Founder William Rolland was a firefighter for the city of Los Angeles for 17 years. During January 1969, the city faced one of the worst rain and flood emergencies in its history. On the 25th of the month, Rolland was with an LAFD crew that responded to a physical rescue assignment in the canyons of West Los Angeles. While working to free a trapped resident, another surge of mud flowed onto the structure, burying both the victim and the rescuer. Other firefighters worked to reach them, now beneath more than three feet of mud. As Rolland lost consciousness, he maintained his grip on the victim. Other firefighters managed to get an air hose into Rolland’s mouth and he began to breath again. Both individuals were eventually pulled from the mud and debris and rushed to the hospital, although the resident did not survive. Rolland did, but his injuries ended his career as a firefighter. For his efforts to rescue the resident, the Los Angeles Fire Department awarded William Rolland the Medal of Valor.

Upon his retirement, Rolland turned his attention to real estate. As with his firefighting endeavors, Bill was focused and determined to be successful. His construction business expanded and he began to realize some excellent success. Yet, his commitment to community also continued. As his business flourished, he began to develop a series of philanthropic activities, leading up to the creation of his firefighter foundation and its non-profit educational subsidiary.

With accolades from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the White House, The United States Senate, The State of California and most recently, the County of Ventura, Rolland continues to dedicate himself to a wide range of programs, including his commitment to the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society, its museums, and the fallen firefighter memorial in Hollywood.

This summer, the Educational Institute that bears his name will introduce the first in a series of fire safety drills for fire service organizations. “Considerations for Shipboard Firefighting,” deals with harbor-related emergencies and is designed to provide a strong foundation for boots on the ground who will ultimately need to deal with these incidents.

The Educational Institute is also working to develop a new educational program unique to the LAFD Museum in Hollywood. As it is, families and children can visit the museum and learn about personal and in-home fire safety. The museum website will provide information on events and educational programs as they become available.

Posted by dbarrett at 04:12 PM | Comments ( 0 )

September 20, 2005

William Rolland Firefighter Educational Institute

Fire safety is a critical component for any household, anywhere in the world. In a large, multi-dimensional environment like Los Angeles, understanding how fire works, how to safely evacuate from a home, school or other structure in the event of fire, is even more important.

The William Rolland Firefighter Educational Institute was founded with the intention of creating a strong, focused series of programs aimed and preventing the loss of property and life associated with fire. William Rolland, a retired Los Angeles City fireman, is a medal of valor winner and successful building industry entrepreneur. His desire is that children in Los Angeles and other areas be given the best possible chance to understand how to save their own life - and the lives of their friends and family in the event of fire or other dangerous circumstances.

You may visit this section of the website to learn about new programs, opportunities, and events related to fire safety.

Posted by dbarrett at 05:32 PM | Comments ( 0 )