June 14, 2007
Save The Date - 2007 Greater Alarm Gala
Friday, September 14, 2007. Write it down. Add it to your PDA, personal computer, or that napkin you use to track important events. The LAFD Museum will host its annual Greater Alarm Gala in front of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Hollywood and you're invited.
The rich history of the Los Angeles Fire Department is a source of pride and accomplishment for its members and for the community it has served for more than one hundred and twenty years. The annual Greater Alarm Gala is a rare opportunity to mix with some of Los Angeles' VIPs, city luminaries, actors, and of course, LA firefighters.
It's a memorable evening under the stars and you'll never forget it.
First of all, let's talk food. Firefighters are known for their cooking skills and the LAFD has its share of five-star chefs. The Gala will feature some of the best prepared food to be found anywhere in the city. Ask anyone who attended the sold-out 2006 event and they'll tell you - the food is reason enough for a return visit.
In addition to culinary delights, the 2007 event will feature:
- Live and silent auctions (holidays, musical instruments, artifacts, and much more)
- A tribute to local community leaders
- Great entertainment
The entire event will benefit the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at Historic Fire Station 27, the home of the LAFD Museum. For information on sponsorship, tables, tickets, tribute journal advertising and auction opportunities, please telephone: 818-994-4661
Posted by dbarrett at 05:44 AM | Comments ( 0 )
June 05, 2007
Los Angeles Retired Firefighter Luncheon
You're invited to come and spend an afternoon with some of the LAFD's most enduring members. On June 14, the LAFD Museum will host its annual retired firefighter luncheon. This is your chance to mix it up with LAFD firefighters who protected the city for much of the 20th century.
The museum's own Bob Lee will run the kitchen. LAFD Historical Society President Greg Gibson will offer some words of wisdom and councilperson Tom LaBonge will stop by to offer up some of his memorable public speaking.
Beyond the expected activities, the luncheon is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the department's past via the memories and experiences of real firefighters. Many of these retired members were there during the most serious incidents faced by the city in the 20th century. Learn about the Bel Air fire, the Watts riots, the DC-10 crash at LAX, explosions in the LA Harbor, and many other emergency responses.
So, leave work for a few hours and join us for lunch. The fun begins at 11AM. A food donation of $10.00 will keep the cook happy. See you there!
Posted by dbarrett at 05:36 AM | Comments ( 0 )
May 10, 2007
Hollywood Invited to Meet LA Firefighters
This Saturday, May 12, 2007, from 10AM until 4PM, the LAFD is conducting its annual Fire Service Recognition Day. The LAFD Museum & Memorial, locating in the heart of Hollywood, invites all LA residents - and particularly those in the Hollywood areas, to join the LAFD Historical Society for a special pancake breakfast at Old Fire Station 27. The pancake breakfast begins at 8:30AM and runs until 1PM!
This is your chance to visit the new memorial, to show your appreciation for the firefighters who battled this week's Griffith Park brush fire, and to see firefighters performing exciting drills. Don't miss this opportunity to see your Los Angeles Fire Department in action - and to enjoy it with some delicious pancakes, too!
Posted by dbarrett at 04:00 PM | Comments ( 0 )
May 09, 2007
Pancakes and Fire Engines!
Invitation to the public: Start your Saturday with a plate full of delicious home-cooked pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and all-natural orange juice! Yes, it's true - this Saturday only, the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society invites you to join us for our annual Firefighter Pancake Breakfast at Old Fire Station 27 in Hollywood. The event begins at 8:30AM and runs until 1PM.
And, there's more. The Los Angeles Fire Department is holding its annual Fire Service Recognition Day on Saturday. So, come to the Old Fire Station 27 museum, have some pancakes, and enjoy some terrific demonstrations by the firefighters at New Fire Station 27. It's a morning the entire family can enjoy.
For information on Old Fire Station 27 and directions to the pancake breakfast, please click here.
For information on other places to see LAFD demonstrations, please visit the LAFD News Blog.
Posted by dbarrett at 03:45 PM | Comments ( 0 )
May 05, 2007
We Welcome Metro Chiefs to the LAFD Museum
On Saturday, May 5th, the LAFD Museum will play host to the 2007 Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Conference. As part of the one-week program, fire chiefs from around the world will stop by the museum, tour, and meet with LAFD Historical Society members. The Metro Chiefs reception will commence at approximately 4:30PM.
The week long event includes updates on the US Fire Administration, Intelligence related to terrorism preparedness, firefighter cancer support, GIS technology, the "everyone goes home program" (who visited the LAFD Museum on 9 April), new trends in fire service deployment, a firefighter "near miss" reporting system and much more.
And there is entertainment as well, with tours of not only the LAFD museum, but Paramount Studios, the Getty, the Queen Mary, Universal, the Griffith Observatory, the Farmers Market, the Trump National Golf Course and the Magic Castle.
The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Section was organized in 1965. Fire Chiefs from large cities gather to share information and experiences. They also discuss issues that may be of value to a wide variety of departments. The Metropolitan Section is organized as a section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and as a section of the National Fire Protection Association pursuant to and subject to the requirements and provisions of both organizations. The Metro Chiefs Section is limited to the chief of the department who is a member of both the IAFC and the NFPA and who is the fire chiefs of cities or jurisdictions having a minimum staffed strength of 400 fully paid career fire fighters.
Posted by dbarrett at 05:42 PM | Comments ( 0 )
April 01, 2007
Everyone Goes Home (alive) here on April 9
It is acknowledged that firefighting is a dangerous business. Every year, firefighters die protecting the lives and property of the citizens in their communities. And while safety and training reduce the frequency of fatalities and injuries, any loss is felt throughout the community.
The Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial would like to acknowledge an important program entitled "Everyone Goes Home" - a series of firefighter safety initiatives. A series of training seminars is touring the country and arrives in Los Angeles on Monday, April 9. The program, to be hosted at the LAFD Museum and Memorial, is an important program for anyone on the job and those who share an interest in the fire service.
The program, which focuses on 16 key initiatives, is designed to great greater awareness of the dangers of fighting fire, and the steps that can be taken to minimize the risks associated with the job. It is also designed to empower every sworn member of any department to become an agent of change. Traditionally, active duty members would follow tradition and not "rock the boat" related to issues that might enhance safety or change existing department values. This program is designed to promote safety to the extent that should changes be required within any department, firefighters will have the courage and a mandate to speak up and to effect such changes. The program hopes to reduce fatalities by 50% within the coming five years.
We are honored that Helen Reiner Worthen, the mother of Eric Reiner, a Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic who died in the line of duty in March 1998, will join the program and offer some words to those assembled. The loss of firefighter Reiner, Michael D. McComb and Michael A. Butler, in addition to an 11-year old patient is still fresh in the minds of all LA Firefighters and Chief Officers. As such, Mrs. Worthen's visit is both welcomed and appreciated.
All members of the public are welcome to join us:
Monday, April 9, 2007
10:00 AM to Noon
Los Angeles Fire Department Museum
1355 North Cahuenga Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Posted by dbarrett at 05:13 AM | Comments ( 0 )
October 09, 2006
Festival Weekend a Hollywood Hit
Despite the perfect storm for sports this past weekend (Dodgers, USC and UCLA Football), not to mention two downtown Los Angeles music festivals, the Firefighter Festival in Hollywood was a big hit with local residents and businesses. The Sunday event attracted people from not only Hollywood, but the farthest reaches of LA, as some people traveled from the Harbor in the south and the west valley in the north to enjoy the festivities.
The events of the past week actually began with the Fallen Firefighter Memorial service on Thursday. Then, this past Friday evening, the Greater Alarm Gala, an exclusive dinner and auction was held. The evening was hosted by Thad Hunter Smith and Brian Sayers and included honors for some of Los Angeles' most involved individuals and wonderful music. The auction and proceeds from all weekend events are designed to assist in the completion of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial. The gala was the second annual event, and an enthusiastic crowd enjoyed some fantastic food - all prepared by Los Angeles firefighters.
The Saturday festival was also a food fest, with various fire stations (and Chief Officers) competing for awards in both taste and presentation. Presentations by councilperson Tom LaBonge, Fire Chief William Bamattre, and others were well received, while musical presentations by Catch 22, The MoxieBlues Band, and the Calvillio Sisters really got the crowd going. The Calvillo sisters, nieces to LAFD Captain Carlos Calvillo (who plays in the MoxieBlues Band) performed a cappella, and these girls have a tremendous future, should they decide to pursue it.
Both the Friday night and Saturday events included a private auction - items ranging from fire helmets signed by celebrities to vacations, cruises, musical instruments, and a three-litre bottle of wine from Napa Valley. The final tally is not yet in, but the initial reaction is that this year's event was a financial success, an important component for the museum and the memorial.
Special thanks go out to all of the individuals, firefighters, LAFD officers, LAPD, Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society members and staff, not to mention key sponsors Jostens, KABC 7 Television, The Home Depot, Harley Davidson, Conseco, and Inifinity Radio.
Posted by dbarrett at 03:26 AM | Comments ( 3 )
October 04, 2006
Memorial Service Thursday...
On Thursday, October 5th, the Los Angeles Fire Department will gather to remember those firefighters who lost their lives protecting the citizens of Los Angeles. The event takes place at 10:00AM, just outside the LAFD Museum & Memorial in Hollywood.
"These events are moving and uplifting, both," said LAFD Museum supporter David Barrett. "While any memorial service is a somber activity, this is really a bit different. This is a remembrance and celebration of those firefighters who gave their lives so that others might live." Presentations by Fire Chief William Bamattre, local council persons, directors of UFLAC, and the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society are a tradition. Each year, family members of fallen firefighters journey to Hollywood for the occasion and are joined by a wide range of active duty LAFD members.
The public may attend and there is ample parking across the street from the memorial plaza. For additional information, you may contact the museum at (323) 464 - 2727.
Posted by dbarrett at 09:24 PM | Comments ( 0 )
October 01, 2006
Firefighter Gala Dinner This Week!
On Friday, October 6, 2006, the 2nd annual LAFD Memorial Gala will take place on the memorial plaza in Hollywood, California. The public is invited to this remarkable and exclusive event.
For those of you who have not been to the museum, the memorial plaza, or an LAFD event, please consider this as a unique and fun way to support your community and your own family! This is not just another dinner - consider some of the following:
- Silent Auction: This is your chance to get some really cool stuff not found anywhere else.
- Awesome Food: Most of it prepared by active LAFD firefighters. If you like good cooking, it doesn't get any better than this.
- Great Entertainment: Every year, there are wonderful performers, laughter, and music. It's an evening you'll long remember.
- Very Reasonable Cost: This year, $75.00 per person is a very reasonable fee for a terrific evening and a worthy cause.
For additional information, contact the Community Liason Office of the LAFD: (213) 978-3711
Please join us for an evening to remember...
Posted by dbarrett at 03:00 PM | Comments ( 1 )
August 10, 2006
New Website Coming...
In September, a completely new website will be released for the Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial. The new site will be oriented around the three key objectives of the LAFD Historical Society: Preservation, Education, and the LAFD Memorial for Fallen Firefighters.
The new site will feature profiles on exhibits, artifact histories, famous incident stories, details on events, and a wealth of information about the history of your Los Angeles Fire Department. This news section will remain, although it too will evolve with more detailed entries from active and retired firefighters.
Posted by dbarrett at 07:23 AM
May 06, 2006
Annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House
On May 13th, the city of Los Angeles will celebrate Fire Service Recognition Day. Visit your local fire station and spend time with the men and women who serve and protect your neighborhood 24/7/365. It's the best type of open house - lots of cool gear to see and nice people to visit with.
There will be a series of activities throughout the city, taking place from 10AM through 4PM. Special events will take place in:
- Sherman Oaks (Rescue Displays and Air Ops)
- Woodland Hills
- Pacific Palisades
- Tujunga
- Downtown Los Angeles (Olvera Street)
- Hollywood (LAFD Museum)
- San Pedro (Fire Boats)
- Exposition Park
The Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society will host its annual pancake breakfast, outside the museum and next door to Fire Station 27 in Hollywood. C Platoon will be working that day, so come by and have some great food and enjoy the hear of Hollywood. The museum will be open from 10AM through 4PM.
For additional information, please click here.
We hope to see you on Saturday, May 13th!
Posted by dbarrett at 05:23 PM | Comments ( 0 )
April 07, 2006
LAFD Gets the Blues Treatment
As the sun set over Hollywood this past Wednesday, scores of supporters of the Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department queued up in front of noted nightclub, Avalon, as a perfectly restored 1950s era Highway Patrol Buick screamed up Vine Street, rotary siren wailing. The car and Broderick Crawford impersonator Gary Goltz (based on the 50's TV show, The Highway Patrol) spun the car between the crossed arial ladders of Light Force 27 and 35 and dazzled the high-profile crowd as the doors to the nightclub opened.
It was interesting to see the mix of LAPD brass in their carefully pressed suits and the more casual LAFD members sharing stories and memories. Typically, these organizations operate their fund raising activities separately, but on this evening, it was a family affair - and it proved to be a good one. The concert by Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts supported the Los Angeles Fire Department Fallen Firefighter Memorial and the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation.
To enjoy more details about the event, click here: Avalon Event Presentation.
Posted by dbarrett at 05:53 AM | Comments ( 2 )
March 21, 2006
Encino has a New Fire Station
Exactly one month ago, the community of Encino, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, awoke to the cheers of local citizens, firefighters, and dignitaries celebrating the opening of Fire Station 83.
Still, the original 83s served the community well. Built in 1948, it housed an Engine Company, Emergency Lighting Unit, and was staffed by four firefighters. It's district included 6.57 square miles. When it was originally opened, the district was quite different from what you see today. Farms, gardens and agricultural businesses dominated the area, along with homes.
Today, 83s district is highly populated, with homes, apartments, schools, businesses, high rise buildings and extensive retail mini-malls. Built using funds from Proposition F, the new station covers more than 15,000 square feet, includes six apparatus bays, a workout room, and is visually one of the most stimulating fire stations ever built anywhere. Located at 4960 Balboa Blvd., the new station is almost directly across the street from its original older brother.
We invite you to check out our short video presentation on the opening of Fire Station 83. It is appropriate for computers and iPod devices that play video. You can also subscribe to future articles and video segments by clicking on the appropriate link. If you'd like to read more about the history of the original Fire Station 83, Firefighter and Spokesman Brian Humphrey has written a wonderful piece on the old station.
The Opening of Fire Station 83
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Video produced by Cameron and David Barrett, Wired Metro
Posted by dbarrett at 08:19 PM | Comments ( 5 )
February 14, 2006
2006 Pancake Breakfast Announced
Join the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society, the William Rolland Firefighter Educational Institute and the LAFD for our annual pancake breakfast. This year's event will take place beginning at 8:00AM on May 13, 2006 at old Fire Station 27 in Hollywood. This is also Fire Service Day, so be prepared to enjoy displays and demonstrations from the crew on duty at Fire Station 27.
Posted by dbarrett at 08:57 PM | Comments ( 2 )