On July 22, 2008, the Board of Supervisors honored 13 LACoFD personnel who provided disaster relief support to the United States Agency for International Development and U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in response to the destructive effects of Cyclone Nargis to Burma and the catastrophic 7.9 magnitude earthquake in China. Cyclone Nargis caused the deadliest natural disaster in Burma's history with 134,000 dead, $10 billion in property loss and 2.3 million homeless. Two weeks later, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit China, devastating the province of Szechuan. Nearly 70,000 people were killed and 374,000 were injured; almost 19,000 are still missing. It has become the third costliest worldwide disaster with $86 billion in property loss, leaving 4.8 million people homeless. In the wake of these disasters our personnel traveled to China, Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Pacific Command's Camp Smith in Hawaii and Thailand to offer assistance, equipment, training, technical expertise and logistical support between May 6, 2008, and July 2, 2008. In total, our Department donated five tons of vital tools and equipment to help in the relief efforts. Recognized at the meeting were Battalion Chief Terry DeJournett, Fire Captain Don Roy, Fire Captain John Boyle, Fire Fighter Rich Atwood and Fire Fighter Derrick Woolever, for delivering USAR equipment and providing training. The Washington, D.C. team of Fire Captain Pat Rohaley, Fire Fighter Specialist Carlo Lofredo, Fire Fighter Herb Marroquin, Fire Fighter Pat Long, Fire Fighter Malcolm Dicks and Fire Fighter Eric Suarez were recognized for providing logistic support for the response management team; Battalion Chief Tom Ewald also provided civilian/military liaison support at Camp Smith in Hawaii, and Fire Captain John Boyle was stationed in Thailand to provide logistical support for Burma relief supplies.
Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who arranged the presentation, commended our personnel for providing this greatly needed assistance. Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman in return thanked the Board for their continuing support of our Department's international disaster aid and expressed his gratitude that our personnel were able to step up and help these countries in a humanitarian effort. Battalion Chief Terry DeJournett also thanked the Board and spoke on behalf of the teams, noting what a privilege it was to represent the Department, Los Angeles County and the American government. "The Chinese received [the help] with great honor and they really appreciated the efforts that we made," he said. "The bond and the friendships made there will be forever lasting. Every one of us is proud to serve." Pictured left to right are Suarez, Lafredo, Woolever, Marroquin, Dicks, Atwood, Boyle, DeJournett, Roy, Long, Freeman, Chief Deputy Daryl Osby, and Antonovich. (Photo by John DeLeon) |
