F I R E P R E V E N T I O N N E W S 4th Quarter / Issue
Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bureau
Message from the Fire Marshal
Our Vision, Mission and Motto of Fire Prevention
October 2015
In This Issue
By Deputy Chief, John Vidovich
The Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bureau is committed to the safety and well‐being of the public we serve and strives for excellence and professionalism. Our employees continue to maintain a can‐do attitude and I appreciate everyone’s hard work. Our new vision and motto will guide us with humility in providing excellence service to our customers.
BUREAU COMMANDER Deputy Chief John Vidovich
Our Vision Advocating and enforcing effective fire prevention practices and life safety prepared‐ ness through community risk reduction for a safer Los Angeles
ASSISTANT BUREAU COMMANDER Assistant Chief Kwame Cooper
Promoting a high level of professionalism for our employees.
Battalion Chief Metro Rail Michael Thomas
Ensuring fair enforcement of the fire code and applicable life safety laws. Implementing more educational and effective life safety inspection methods.
Battalion Chief Industrial Commercial Andrew Wordin
Supporting emergency service response and teamwork with all stakeholders. Our Motto
Section Commander Manager CUPA Section Anna Olekszyk
OFFICE 213-978-3570 Office 213-978-3516 Fax
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[Page 2]
Fire Prevention Week
Reduction Unit [Page 3]
West Coast Fire Chief’s Recognizes LAFD [Page 4]
Milestones
[Page 4]
Fire Prevention the Key to Saving Lives and Property
Section Commander
Battalion Chief Fire Development Services Ernest Bobadilla
Smoke Alarms
Developing positive advocacy type relationships with our customers.
Section Commander
Section Commander
Safety Messages Brush [Page 1]
Our Mission [Page ] The mission of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau is to be the most effective advocates and educators for fire prevention and life safety preparedness in the Na‐ tion by: Community Risk
Section Commander
Battalion Chief Public Safety Jerome Boyd
Message from the Fire Marshal [Page 1]
EVENTS CALENDAR Brush Clearance Safety Message Safety Tips For Home Owners
Always have water source readily available.
October 4-10, 2015 Fire Prevention Week
Always wear safety glasses and gloves. Only use properly maintained motorized equipment while motor is running.
October 22, 2015 FPB FireStat
Do Not refuel motorized equipment while motor is running. Do Not use metal blades on weed wacker's/whips. Use nylon line or plastic. Avoid clearing brush during peak temperatures of the day, between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm on days when a Red Flag alert has been declared by the Fire Department. Thank you for clearing your hazardous vegetation and making your community a safer place. For additional information please contact the Brush Clearance Unit at (800) 994‐4444 or visit our website at lafd.org/brush.
Los Angeles Fire Department
November 14, 2015 Retirement Dinner Captain d’ Lisa Davies
Los Angeles Fire Department Inspection Activity -
As of September 28, 2015
National Fire Prevention Week is observed in the United States and Canada, during the week (from Sunday to Saturday) in which October 9 falls. In the United States, the first Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week was made in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge. The Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire. On the 40th anniversary (1911) of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (FMANA); the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sponsored the first National Fire Prevention Day, deciding to observe the anniversary as a way to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention. When President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week on October 4 –10, 1925, he noted that in the previous year some 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States. Calling the loss "startling", Coolidge's proclamation stated: "This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be pre‐ vented... It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth".
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Los Angeles Fire Department
Fire Prevention Bureau
Community Risk Reduction Unit
BY CAPTAIN I, Stacy Gerlich
One of our primary goals in the Fire PREVENTION Bureau is to PREVENT fires. If we have a fire in our district, then we have become unsuc‐ cessful at one of our primary goals. If we were unsuccessful at preventing that fire, we let down that community, and we failed at the first E of the Five E’s of fire prevention. According to FEMA, the five E’s are: Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Economic incentive, Emergency response. We spend so much time enforcing the fire code, that we even have a computer program to assist us. The rest of the time is spent analyzing the aftermath of fires and deciding on how to better react at the next fire. There is even a free cell phone application that tells us when a fire or EMS incident has happened so we can respond more quickly. We need to spend more time educating the community on how to prevent code violation enforcement and how to prevent the need for an emergency response. The CRR Unit will continue to strive to prevent fires by taking a more prominent, proactive role in the prevention of fire. The CRR Unit, for‐ mally known as the Public Education Unit, has been redeveloped and staffed with vigor. The CRR would not be possible without all the efforts of those who have engaged the community and educated the public prior to this unit’s development. Thank you to all. Global interest on the topic of CRR is growing based on the enormous success in reducing life and fire losses throughout the world. According to Great Britain’s Fire and Rescue Statistical Release, over the past 10 years, the United Kingdom has reduced fires by almost 50%, which is a direct result of their integrated approach. NPFA 1300: Standard for CRR Plan is in the early developmental stages. The International Associa‐ tion of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) strategic planning platform recognizes and understands the need for the fire service culture to embrace the part‐ nered, integrated approach required to promote CRR. CRR is incorporated in the National Fire Academy’s curriculum and is greatly supported by an increasing number of fire service leaders nationwide. The LAFD is heavily immersed in tradition and committed to excellence. The CRR Unit will continue this commitment to excellence and apply a fresh, progressive approach to saving lives and property. This cultural shift will require individual buy‐in from all elements of the Department. There is a time and place for everything. The time is now and the place is here, in the LAFD. The mission of the LAFD is to preserve life and property. The CRR Unit is doing just that through a metric‐driven, strategic‐minded program that aims to improve the health, wellbeing, and safety of Angelinos by collaborating with City agencies, private groups and community part‐ ners. Currently, the internal partners include the Emergency Services Bureau, the Community Liaison Office, FireStat, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and several other sections. CRR process will allow the LAFD to use data analysis to strategically identify common hazards and pinpoint multi‐disciplinary solutions. CRR will involve the creation of uniquely designed maps utilizing unique technology to identify pat‐ terns. Armed with this information, we can tap our community partners, deploy smart resources, and launch social media campaigns that support risk reduction. The ultimate goal is to produce measurable outcomes that show a decline in occurrence of the targeted risk and pro‐ vide proof that prevention initiatives are working. Through CRR, we can get back to basics and work smarter, not necessarily harder, towards a Safer City.
Smoke Alarms When it comes to smoke alarms, it’s about “location, location, location”. By Inspector II, Chris Da Broi
Did you know that roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are asleep? Smoke alarms save lives. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. In fact, having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. The key message of this year's Fire Prevention Week campaign, October 4-10, is to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms.
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Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bureau
F I R E P R E V E N T I O N N E W S
Western Fire Chiefs Association Recognizes LAFD On August 25, 2015 The West Coast Fire Chief’s Association recognized and awarded the LAFD for its courage and commitment to leverage technology. The LAFD was presented with an “Innovation Award”. In the history of the West Coast Fire Chiefs Association, this award has only given once before. This award was accepted by Captain II, Matthew Gatewood on behalf of the LAFD.
Captain II Matthew Gatewood accepting award on behalf of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
It is truly an award that symbolizes the trust of the Mayor, leadership of the Fire Chief, the vision of the Fire Marshal, a balanced partnership with Brycer, BOMA, the entire testing industry, and most importantly it represents the commitment and effort of the Fire Inspectors assigned to the High Rise Unit and personnel throughout the Bureau.
Milestones Fire Marshal Recognition of Excellence Awards Captain Duc Nguyen Inspector Carlos Morel Civilian Leticia Gonzalez Retirements
Promotions Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I Inspector I
Diego Estrada Gerald Durant Celeste Hill Daniel Liberto Brent Kneisler Johnny Gatlin Christopher Mittino Lizandro Moreno
Additions Battalion Chief Captain II Captain I Sr. Clerk Typist Clerk I Clerk Typist
Andrew Wordin Thomas Gikas Stacy Gerlich Rosa Ronquillo Silvia Pena Marlon Escalante
Industrial Commercial Section Quality Assurance Community Risk Reduction Unit Compliance Unit Accounting CUPA Public Assemblage Unit
Service Pins 30-Year Suzie Adamian - FPEA 25-Year Marcus Look - Industrial Hygienist Deborah Moreno - Sr. Clerk Typist Gabriela Padilla—Sr. Clerk Typist 20-Year Sandra Guerrero - Sr. Clerk Typist
Joseph Jackson Alexander Schroeck Patrick Killian
High Rise Unit Central Industrial Unit Brush Clearance Unit Valley Industrial Unit Valley Industrial Unit Central Industrial Unit Brush Clearance Unit Central Industrial Unit
15-Year Eva Bencomo - Principal Clerk Cassandra Guerra - Accounting Clerk 10-Year Elva Davila - Clerk Typist Eloy Luna - Eng. Geologist
Certifications The following individuals have completed courses from the State Fire Marshal Professional Certification Tracks.
Fire Inspector 1A, 1B, 1C & 1D Martin Avila, Shane Bystrom, Kurt Corral, Gerald Durant, Diego Estrada, Johnny Gatlin, Frank Godoy, Steven Hamilton, Rene Herrera, Celeste Hill, Jeffrey Hudson, Brent Kneisler, Daniel Liberto, Derricke Lockhart, Dimitrius Lynch, Lance Mathews, Christopher Mittino, Lizandro Moreno, Aaron Mungaray, Erick Nieves, Brandi Pilato, David Riles, Bernard Sanchez, Mark Siddens, Man Sivaborvorn, Anthony Trejo, Lamoris Wilcher, Emile Williams
Customer Service
Mayor Garcetti defining his expectations of customer service
“A Culture of Customer Service is a Culture of Efficiency” 4
Los Angeles Fire Department
Inspector II Inspector I Inspector I