were: scramble played at Steele
Canyon Country Club, best-ball played at Sycuan Resorts Oak Glen and Pinehurst (modified
alternate shot) played at Sycuan Resorts Willow Glen. It is a true team format in that you are
truly relying on the good play of your partner.
For those of you that are prospective members,
this is considered by the membership as our
best tournament of the year.

In the A flight the team of Mark Zizi
and Matt Nunez made it look easy as they won
both the Net and Gross Championships. Last
year Net Champions Paul Schori and Rick
Shortle finshed 2nd in both Net and Gross 2nd.

In the B flight the team of the Todd
Tsujimura and Larry Kemp won both the Net
and Gross Championship finishing ahead of
Tony Valdez and Joe Szabados in 2nd Place Net
and Gross. Winners for the last two years, the
Garcia Brothers, were no shows this year and
couldnt defend the championship.

In the C flight the team of Bruce
Bickly and Raul Cabrera won both the Net and
Gross Championships. They finished ahead of
Mickey Diaz and Tom Teora who were 2nd
Place Net, and Ryan Chance and Jared Cooper
in 2nd Place Gross. On day one of the tournament Jared Cooper made a hole in one and did
the right thing by treating all participants to a
drink in the bar.

In the D flight Randy Laur and Dave
Lowe are Gross Champions and 2nd in the Net,
while newcomers Jeff Haas and Bill Aaron
were Net Champions. Ray Donckels and Tim
McDonnell were 2nd Place Gross.

This was the year of the Disqualified
Teams. We had three teams who either played
the holes out of order or decided to play a different format than the one everyone else had
to play. I refuse to name the culprits, but they
know who they are.

38 December 2016

The second day of the tournament provides some real entertainment at the Horserace
Derby. This format is made up of the six leading teams in each flight. The remainder of the
field, and the participants, then make pari-mutuel bets on their picks of the best teams.

This year the A and B flight and the
C and D flight played in four-man teams. The

same team that won last year won it again this

year - A and B flight Mark Zizi, Matt Nunez,
Sergio Perez, and Dennis Harada came out on
top. In the C and D flight the team of Greg
Gibson, John Duca, Jeff Haas, and Bill Aaron
were the winners. As you can see in the results
below Jeff and Bill had quite a tournament. In
the A/B flight the first-place team punctuated

A Flight - Net

A Flight - Gross

A Flight 1st Place Net and Gross

Matt Nunez and Mark Zizi

B Flight - Net

B Flight - Gross

B Flight 1st Place Net and Gross

Larry Kemp and Todd Tsujimura

AB Flight Derby winners

Sergio Perez,
Mark Zizi,
Matt Nunez,
Dennis Harada
with Club Prez Dale Gant

AB Flight Derby 2nd Place

Paul Croghan,
Rex Vilaubi,
George Matakovich,
Gary Klasse

their victory with one of their players jumping

into the highly polluted lake fronting the 4th
green.

I would like to thank the board members for all their help during the tournament.
The club would like to thank Alan Sheer of
Steele Canyon Golf Course, Jason Schneider
of Sycuan Resort and Kevin Wright of Morgan

Stanley for their generous donations for our

raffle at the annual membership meeting.

Congratulations to all the winners and
thank you to the members for supporting this
tournament that celebrated its 45th year. A
good time was had by all and I hope to see you
again next year.

What Is The...

Extinguisher Fund?

The brain child of Ted Bailie, re-

tired from the LAFD and LAFRA, your

stations Extinguisher Fund is a simple
way to collect donations for the Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firemens
Fund. Ted saw the accumulation of

C Flight - Net

change that the cook dumped into the

mess fund box each shift and had a
better idea. If this change was instead
collected for the WODFF he figured it

C Flight - Gross

could really add up. With an average of

50 cents per day per station, in a year
there would be . . . well, you can do the
math!

C Flight 1st Place Net and Gross

Raul Cabrera and Bruce Bickly

So take your turn in the cooking

rotation and remember to drop all your

change into your stations extinguisher.

D Flight - Net

There should be one in every firehouse.

And any loose change in your pockets,
any that you find in the TV chairs, or
hoarded in the ashtray of your vehicle
can be thrown in for good measure.

D Flight - Gross

The Widows, Orphans & Dis-

abled Firemens Fund is the heart of

the Relief Association. This fund provides assistance to our firefighters and

D Flight 1st Place Gross

Dave Lowe and Randy Laur

families who are faced with personal

difficulties and tragedies. Donations are
the sole means of support for this Fund.

AB Flight Derby 3rd Place

Luther Sherman,
Roger Camunas,
Kelly Faulkner,
David Thomas

CD Flight Derby winners

Greg Gibson,
John Duca,
Bill Aaron,
Jeff Haas
with Club Prez Dale Gant

Firefighters risk their lives to

protect the community on a daily

basis. Thus, they and their families can
be comforted in knowing that the Fire
Department Family, supported by the
Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund, is there for them in times

CD Flight Derby 3rd Place

Larry McAndress,
Tom Lambert,
Hector Marquez,
Kelly Toman
with Club Prez Dale Gant

CD Flight Derby 2nd Place

Jim Horimoto,
Eric Anderson,
Dave Lowe,
Randy Laur
with Club Prez Dale Gant

of need.

December 2016 39

Paid Advertisements:

40 December 2016


A huge THANK YOU to all who supported the 20th annual Craig Alder Charity
Golf Tournament held in Temecula, CA on October 3, 2016. As many are aware, Craig Alder
is the son of Rich Alder, retired LAFD Captain
and Mom Cathy. Craig was an engineer on the
San Bernardino City Fire Department when, in
October of 1995, Craig was struck by a pickup
truck while carrying his then 18 month old son,
Wyatt, across a street in Temecula where the
family lives. Wyatt has fully recovered, but
Craig suffered a permanent brain injury that
left him unable to work.

This was the 20th year for this charitable event and it is such a huge blessing each
year to see the continued support of the Los
Angeles City Fire Dept., the San Bernardino
Fire Department and other businesses, friends,
retired firemen, etc, etc. I saw many LAFD
members again this year who have participated
every or nearly every year since the beginning.
In addition, there are many new participants
each year which is so important for the future
of the event. I also saw many familiar names
from the LAFD as well as friends and families on tee sponsor signs throughout the golf
course. The family is so very thankful that your
support continues after all these years.

Since Craigs injury, he and his wife
Buffy and their two sons, Jake and Wyatt depend on the proceeds from this annual tournament for a large portion of their annual income,
so the continued support from all of you is very
much appreciated. Craig has shown some improvement over the years as he can now walk
with the aid of a walker. He can also smile,
laugh and say a few words, thanks to the wonderful care of Buffy and his caregiver spending
a great deal of time with him. Jake and Wyatt
are both attending college and working to help
the family finances.

Thanks to Rich and Cathy Alder, along
with son Mike Alder and his wife Carla, for
hosting a welcoming get-together the evening
before the tournament. It is a great time to see
everyone and catch up.

Thanks also to all those who volunteer
to help make this annual event happen. I have
said this many times before, but each year I am
reminded what a privilege it is to have been a
part of the LAFD and all the fire family. What a
special group of people they are.

God Bless you and your families, and
THANKS AGAIN.
Sincerely,
Denny Strong (LAFD retired)

December 2016 41

LARFPA Annual Holiday Celebration

Sunday, December 11, 2016
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

The Sportsmens Lodge

12833 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604

Deadline for Reservations:

December 5, 2016

All reservations must be

received by mail on or before
the deadline date.

For parties of 8-12:

Please remit one check for the
full payment amount.

There are a limited number of

tables seating 12, please get your
reservation in early.

Sorry, no special requests for

table location.

For questions contact us at

(888) 288-5073 or email
larfpa@pacbell.net

The Holiday Celebration

hosted by the Los Angeles Retired
Fire & Police Association.
Attendance limited to Association
members and their families only.

Please return this section with your payment of $10.00 per person to:
LARFPA, 9521 Las Tunas Drive, Ste. #4, Temple City, CA 91780

Name:__________________________________________ Phone:____________________
Number of Adults:_______ Children:_______ Amount Enclosed:________ Check Number:________
Please specify if you are Fire:________ Police:_________
Please select your entre options below (1 per person):
Steak with mushroom sauce:____ Lemon herb chicken:____ Vegetarian:____ Childrens meal:____

There will be no refunds given. Please send your reservation in by December 5, 2016

42 December 2016

CORI TIPTON, Battalion Chief,

Homeland Security

TIM FREEMAN, Captain, FS 106-A

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017

Frank Hotchkins Drill Deck

1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles, CA

The Odyssey Restaurant - Garden Room

15600 Odyssey Drive
Granada Hills CA

Luncheon 11:30 AM

Cocktail Hour - 5:00 PM

Carne Asada, Chicken or Shrimp Tacos,

Quesadillas, Rice & Beans, Agua Fresca and Dessert
Cost - $20

Dinner - 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Buffet - $60 includes tax, tip & gift

Call FS 106 Business Line - (818) 756-8606

Call Jennifer Corona - (213) 202-9925

or cell - (213) 706-6183

JACK WISE, Battalion Chief, Battalion 12

SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2017
Sagebrush Cantina
23527 Calabasas Road, Calabasas, CA
Dinner: 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tex Mex Buffet - $60 includes tax, tip & gift
Call Battalion 12 Office - (818) 756-8612
Casual Attire

Paid Advertisements:

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December 2016 43

We are privileged to have received gifts from these individuals and families. Other dedicated
members preferred to remain anonymous. Each has chosen to leave their legacy with the Los Angeles
Firemens Relief Associations Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund.
Al & Anna Miller

Evalyn Mae Phillips

Albert A. Spohler & Family

Frank C. Geyer

Alfred Leroy Estate

Frank Leavitt & the Leavitt Family

Alice Keillor

Gary & Mary Klasse

Alvin & Lela Crotinger

Harold & Isabella Schargitz

Alvin S. Weaver

James & Dorothy Loughran

Bernard Subkoski & Celeste Dickinson

Jerry & Nina Sullivan

Billie & Donna Strickland

Kurt Stabel

Brian & Lisa Allen

Margaret Sharon McGuire

Callahan Estate

Mary Anne Palmer

Carl & Janet Rasmusson

May C. Parks

Claiborne Estate

Robert & Jean Board

Denny & Donna Strong

Ruth M. Miller

Don Cate

Ruthford Christensen Crandall

Ernest C. Bilsland
A non-profit 501(c)(3). Tax ID #95-6205446
44 December 2016

firemensrelief.org

MEMBERS
Arley V. Tracy, Apparatus Operator.
Appointed May 12, 1962.
Retired on a disability pension June 17, 1982 from FS 85.
Passed away October 10, 2016.
Walter R. Brey, Arson Investigator.
Appointed October 28, 1947.
Retired on a Service pension June 1, 1980 from ARSON-B.
Passed away October 12, 2016.
Harry C. Carlson, Engineer.
Appointed February 3, 1958.
Retired on a disability pension October 15, 1984 from FS 50.
Passed away October 15, 2016.
Earl A. Masoner, Fire Inspector.
Appointed April 1, 1957.
Retired on a disability pension October 6, 1983 from Fire Prevention.
Passed away October 24, 2016.
Norman L. Beneke, Firefighter II.
Appointed Febraury 4, 1961.
Retired on a service pension February 21, 1987 from FS 97.
Passed away November 5, 2016.
Francis M. Brown, Battalion Chief.
Appointed August 27, 1946.
Retired on a service pension June 26, 1976 from Employee Relations.
Passed away November 7, 2016.
Ralph L. McQueen, Fireman.
Appointed February 28, 1950.
Retired on a service pension July 1, 1972 from FS 60.
Passed away November 9, 2016.

FAMILY
Rena R. Wilks, surviving spouse of Raymond A. Wilks, passed away October 1, 2016.
Leslie A. Reed, spouse of Edward J. Reed, passed away October 7, 2016.
Kathleen F. Miller, surviving spouse of Harold Miller, passed away October 10, 2016.
Shirley Woodhouse, surviving spouse of Bruce Woodhouse, passed away October 12, 2016.
Catherine Romps, surviving spouse of Donald J. Romps, passed away October 14, 2016.
Sandra J. Gonzales, spouse of James E. Gonzales, passed away October 14, 2016.
Florence Dodd, surviving spouse of Samuel H. Dodd, Jr., passed away November 4, 2016.

December 2016 45

Send your letters & comments to the editor at: editor@lafra.org

Dear Relief Association

We were thrilled to learn that we
won the grand prize in the Golf Ball
Drop [at this years LAFD Invitational
Golf Tournament]. Please accept the
enclosed check for the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund
we appreciate all you do!
Sincerely,
Leslie & Greg Scarborough
Winona, MN
Widows, Orphans & Disabled
Firemens Fund

In memory of my beloved husband Battalion Chief Robert S. Furr.
He was honored to serve the LA City
Fire Dept. from1949-1980. My thanks
to those that donated in his name,
Fuzzy Furr and Tanqueray Toaster. He
was a great guy!
Carolyn Furr
Visalia, CA
LA Firemens Relief Assoc Family,

It has been almost a year since
we lost John [Verdone]. The fire dept
meant the world to both John and his
grandson Primo John Verdone. John

46 December 2016

would come home and share his adventures with the family. Somehow he
would make working on his rig sound
great, plus his runs.

They are missed in our family
every day. John served 34 years and
loved every minute of it. Please accept
this donation in memory of John Verdone and Primo John Verdone, grandson.
Thank you!
Audrey Verdone and family
Grass Valley, CA
LAFRA

What a great guy! Worked with
Harry [Carlson] at 50s.We had a lot of
fun working with him. What a gentleman.
RIP my friend.
Tony Hidalgo
LAFRA

My sincere condolences to the
family, having lost Walter [Henry].
My first assignment as a new captain
was Engine 100-C. Walt had been
the engineer there for a long time - I
had no concerns for finding our way

around the district. If we were responding and I reached for the map,
he would let me know where we were
going, and what was there! He was a
locker room leader in the best tradition, quiet but effectively keeping
others motivated just by his example.
He was also a really good paddle tennis player, using his age and treachery
to overcome youth and clumsiness. It
was a pleasure for me to have worked
alongside Walt Henry.
Frank B. David
LAFRA

I had the pleasure of working
with this fine gentleman [Norman L.
Beneke] at FS 97. Always positive and
good spirited.
Peace to you.
Jim Kinninger
LAFRA
I met Richard [Koenig] on a
work party/fishing trip to my fatherin-laws cabin on the Klamath River
about 20 years ago. I was working with
Dicks son Tom at TF 102-A. It was
supposed to be a roofing and salmon
trip. Rain got in the way. But I got to
know one of the last Good Guys to
ever wear the badge.
Rest in peace for your legacy will carry on,
Mike Martin

Dear LAFRA,

Please accept the enclosed donation in loving memory of our daughter
Kristen Deanne K.D. Flaharty. She
passed away June 16, 2016, at the age
of 31, after a courageous battle with
breast cancer. K.D. was and continues
to be an inspiration to all who knew
her.

The outpouring of love and support from our fire family and LAFRA
has been truly amazing. We would like
to personally acknowledge and thank
Chaplain Danny Leon for his strength
and compassion for our family.
Sincerely,
Mike and Cheryl Proffitt
(retired FS 48)
Dennis and Robyn Flaharty

Protect Those
with Special Needs
Firefighter Justin Mendence set up a special needs trust to ensure his
son and entire family is taken care of in the best manner possible.
You want to think everybodys going to take care of your kid because

If I handwrite a will,
A Special
Needs Trust
Helps You:
isnt
that
good
enough?
everybody loves him, but unless you have a plan in placeyoure planning
to fail. Leaving it to chance is not in me and my wifes vocabulary.

Set up long-term funding for living expenses & care

Determine who will be the primary caregiver
Create an advisory group of experts to help caregivers make
sound decisions
Ensure your childs assets are protected & well-managed
Ensure your child maintains eligibility for special services
I sleep a little bit easier at night knowing that my son is set up for his
entire life, Justin said.

Whether you care for a child or adult with special needs or not,
everyone should consider setting up an estate plan. Ask for a
Getting Started Kit today by emailing Relief Association
Development & Marketing Director Marlene Casillas at
December
MCasillas@lafra.org or calling (323)
259-5217.2016 47

Donations to Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemens Fund

October 2016

JACK & BARBARA CHELL in memory of

Henry Hank Huizinga

MARIO MARTINEZ TRUST

ROGER W. SCHMITZ

MICHAEL VAVRIN

DANIEL LEON
CAROLYN G. BONAUDI-FURR in memory of my
husband Battalion Chief Robert S. Furr
ROBERT C. KLOPFENSTEIN from the Kern County
Breakfast Club
GREG & LESLIE SCARBOROUGH in appreciation of
the Relief Association
KIRK P. BINGHAM from the Retired Firefighters
Breakfast at Mimis Restaurant on 10/05/16
KERRIE A. KENDZIERSKI in memory of K.D.

SUE A. BALDWIN in memory of Don Bain

WALTER S. BOWLING in memory of Jerry King
SARAH R. HODGES/JOHNNIE ROBERTS
JUDITH HOYT in appreciation of LAFRA Service
RONALD & LINDA FAIRFIELD in memory of
Donald L. Bain, Capt I, FS 40-C
JOHN W. BLAIR, JR.
MARY NELSON

HARRY & DORIS MORCK in memory of Patti Loewe

& Jerry King

LAFRA Statement of Ownership

48 December 2016

Mike Mastro, President/CEO

Firefighters First Credit Union

Financing Tips on How to Run a Successful Business

ne of the many benefits of the Credit Union exclusively

serving firefighters is that we know your lifestyle and
interests. We find that a lot of our members have businesses and finding the right Business Banking partner is crucial
to long term success. Business financing is becoming more difficult as the big banks have increased rates as they look to diversify
their portfolios.
It is important to secure a Business credit card to cover the
day to day expenses, inventory and materials. Getting one where
you are earning reward points for those purchases is a smart
choice.
Firefighters First Credit Union has a Business Platinum
Visa card with a low variable rate.You can earn 4x the points on
purchases at Costco, Lowes, and Home Depot, 3% on travel, 2%
on gas and 1% on all other purchases until December 31, 2016.*
Then redeem your points for cash back on your account,
essentially paying your credit card bill.
Did you know that Firehouse Business Services specializes in
commercial lending and rental property financing and has competitive rates?
Buy or Refinance Commercial properties such as storage
units and larger apartment buildings.
Finance up to $5 million (larger amounts considered)
Extract capital to pay for expansion, improvements, or to
finance additional investments

And if you are looking to buy or refinance rental properties, we have you covered. Our loan programs are competitive,
flexible and we can accommodate shorter escrow periods.

In some cases a Business line of credit may be what you
need. This can be used for on-demand working capital, payroll
funds, to improve your cash flow, purchase inventory and even
to finance your accounts receivables. By having an open line of
credit you can access the money as needed via phone or online
transfer.

If you have business vehicles, we can finance them up to
84 months. We can also help you secure commercial vehicles,
like heavy duty tractors. Just give us a call.

Running a business can also expose you to certain risks.
We can help protect you by providing insurance through Firefighter Insurance Services. FIS can help you limit your risk with
General Liability, Umbrella, Commercial Auto, Workers Compensation, and many other forms of business insurance.

Our goal is to help make it easy for you to manage all of
your business financing from banking to lending to merchant
services. You can trust Firefighters First to do whats in your best
interest whether it be personal or business. Reach out to us at
(800) 231-1626 for assistance.
The more business we do together as a Fire Family, the Greater
the reward will be to all Members.
Have a safe month!

Mike Mastro
President/CEO

*Offer valid 10/1/16 12/31/16. During the promotional period, Platinum Visa cardholders will earn up to 4 times the normal earning rate of reward points. Earn 4x the points
on in-store purchases only at Costco, Sams Club, The Home Depot, and Lowes; earn 3x the points on travel purchases: airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel purchases
made directly from cruise lines, travel agencies, and tour operators; earn 2x the points on consumer fuel purchases. Register your card at uchooserewards.com to manage your
reward points conveniently from the online site or through the UChoose Rewards mobile app. Points accrued, awards, and benefits issued are subject to change and subject to the
rules of the Firefighters First Credit Union credit card rewards / UChoose Rewards program. Firefighters First Credit Union is not affiliated with any of the merchants named in
this promotion. There are costs associated with the use of any credit card issued to you by Firefighters First Credit Union.You may request specific information about these costs
by contacting us by telephone at (800) 231-1626 or by writing us at 815 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90041.

December 2016 49

Ponet Square Hotel Fire A Personal View

ot long after the

story of the Ponet
Square Hotel Fire
appeared in the October
Grapevine, I received an
interesting email from retired captain Charlie Danforth. This is the real life
account of his experience
at the fire.

-Frank Borden

I read the account
of the fire in the Grapevine
and it brought back many
terrible memories. I am
now 74 years old and tears
just started rolling down
my cheeks . . . again. I will
tell you what I saw and did
there.

I was a fireman at
9s assigned as the snorkel
operator. Leaving quarters
we could see the orange
glow, not just smoke, over
the tops of the tall buildings. When we heard the
screams from 10s size up, Engineer Bob Anderson floored it - emotion was already running
high.

We entered the north parking lot and as
soon as we stopped, a girl jumped and landed
right in front of the rig. Our brains forget bad
images and I do not now have that image in
my mind but I remember it happened. I vaguely
remember a man with the television landing on
him. There were several bodies in the lot. It
seemed strange that fire was torching out of the
attic vents but we knew nothing about balloon
construction at that time.

Captain Blaha told young Robert Roy
and me to take an inch and half to the rear 3rd
floor as Truck 9 was raising ladders. Bob was
still on probation and I had six years on, four at
9s, with a lot of big fires under my belt. I had
been to larger fires but this was just beyond all
comprehension. I told Bob not to look at what
was going on but to concentration on what we
were doing.

We entered the room with no fire in it
and turned down the hall. There was no fire in
the hall but we could see the stairwell looking
like a blow torch and fire from the front hall
joining it. We took a position with Bob on
the nozzle at the intersection of the two halls,
peeking around the corner. We would knock
the hall down and then put the water into the
fire torching up the stairs. Our 30 degree cone
did not even push the fire away from us. It just

50 December 2016

blew like a blow torch right on up the stairs.

We would hold this for a few seconds and then
the room fires would reignite the hall and we
would put the water back down the hall. We
had good visibility and were not working hard
so we had plenty of air. I remember checking
both Bobs gauge and mine.

Now the story gets sticky. A captain
from 10s crawled up behind me, I distinctly
remember his helmet shield. He asked how we
were doing. I said we needed another line to
turn the corner down the hall. He said hold our
position, he would get the help and that progress was being made throughout the building. I
distinctly remember the word progress which
surprised me. I thought we had lost it. We had
been in there a good 15 minutes, maybe more.

Now it started to get very hot. We had
been sitting on the hose but we went to kneeling as the water on the floor was steaming. I
seem to remember seeing boiling water. None
of us knew about balloon construction at this
time and it was the fire racing through the floor
joists. I started getting worried.

Suddenly our water was shut off. Within seconds the fire in the hall came back on us.
We crawled back as fast as we could with fire
racing over our heads. I put Bob though the
door first and then went in. I held the door shut
and told Bob to get down the ladder. I could
not shut the door because of the hose and fire
was torching through the crack. When Bob disappeared I crawled to the window as the door

flew open and went head first out the window.

I met Bob at the foot of the ladder and we went
to the rig. Within minutes the area we were in
collapsed down to the second floor. The time
line of that collapse would tell you how long
we were in the building. A long time!

Then orders came to move the rigs farther away due to possible collapse of exterior
walls. We moved the snorkel and then I went
up in the basket. The photo of the two ladder
pipes and the snorkel in the front is me. I remember seeing a body through a window hanging midair, stuck in some pipes in the debris
after the collapse. It was just too gruesome and
I thought nobody should have to see this, so I
washed it off with the battery.

After being relieved at the fire I went
to my girlfriends and she stayed home from
work to be with me. I just sat and cried all day.
Bob and I were nearly killed in that collapse.
We were NEVER ordered out of the building
but told to stay put. We never heard air horns or
anything about getting out.

A few years later I saw Bob at a retirement dinner and we talked about it. He told me
he was not aware of the captain from 10s behind us. He remembered being very hot and did
not think it was safe, but if I was staying it must
be OK. Later, with more experience, I never
would have stayed in there. It was the hottest I
have ever been.

Charlie now lives in Milton Freewater,
OR with his wife Suni.

Submitted by Frank Borden Director of Operations, LAFDHS

LAFD History - The Men Responsible for the Evolution of Fireboat 2, The Ralph J. Scott

Chief Engineer Ralph J. Scott attained
his high office July 18, 1919, during the closing of one epoch and the dawning of another.
The battle of a decade over the question of
horse versus automotive power had finally
been settled. The Department rode on the crest
of universal prosperity. Salary raises were obtained without difficulty. A bond issue bought
new buildings, new engines, and more companies. A succeeding bond issue built a new fire
boat (Fireboat Number 2 in 1925). The pension system was improved by direct action of
the people. It was the heyday of prosperity and
progress, and the Fire Department shared in it.
Alert to these trends, Chief Scott took advantage, and in a short span became known as one
of the most progressive fire chiefs of the nation.

By vigorously proclaiming his devotion
to the welfare of his personnel, Scott rapidly
built a reputation as a leader. He was heroic in
stature and in the eyes of his men. His domination was complete and unquestioned. If Chief
Scott was in favor of a proposition, its success
was a practical certainty. If he was convinced
as to its wisdom and practicability, no one
questioned. He was feted at scores of banquet
tables and in 1930 he was further honored by
the presidency of the International Association
of Fire Chiefs.

Then came the Depression. As always,
hard times are not as quickly felt in municipal
service as in private industry, but belts had to
be tightened. Then came a day when the men
were asked to accept a salary deduction. Such
was the influence of the Chief that for more
than three years, regular salary deductions
were willingly
consented to
by the members--a
remarkable fact,
considering
that the written consent of
each man was
necessary to
bring about the
reduction.

Chief Engineer
Ralph J. Scott

Leaving the LAFD after 35 years of
service, nearly 21 as Chief Engineer, R. J. Scott
was granted pension retirement effective April
1, 1940. Chief Scott closed a brilliant Fire Department career. During his tenure in office he
established many functions in the Department
which came as innovations and remained as
fixtures.

Both Fireboat 2, the Departments largest, and Fireboat 3, the Departments smallest,
were purchased during Chief Scotts career as
leader of the LAFD. Mrs. Ralph J. Scott took
part in the christening ceremony, as Fire Boat 2
was given her husbands fine name.
Captain Warner Lawrence

Some of retired Fireboat Pilot Bill
Dahlquists recollections were that Captain
Lawrence was very knowledgeable and helpful
to the crew but he could also be intimidating
with a stern look and his cigar. He knew every nut, bolt and rivet from stem to stern on the
boat.

Here are some of Bills one liners about
Capt. Lawrence: He was well liked for his
filibuster type line ups in the morning. He
had memorable red rag shakedowns of all crew
members. He was known for his posterior
chewings that would make a Spartan cry.

Bill wrote about Lawrences retirement
dinner in the May 1976 Firemens Grapevine:
No piece of apparatus on the LAFD ever got
more tender loving care that this fire breathing smoke belcher got. (I mean the boat, not
Cap). Things seem a little different now at the
old boathouse, maybe its the absence of cigar
smoke in the air. In any case its not quite the
same and never will be.

Captain Lawrence was one of the
LAFD hard hat divers in the 1930s when he
was a fireman. Yes, the LAFD had hard hat divers up until World War II when the US Navy
requested all of the LAFD diving gear for the
war.

He was a man with vision and capability. He could see a need, develop a design and
build it. He designed and fabricated hose floats
and floating monitors for underwharf firefighting and after the Watts Riots of 1965 designed
and fabricated fiberglass tops for open cab rigs.
All the work was done at Boat 2s quarters.

When new Fireboat 2 was about to go
into service in 2003 the Department asked for
input on who to name the new boat after. It was
a hands down win to name it The Warner L.
Lawrence.
A New Life for Boat 2 Captain Lawrence
Saves the Day - A Story By Paul Ditzel

December 6, 1975, without question,
marked the supreme moment of satisfaction for
Capt. Warner Lawrence, skipper of Fireboat 2
for 28 of his more than 40 years on the LAFD.
That triumphal day was a long time in arriving.

In 1968, Chief Hill, as cost-conscious a
chief engineer as ever headed the LAFD, along
with other chief officers had decided that Boat
2 was too expensive to operate. It was seldom
used, especially as wooden wharves and waterfront structures were gradually being replaced
by those of fire-resistant construction. Hill
made the final decision: Boat 2 was doomed to
be sold for salvage.

Captain Warner Lawrence in

his office at Boat 2s quarters

Hill and several chief officers met at
Boat 2 for an afternoon meeting. After nearly
four hours of outlining all the reasons why Boat
2 must be replaced by a smaller fireboat, Lawrence, the lowest-ranking officer present, was
at last asked for his opinions. Lawrence knew
full well why the meeting had been called and
had thoroughly researched a plan to save the
fireboat, although he knew that Hill, once he
decided to do something, was notoriously difficult to convince otherwise. Lawrence recognized that a fireboat is a lot like insurance. You
rarely make a claim on it and you hope to keep
the annual costs low. But you are glad that you
paid them when you need help in a hurry.

After more than a quarter of a century
of assignment to Boat 2, Lawrence said a face

December 2016 51

lift was needed. He proceeded to outline to

Hill his plan to cost-effectively modernize the
boat at far less than the investment in a new,
smaller boat. By rebuilding Boat 2s controls,
they could make the craft more responsive and
cheaper to operate. By switching the turrets
to remote control, one firefighter could operate two turrets. By cutting the crew from 14 to
eight, $100,000 a year would be saved. That
investment would quickly offset the $238,000
cost of modernization. Obviously impressed by
Lawrences forethought, Hill changed his mind
and agreed to the fireboats plan.

Boat 2 went into San Pedros Fellows
and Stewart Shipbuilding Yard. Emerging a
year later, Boat 2 was equipped with new stainless steel hydraulic turrets, underwater maneuvering jets, large-capacity underwharf nozzles,
hydraulic steering, direct pilothouse control of
engines, and diesel engines.

On December 6, 1975, the boat celebrated its 50th birthday during a civic observance which attracted thousands to Boat 2s
wharf and waterfront vantage points. Among
those present was Mrs. Ralph J. Scott, widow
of the Chief Engineer, who was largely responsible for acquiring the boat which went into
service in 1925

Sporting a birthday suit including a
bright red-and-white hull and superstructure,
brick-red decking, glistening nozzles and two
huge hose reels covered with snappy red jackets, Boat 2 was escorted up and down the Main
Channel by the other fireboats in the fleet. With
Captain Lawrence in the pilothouse, Boat 2
demonstrated what it could do while its turrets
gushed fountains which formed what fireboat
firefighters refer to as a flower pot-like display.

Captain Lawrence was himself, amazed
as the boat put out nearly 20,000 gallonsof-water-per-minute. The powerful deluges
caused the boat to tilt. Adding melodrama to
the spectacle was the brilliant rainbow formed
by the turrets water mist in the afternoon sun.

Fireboat 2 The Ralph J. Scott was
in service continuously from 1925 until retirement in 2003. A longevity record of over
77 years that will not be surpassed. It was
also named a National Historic Landmark
in 1989 and is being restored by the LAFD
Historical Society for future generations to see and
appreciate.
Fireboat Pilot Bill Dahlquist

Bill Dahlquist joined the LAFD in 1954
after serving in the U.S. Air Force. Bill had
a great interest in boats and in fact built four
boats before coming onto the LAFD. He was
one of the first of the LAFD underwharf divers and was assigned to Fireboat 2 and 3. He
worked for Captain Warner Lawrence.

He promoted to Fireboat Mate and in
1976 promoted from the top of the list to Fireboat Pilot.He enjoyed 16 years on Fireboat 2
until his retirement in 1992.

52 December 2016

Bill became an expert on the workings
and operation of Fireboat 2. Just a few months
after his promotion to Pilot he was working at
Fire Station 112 on Terminal Island when he
and the boat crew saw and felt the explosion
of the tankship Sansinena across the channel.
Within minutes the crew was on the boat and
Bill was taking them to his first really big incident. They worked till the next morning when
relieved by the oncoming shift.

In 1978 Bill was piloting the boat down
the main channel when one of the prop shafts
came out the stern of the boat with the propeller attached. Water was pouring in a three inch
hole when Engineer Mosich, with superhuman
strength, sealed the hole with a redwood plug.
It took two weeks for LAFD divers to find the
propeller and shaft buried in the mud on the
bottom of the channel.

Bill was instrumental in getting Old
Fireboat 2 The Ralph J. Scott recognized by
the National Park Service as a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Pilot Bill Dahlquist at the helm of Boat 2.

In 2002 an advisory committee was
formed to plan for the retirement of Old Boat
2. Bill, now retired was a member of the committee. It was recommended that the boat, now
approaching 78 years of service, be taken out
of the water and be rehabilitated as a historic
visitor attraction.

The Old Boat was taken out of the water for the last time at Larsons Boat yard for
inspection and hull painting. Fortunately Bill
was on the boat when it was put back in the water because the hull sprung a leak and started to
flood the engine room. Bill found the leak and
by pure luck, found a small tapered paintbrush
and plugged the leak.

The Port provided a land berth for the
boat north of fire station 112 and the LAFD
Historical Society provided the volunteers and
funds to start on the monumental task of restoring the boat. Bill drew up the plans needed to
do the job and supervises the work that continues today.

Bill has written numerous articles about
fireboats and LAFD history. He was one of the
founders of the original LAFD Historical Society and past Board member and museum curator. Among Bills awards is he was the LAFD
Firefighter of the Year and LAFD Historical
Society Volunteer of the Year.

A Profile of Dave Cox, LAFDHS Board

Member and Volunteer Model Builder

For the past six years, Historical Society volunteer and director, Dave Cox, has been
building models of LAFD historic fire stations.
So far he has built 60 models in HO model railroad scale, or about 1/8 inch to the foot.

His modeling quest began after a visit
to old fire station 62 in Venice, which is now
a restaurant. He was able to gain access to all
areas of the building after befriending the current owner.

He uses his experience as a structural
engineer with LADWP and master model railroad builder to create models for the museum.
He is also co-author of Companies in Quarters, a pictorial history of LAFD stations from
1886 to present.

Unfortunately most of the stations modeled do no longer exist and therefore cannot be
photographed or measured. To create a model,
one needs to see the sides, back, roof and tower
and have some dimensions. Dave uses Sanborn
insurance maps, City property maps, and the
Historical Society photo archives to get this
info.

Once plans are drawn to scale, the
buildings are built of sheet and strip styrene.
The windows and doors are either model railroad stock or scratch built from strip styrene.
Sometimes jigs were made from aluminum
plate for the fabrication of more intricate windows. The multi-windowed apparatus doors
and architectural decorations were made by
3-D imaging.

A sequence had to be developed for
each structure to facilitate its construction
which caused Dave many sleepless nights.
Many innovative ideas had to be used to join
and support the various parts of each model.

The old single bay wood stations were
the most fun to build and the large boathouse
for Boat 2 on Terminal Island was the most
complex and difficult. Dave is continuing to
build LAFD fire station models as long as he
is able. All of the models are on display at the
Historical Society Museum at old fire station
27 in Hollywood and the book Companies in
Quarters is available at our gift shop.

Dave just finished the model of Old Fireboat 2s

quarters. Photo inset: A close up of the Boathouse
reveals the scale model fireboat inside.

LOS ANGELES FIREMENS RELIEF ASSOCIATION MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

October 5, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
President Bob Steinbacher
called the meeting of the Board
of Trustees of the Los Angeles
Firemens Relief Association
to order at 10:20 a.m.
ROLL CALL
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Bob Steinbacher, President
Jeff Cawdrey, Vice President
Andrew Kuljis, Secretary
Trustee Frank Aguirre
Trustee Juan Albarran
Trustee Gene Bednarchik
Trustee Steve Berkery
Trustee Tim Freeman
Trustee Mike Sailhamer
Trustee Rick Godinez
Trustee John Jacobsen
Trustee David Peters
Trustee Steve Ruda
Trustee Chris Stine
Trustee David Ortiz
Trustee Craig White
Trustee Joe Vigil
Trustee Steven Domanski Pension
Trustee Doak Smith Pension
Trustee Tim Larson Pension
Todd Layfer - Executive
Director
Liberty Unciano Controller Treasurer

INVOCATION &
Flag Salute
Steve Ruda led the invocation.
Rick Godinez led the flag
salute.
RATIFICATION OF
MINUTES
Bob Steinbacher entertained a
motion to ratify and dispense
with the reading of the minutes
of the Board of Trustees
meeting held September 7,
2016. John Jacobsen so moved.
David Peters seconded. There
was no further discussion or
objections.
Motion carried to ratify and
dispense with the reading
of the minutes of the Board
of Trustees meeting held
September 7, 2016.
PRESIDENT REPORT
1) Bob Steinbacher asked
Heather Leavitt from Bradawn
Inc. to provide some analysis
and an over view on the
benefits of the UFLAC and
LAFRA medical plans.

MEMBERS ABSENT:
TrusteeMarkAkahoshi(Excused)
Trustee Chris Hart (Excused)
Trustee Tyler Tomich
(Excused)

2) Bob Steinbacher referred

to
the
LAFRA
110th
Anniversary Dinner Dance on
December 17th and indicated
that members can go on the
LAFRA website to purchase
their tickets.

GUESTS:
David Lowe, Retired
Barry Hedberg, Retired
James Coburn, Retired
Dave Wagner,
Grapevine Editor
Jim Dolan, Asst. Secretary

3) Bob Steinbacher informed

the Board that he received
a letter from an individual
requesting reinstatement of
Relief membership. He stated
that the member provided a
check for all the back dues from

when he left the membership.

The Board requested that the
ex-member present himself for
an in-person appeal.
John
Jacobsen
motioned
to approve reinstatement
dependent upon the members
in-person appeal at the October
19th Special Board meeting.
Chris Stine seconded. There
was no further discussion or
objections.
Motion carried to approve
reinstatement
dependent
upon the members in-person
appeal at the October 19th
Special Board meeting.
4) Bob Steinbacher referred
to the Pension Board meeting
that he and Dawna Gray
attended and indicated that
there was discussion about
the retiree medical premiums.
He indicated that a LAFRA
member addressed the Pension
Board and presented inaccurate
information regarding the
LAFRA medical plan. There
was discussion about nonTrustees sitting in the Board
meetings and signing a
LAFRA Business Associate
Agreement.
5) Bob Steinbacher informed
that he and the staff made
a presentation to the new
recruits class and signed up
69 members onto the medical
plan.
6) Bob Steinbacher referred to
the Trustee elections and asked
that the Group 2 Trustees
submit their intent to run for
Trustee to Andy Kuljis by
October 14th.

VICE PRESIDENT
REPORT
1) Jeff Cawdrey referred to
the Annual IFEBP Conference
and indicated that there would
be seven Trustees attending.
He indicated that the rooms
have been booked and asked
Trustees to make their flight
arrangements as soon as
possible.
2) Jeff Cawdrey referred to the
Colorado Springs Memorial
and indicated that he was
unable to attend. Rick Godinez
stated that the event was well
attended and indicated that
Steve Robinson and Gary
Stameisen were placed on the
memorial wall.
3) Jeff Cawdrey informed that
Frank Aguirre, Tim Freeman
and he visited a few investment
managers last week. He
indicated that meeting with
these portfolio managers was
very informative.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
REPORT
1) Todd Layfer provided an
update on the Golf Tournament
and reported that the day of
revenue brought in $21,766.
He indicated that the overall
total for the event including
sponsorships should total
close to $180K. He provided
a brief update on feedback for
improvements and indicated
that they will have a golf wrap
up meeting on October 26th.
2) Todd Layfer informed that
the Open Enrollment materials
have been distributed.
December 2016 53

3) Todd Layfer informed the

Board that it was that time of
year for the Employer Mandate
reporting. He indicated that the
deadline for reporting was in
March 2017.
ADMINISTRATIVE
COMMITTEE REPORT
Frank Aguirre presented the
following motions.
The committee recommends
and I so move to pay the
usual and customary bills in
the amount of $884,032.83.
There was no discussion or
objections.
Motion carried to pay the
usual and customary bills in
the amount of $884,032.83
The committee recommends
and I so move to elect a
Presidents
Compensation
Committee every October
consisting of five Trustees
chosen randomly. Names
were randomly drawn and
the committee members have
been selected. He stated that
the initial committee will be
effective as of October 5, 2016.
There was no discussion or
objections.
Motion carried to elect a
Presidents
Compensation
Committee every October
consisting of five Trustees
chosen randomly.
MEDICAL COMMITTEE
REPORT
David Peters presented the
following motion.
The committee recommends
and I so move to accept the
applications to the Medical
Plan. There was no discussion
54 December 2016

and no objections.
Motion carried to accept all
applications to the Medical
Plan.
RELIEF COMMITTEE
REPORT
Steve Berkery presented the
following motion.
The committee recommends
and I so move to pay:
The Sick & Injury benefits in
the amount of $10,528.54
The Estate Planning benefit in
the amount of $5,100,
The Life & Accident Death
benefit in the amount of
$12,000
The Relief Death Benefits in
the amount of $22,500
There was no discussion or
objections.
Motion carried to pay the
above Relief benefits.
Steve Berkery read the names
of members who recently
passed and asked for a moment
of silence from the Board.
MEMORIALS
Jack J. Holman
Willie R. Wheeler, Jr.
Harry E. Peters
Edward E. Humphrey
Robert F. Bowman
ASSISTANCE
COMMITTEE
Steve Berkery presented the
following motions.
The committee recommends
and I so move to accept the
donations in the amount of
$10,609.45 to the Widows,
Orphans & Disabled Firemens

Fund. There was no discussion

or objections.

attendance via telephone or

other communication source.

Motion carried to accept the

donations in the amount of
$10,609.45 to the Widows,
Orphans
&
Disabled
Firemens Fund.

Motion carried to approve

the proposed bylaw changes
pertaining
to
meeting
attendance via telephone or
other communication source.

The committee recommends

and I so move to approve
the
financial
assistance
applications for surviving
spouses, active and retired
members. There was no
discussion or objections.

MARKETING &
DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Motion carried to approve

the
financial
assistance
applications for surviving
spouses, active and retired
members.
ADVANCEMENT
COMMITTEE REPORT
The committee recommends
and I so move to advance
funds for both active and
retired members. There was no
discussion or objections.
Motion carried to advance
funds for both active and
retired members.
SECRETARY REPORT
Andy Kuljis reported that they
are currently working on the
elections. He asked that those
Trustees in Group 2 need to
submit their intent to run for
Trustee by October 14th.
BYLAWS REPORT
David Peters presented the
revised bylaw changes for the
election ballot.
The committee recommends
and I so move to approve
the proposed bylaw changes
pertaining
to
meeting

Rick Godinez indicated that we

are in preparations for the L.A.
Marathon fund raising. He
indicated that the WODFF is
selected by the L.A. Marathon
to receive some of the funds
raised. He reported that the
monthly member and charity
new letters will be going out
this week. He indicated that
they will be creating a custom
plaque for an anonymous
donor who donated $100K to
the WODFF. He referred to
the LAFRA 110th Anniversary
Dinner Dance and indicated
that the online ticketing feature
is up and running.
NEW BUSINESS
Craig White informed that
Bruce Galien and he have
started up a new gathering
for LAFD active and retired
members every 2ND Tuesday
of every month in Santa
Clarita at the Scooters Bar
& Restaurant. He stated that
the first gathering will be on
October 11th.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board entered into
Executive Session at 12:05p.m.
The Board adjourned from
Executive Session at 12:12p.m.
David
peters
motioned
to approve the actions in
Executive Session pertaining

to one legal and one personnel

matter. Tim Larson seconded.
There was no discussion or
objections.

MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL BOARD OF
TRUSTEES MEETING
CALL TO ORDER

Motion carried to approve the

actions in Executive Session
pertaining to one legal and
one personnel matter.

President Bob Steinbacher

called the Special Meeting
of the Board of Trustees of
the Los Angeles Firemens
Relief Association to order at
10:45 a.m. The meeting had
been noticed to the Board on
October 5, 2016.

SETTING OF DATES
1) LAFDHS Annual Firefighter

Memorial Ceremony
October 8th
2) Sacramento Firefighters
Memorial October 15th
3) LAFRA Open House
November 5th
4) IFEBP Annual Conference
November 13th 16th
(Orlando, FL)
5) LAFRA Holiday Party
December 17th
RETIREMENT DINNERS

1)
Michael
McKnight

Sunday, October 9th B @

Valyermo Ranch (Domanski)
2)
Jerry Coffey Friday,
October 14th C @ Frazier Park
(White)
3)
Mark Carcamo Friday,
November 4th A @ San Pedro
Fish Market (Kuljis)
ADJOURNMENT
Bob Steinbacher entertained
a motion to adjourn. David
Peters so moved. Craig White
seconded. There was no
discussion and no objections.
Motion carried to adjourn.
The Board of Trustees meeting
adjourned at 12:20 p.m.

Bob Steinbacher, President
----October 19, 2016

ROLL CALL
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Bob Steinbacher, President
Jeff Cawdrey, Vice President
Andrew Kuljis, Secretary
Trustee Frank Aguirre
Trustee Steve Berkery
Trustee Juan Albarran
Trustee John Jacobsen
Trustee David Peters
Trustee Tim Freemen
Trustee Mike Sailhamer
Trustee Rick Godinez
Trustee Jim Duffy
Trustee Tyler Tomich
Trustee David Ortiz
Trustee Tim Larson, Pension
Trustee Steven Domanski,
Pension
Trustee Doak Smith, Pension
Todd Layfer - Executive
Director
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Trustee Mark Akahoshi
(Excused)
Trustee Chris Hart (Excused)
Trustee Steve Ruda (Excused)
Trustee Gene Bednarchik
(Excused)
Trustee Chris Stine (Excused)
Trustee Joe Vigil (Excused)
Trustee Craig White (Excused)
MEMBER
REINSTATEMENT
Bob Steinbacher informed the

Board that they were holding a

Special Board Meeting to hear
an in-person appeal from an
ex-member for consideration
of reinstatement of LAFRA
membership.
The ex-member appealed
to the Board and explained
his situation at the time he
terminated his membership
with the Relief. He stated that
at the time he made a bad
judgement call to terminate
his membership because of
inaccurate information given
to him by an LAFD department
member. He indicated that
the reason for his request of
reinstatement is to join the
LAFRA medical plan. He
thanked the Board for their
time and consideration of his
request.
The individual was told that
he would be informed of
the Boards decision. Bob
Steinbacher informed the
Board that the ex-member left
in good standing and did not
owe LAFRA any money and is
willing to pay in full the back
membership dues.
Tim Larson motioned to
approve reinstatement of
LAFRA membership
for
said member. David Peters
seconded. There was no
discussion or objections.
Motion carried to approve
reinstatement of LAFRA
membership for said member.
Bob Steinbacher informed
the Board of a request for
membership
reinstatement
from an ex- member. He
indicated that the member
terminated his membership
at retirement in 2008. The
member stated that his reason
for terminating membership

was that he felt the medical

premiums were unaffordable.
David Peters motioned to
table the ex-members appeal
for membership reinstatement
pending
an
in-person
appearance. Juan Albarran
seconded. There was no
discussion or objections.
Motion carried to table the
ex-members
appeal
for
membership
reinstatement
pending
an
in-person
appearance.
Bob Steinbacher informed
the Board of a request for
membership reinstatement. He
indicated that the members
reason for terminating his
membership was that he could
not afford the membership
dues. He indicated that the exmembers request is so that he
can join the LAFRA medical
plan.
David Peters motioned to deny
the ex-members request for
membership
reinstatement.
John Jacobsen seconded. Bob
Steinbacher indicated that he
will notify the person of the
denial and offer him an inperson appeal. There was no
discussion or objections.
Motion carried to deny the
ex-members request for
membership reinstatement.
ADJOURNMENT
Bob Steinbacher entertained
a motion to adjourn. Juan
Albarran so moved. Frank
Aguirre seconded. There was
no discussion or objections.
The Special Board of Trustees
meeting adjourned at 11:16
a.m.
December 2016 55

7470 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles CA 90041

56 December 2016

CLASSIFIEDS
For advertising information, please contact:
Eric Santiago - (323) 259-5231 - eric@lafra.org
Dave Wagner - editor@lafra.org

MERCHANDISE
FOR SALE
2008 JAYCO SENECA SUPER
C DIESEL 37. Low 30,000 mi,
sleeps 10 with bunk beds, 2
large slides, 2 roof a/c. Includes
blue ox tow, surge protector, satellite dome. $81,000. 2006 Tow
jeep available for addl cost.
Danjordan1972@gmail.com.
Retired LAFD
2008 YAMAHA RHINO 700 FI
AUTO 4X4,low hours, lots of
extras, monster green,meticulouslymaintained,Soft top, runs
perfect, very clean 2875 miles
$6,500.00805-559-3935Greg
email for photos:
ggourlay@verizon.net
2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON
ROAD KING. Black, with cruise
control, hard saddlebags, Vance
& Hines exhaust, with 7,501
miles. Original owner, always
garaged, no accidents and never
dumped. Asking $10,750.00.
Call or text Josh at (714)-7131705.
FOR SALE. 1997 2500 DODGE
RAM MOBILITY VAN. 65, 263
original mileage. Has Ricon
automatic wheelchair lift. Interior
very clean. Bench backseat will
fold down into bed. No major
dings or dents and has had a
recent tune-up. Runs great.
$12,000 obo. Brenda Wheeler
(661) 480-5644

REAL ESTATE
FOR RENT
4 BEDROOM/3BATH, 2-STORY
MODERN UNIT, small complex. Hardwood floors/newly
carpeted bedrooms, granite
counter tops in kitchen and
bathrooms, island in kitchen,
microwave, stove, dishwasher. Fireplace, heating
and air-con, laundry room with

granite counter and hook-ups

off 2-car garage with remote
opener. Close to #110 Frwy at
Anaheim Blvd. 530 Bay View,
Wilmington. Must see! $2295
per mo. Call Evelyn Empie: 310
377-1730

SERVICES
ARE YOU LOOKING TO
BUY, SELL, INVEST IN A
HOME? Call me, Diana Fuentes, Realtor and wife to Fire
Captain 56A at 661.373.6569,
dianafuentesrealtor.com,
diana@nchal.com. I also
specialize in Probate Sales. A
generous donation, at close of
escrow to Adopt-A-Station.
Cal-BRE License 01794244.
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.
COUNSELING KIDS & FAMILIES. Separation, divorce, kids
behavior problems (anger, acting
out behavior, defiance, attention
difficulties, hyperactivity, school
issues, family adjustment),
blended families, parenting, support, family issues, licensed marriage & family therapist. Nancy
Goodwin with private office in
Temecula. Confidential, 20 years
experience, wife of retired LAFD.
(951) 231-1600. www.goodwinfamilycounseling.com
CRAIG SANFORD HEATING &
AIR - Free estimates, residential, commercial. Great rates for
LAFD and LAPD. Toll free (877)
891-1414, (661) 298-3070, FAX
(661) 298-3069. State License
No. 527114
DEFERRED COMPENSATION
MANAGEMENT: Introducing

My Deferred Compensation
Manager AL HEWITT, INC., a
FEE-ONLY Financial Planning
and Investment Management
Firm, offers Comprehensive
Deferred Compensation Management using Elite Institutional
Money Managers. Personalized
portfolio selection and ongoing
management of your deferred
compensation assets. Investment Management of other
retirement and non-retirement
assets is also available. Fixed
annual advisory fee starting at
$625 per quarter; we do NOT
charge a percentage of assets
under management. (800) 5734829 www.ALHEWITT.com
FIRE FAMILY ESTATE SALES
Call us when a loved one
passes, moves to a nursing facility or downsizes. Our professional staff can handle every aspect
of estate liquidation. We have
worked with many fire families
and are here to help. Rebecca
Martin, LAFD wife (818) 2163637
www.firefamilyestatesales.
com
GARAGE DOOR INSTALLATION & SERVICE. Garage
doors and openers. Need to
replace your broken springs?
or does your door need repair,
even replaced? We do it all from
new product to repairing old.
Call (661) 860-4563 Grassroots
Garage Doors, Inc. Lic# 950020.
Son of 35 year veteran fireman.
ITS TAX TIME AGAIN! Specializing in Firefighter and Paramedic Returns, Electronic Filing
available, year round bookkeeping and accounting, business
and partnership returns, payroll.
All computerized processing with
over 30 years experience. Call
early for an appointment around
your schedule. Robert Sanchez
LAFD-OCD retired (818) 3677017, Cell (818) 216-1040.

needs. We offer discounts to all

active and retired firefighters,
law enforcement, and military.
Email: info@reccoversdirect.
com or call (949) 429-3029 for
your discount code at checkout.
Visit our website:
RECCOVERSDIRECT.COM
LAFD retired - Les Hunt
WAYNE PRESS CHIROPRACTIC. Work, Auto, DMV, Wellness. Preferred provider for
most PPO, HMO, MPN, Union,
Auto accident and Workers
Compensation Plans. (818)
527-7246.
DrWaynePress.com
WINDOWS & PATIO DOORS
- vinyl replacement windows
& Patio doors. I also carry
aluminum, wood and entry door
systems. Rick Brandelli, Capt.
LACoFD, FS 8-C (800) 6676676.
www.GeeWindows.com

VACATION
RENTALS
BIG BEAR - Beautiful decked
two story cabin. 2 bedroom, 1
bath. Sleeps six. Pets OK. Near
lake, slopes, shopping. Fireplace/wood, cable/WiFi. Fully
furnished except linens. Winter
$110/$650. Summer $100/$550.
2 night minimum.
www.schaffercabin.com
Call Donna/Beep (760)7231475.
BIG BEAR CABIN. 2 bedroom,
2 bath, 2 story. Sleeps 6-8.
About 6 miles from ski slopes
& lake. Fireplace/wood, cable,
full kitchen - furnished. $100
per night M - Th. $110 per night
F-Sun. Weekly available. Sheri
(909) 851-1094 or (760) 9482844.

MEXICO BIRD HUNTING.

Wild Pheasants, doves, morning dove, white wine dove &
eurasian dove, quail, ducks &
geese. (805) 686-1834 - Steve.
www.mexicobirdhunting.com

BIG BEAR LAKES FINESTDeluxe lakeside townhouse, 2

bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 cable TVs,
HBO, DVD, WiFi, 2 wood burning
fireplaces, laundry room, tennis
court, indoor pool, sauna, spa,
boat dock. Fully equipped, including all linens. Sleeps 6. 310-5418311 or nmbigbear@gmail.com

REC COVERS DIRECT - Specializing in RV, boat & golf cart

covers! We have quality and
durable covers to meet all your

BIG BEAR CABIN. 4 Bdrm, 2

Bath 1,850 sq ft home on the
Eagle Point peninsula. Very
close to the lake, ski slopes,

December 2016 57

downtown and grocery stores.

Sleeps 9 comfortably. 50 cable
TV, DVD, VHS, WiFi, wood
burning stove, fireplace, fire pit,
fire wood, BBQ, laundry. 2 night
min. Winter $160/night. Summer $130/night. +$90 Cleaning.
(4 days+ = no cleaning fee)
Some holiday rates apply. Tony
Zermeno (805) 625-1192
CATALINA BEACH COTTAGE
- 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, one block
to beach, view, fully equipped
housekeeping unit. Marci (818)
347-6783 or Clarence (310) 5102721.
CATALINA CONDO - HAMILTON COVE. Ocean front, 1
bed, 1 1/2 bath, sleeps 4. Steps
to beach, pool, gym, putting
course, tennis and more. Newly
refurbished, fully equipped.
Includes golf cart, WiFi. Contact
Bart @ (310) 510-0190. Hamiltoncove.com. Ask for LAFD
8-89 discount. Owner active
LAFD.
COSTA RICA, LUXURY
CONDO, Fully Equipped, Furnished in a Very Quiet Private
Area. Two balconies, view of the
valley, two bedrooms/two bathrooms, 2 full-queen bed sets, full
bath with hot water, wall closets,
AC, washing machine, Kitchen
fully equipped, parking for 2
cars, wifi, cable tv, swimming
pool, gym.
www.vrbo.com/512567
DESERT CONDOS, RANCHO
MIRAGE (near Palm Springs).
2 bed, 2 bath. Fully furnished
condo, TV, internet, pools and
spas. Gated community from
$115/night. 3 bed from $125/
night. No smoking. Barbara
(626) 798-2484.
JUNE LAKE CABIN - 2BR/2BA
cabin with Carson Peak view.
Close to fishing & skiing. Furnished, wood deck, equipped
kitchen, wood burning stove,
tree swing, cable /DVD/phone.
Garage/ample parking. $95/
night plus cleaning fee. Email for
pictures. Jeff Easton 93-A (805)
217-5602. junebound@gmail.
com
LAKE HAVASU LANDINGWaterfront, steps to the water.
Boat mooring out front, off-road
desert behind house. 3 bed/3

58 December 2016

bath, fully furnished w/linens.

Direct TV/DVR, BBQ, Casino,
Grocery/Meat Market, Launch
Ramp, Marina with Boat House,
Gated Community. No pets/
smoking. $350 Dan Cook 310
418 1577.
LAKE HAVASU BEAUTY FOR
RENT - 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1600
sq.ft. Fully furnished with all
amenities- 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 NACIMIENTO. Oak
Shores gated community. 3
bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, large loft.
3minute drive to main marina in
Oak Shores. Large flat driveway.
Fully equipped kitchen, BBQ,
washer/dryer, TV/DVD. No
cable. No pets/smoking. $185/
night. 3 night minimum. Call Ben
(805) 444-2264.
MAMMOTH - 1 bedroom Summit condo, sleeps 6. Convenient
underground garage parking. Jacuzzis, gym (pool/tennis in summertime), shuttle right outside!
Across from Eagle Lodge, Winter $110 per night, Summer $80
per night plus $65 cleaning fee
and 13% tax. All linens included.
Drew or Nancy Oliphant (661)
513-2000 or mammoth241@
aol.com
MAMMOTH CONDO. 2 bedroom & large loft, 3 full baths,
sleeps 8. 5 minute walk to Canyon Lodge. Fully furnished, TVs,
VCR/DVD, pool, spa, rec room,
sauna, linens included. Winter
$175 weekdays, $195-weekends/holidays; summer $125,
plus cleaning. No smoking; no
pets. Craig Yoder (909) 9483659.
MAMMOTH CONDO. 2 bedroom, 2 bath, sleeps 6. Near
Canyon Lodge. Newly remodeled recreation room with pool
and spa. Laundy facilities, condo
has been beautifully remodeled.
Photos available on website.
Winter - $300 per night, Summer
- $150 per night. $150 cleaning
fee. Call for holiday terms and
pricing. Joseph Angiuli (626)

497-5083.
www.discoveryfour.com
MAMMOTH CONDO - 2 bdrm,
2 bath, 2 TVs, phone, garage,
pool, jacuzzi, fully furnished - exept linens. Near shuttle/chair 15.
Winter $125/night. Weekends
and Holidays $110 midweek.
Summer $95/night. $495/week.
No smoking. No pets. Jim Johnson (818) 992-7564, FS 80C.
MAMMOTH CONDO NEXT
TO THE GONDOLA VILLAGE
Fully furnished, three bedroom, two bath with towels and
linens, newly remodeled kitchen,
internet and cable TV, pool and
Jacuzzi. Walk to the gondola,
shops, restaurants and ski in on
the new comeback trail. Parking
at the front door. Winter: $250/
night. Summer $150/night.
Holidays $300/night. Cleaning is
included. Call Mike Whitehouse,
Retired, 805-987-6122, email:
btkwhitey@yahoo.com
or Bruce Galien, Retired, 661645-7448, email: luvbaja2@aol.
com
MAMMOTH CONDO Cozy 2
bedrooms, 2 bath. Fully furnished, WIFI, 3 TVs, pool, spa,
walk to shuttle, Old Mammoth
area. Winter $115, Summer
$90, plus cleaning fee $139 and
14% city tax. Includes linens.
No pets, no smoking. Call (310)
540-4648.
MAMMOTH CONDO AT MAMMOTH ESTATES, 4BR/3BA,
sleeps 10, fully furnished, 2
TVs, DVDs, WiFi, towels/linens,
fireplace. Full kitchen. Walk to
Gondola Village and shuttle.
Complex has pool, spa, sauna,
laundry. Winter $335/night, Summer $215/night, plus cleaning.
Includes city bed tax. No pets,
no smoking. Dory Jones (310)
918-0631 or Kelly Corcoran
(310) 619-5355
MAMMOTH CONDO - Sierra
Manors Sleeps 7. 3 bedroom 2
1/2 bath. Fully furnished except
linens. 2 TVs/VCR/DVD, stereo/
CD. Dishwasher, microwave,
sauna, jacuzzi, pool. No smoking/No Pets. Shuttle at door.
Winter $155/night, Summer
$100/night, Plus $80 cleaning
fee and City Bed Tax. Brian &
Karen Salvage LAFD Retired
(805) 499-7752.

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 SKI & RACQUET:
Studio/loft, 2 bath, king bed,
sleeps 4. Full kitchen, TV, VCR,
DVD. Garage parking. Walk to
Canyon Lodge. Ski back trail.
2 night minimum. Winter $100/
nite, $125 Fri, Sat & Holidays.
Summer $60/nite. Plus $120
cleaning & linens. Jeff & Lisa
Moir (661) 254-5788.
MAMMOTH SKI & RACQUET:
Walk to Canyon Lodge. Studio
loft sleeps 4. Queen beds, full
kitchen, 2 baths, garage parking,
TV, VCR, DVD. Winter SunThurs $100.nite; Fri & Sat $115/
nite plus cleaning fee $100. Non
smoking complex. Joel Parker,
LAFD retired.
email: cat25sailor@gmail.com
or (213) 399-6534.
MAMMOTH CONDO- SEASONS FOUR RESORT.
Charming and cozy furnished
1 Bedroom sleeps 5. Updated
unit with amenities including
wifi, sauna, jacuzzi, phone,
rec room, 2 flat screens , DVD
players. W/D on site. Shuttle
stop. Walking distance to village.
$120/night + $80 Cleaning fee
Bobby@310-350-5552.
MAUI BEACH FRONT CONDO
ON NAPILI BAY - 50 from
water. Studios and 1 bedroom.
Luxury furnishings + full kitchen.
All the amenities! Mauis best
snorkeling/beach. All island
activities & Kapalua within 4
minutes. 5-day minimum, from
$150 per night (regularly $310/
night). Call Sherrie or Bill for
info/reservations (805) 530-0007
or email: pmimaui@aol.com
or visit:
www.napilibaymaui.com
MAUI CONDO 1 AND 2 BEDROOMS. Centrally located on
beautiful Maalaea Bay. Excellent
swimming and snorkeling; white
sandy beach. Minutes from golf,
tennis, fishing, shopping, airport
and resort areas. Marsha Smith
or Jeanne McJannet. Toll free

(800) 367-6084. www.maalaeabay.com

MAUIS MOST BEAUTIFUL
BEACH - Napili Bay. Beautiful
furnished condo that sleeps 4.
Lanai/balcony, full kitchen, king
bed, flat screen TVs/DVD, ACs
free WiFi (internet), complimentary maid service, complimentary coffee every morning and
breakfast on Fridays. Special
firefighters discount - Best value
in West Maui! Nice pool & BBQ
area - Close to beach! (800)
336-2185
www.napilivillage.com
Don Sprenger - retired LAFD
(949) 929-0989
PALM DESERT-3 bed/2bath,
one level. New re-model, fully
furnished w/linens. Cable TV/
DVR, Private Patio, BBQ, Laundry, Garage, Gated Community,
two (Pools, Jacuzzis, Tennis

Courts). Near College of the

Desert. $175 Dan Cook 310 418
1577.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. Romantic Chalet Family getaway.
3 bed/2 bath plus loft. Sleeps
810. Cable TV, washer/dryer,
microwave, woodburning stove.
7 minutes to casinos and Heavenly. Located in Tahoe Paradise.
$105 per night plus cleaning.
Call Shawn or Rose Agnew at
(661) 250-9907 OR (661) 4766288.
SUNSET RANCH PALM
DESERT. 163 acre ranch
private ski lake. Perfect for
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accommodates large groups.
Amenities: pool, AC, billards,
TV, fishing, pet friendly. Nearby
golf, casinos, ATV riding. Also,
Premier lodging for Coachella
music festivals. *Seasonal duck

hunting club. See website for

rates and info:
sunsetranchoasis.com
or call Nick Davidson (424)
237-4121

VACATION
VEHICLES
2007 NATIONAL TROPI-CAL
DIESEL PUSHER FREIGHTLINER. Cummings Turbodiesel, Allison Transmission, air
suspension, air brakes, 2 electric
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Banks equipment. Macerator.
8-cubic foot refrigerator, microwave/convection oven, 27-inch
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Satellite dish, remote control
awning.
MOTORHOMES FOR RENT.
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or call 661-297-2398 as for
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For advertising information,

please contact:
Eric Santiago
(323) 259-5231
or email: eric@lafra.org
or visit our website at
www.lafra.org/advertising

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December 2016 59

Engine 101, circa 1962

back, l to r - Walter Cadien, Marko Mike Malahni, Clarence Neighbors, Rudy Valle
front, l to r - Forrest Taylor, Jack Christopher

In 1962, FF Rudy Valle had a half dozen years on the LAFD, but he readily acknowledges that he was the boot at Fire Station
101. He knew he was pretty tough, growing up on the mean streets of Pedro and then serving in the 82nd Airborne during the Korean
War. But he was in perpetual awe of the firemen with whom he worked. Engineer Clarence Neighbors and Firemen Walter Cadien and
Marko Malahni had all seen combat in the Second World War. Captain Jack Christopher had been a submarine commander during the war.
His real mentor and hero was Fireman Forrest Taylor who had been a PT Boat commander. In addition, Taylor was also an underwater
demolitions expert and an early pioneer of the Navy SEALs.

Valle sustained an IOD injury that forced him off the job after just 15 years. Although he went on to earn a masters degree and
an accomplished career in education, he recalls, Those were the best 15 years of my life. There isnt anything like the camaraderie on
the fire department. And the privilege of working with those guys at 101s back then was truly an inspiration.
Photo and info provided by Rudy Valle
60 December 2016

KEVIN D. WRIGHT
Senior Vice President
Financial Advisor
Morgan Stanley
CA Insurance License #0E11022

SUPPORTER / SPONSOR
LAFD Invitational
Historic Society Member
Lane Kemper Team Sponsor
LAFD Golf Club
PALS -LAPD

THANK YOU!

All Members and Family of the LAFD

Active/Retired call for a oneonone
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818.713.4788

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Retirement Planning
Insurance/Long Term Care
Income Planning
Estate Planning Strategies
SPECIAL NOTE:
0.00% No Advisory Fee
for Deferred Comp Assets
Call Now!
MORGAN STANLEY
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in
conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates.
Morgan Stanley and its Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice.
Individuals should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.
(C) 2015 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

CRC 1240988 7/15

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December 2016 61

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