On November 7, 2018, three outstanding Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) employees were recipients of the Annual Fire Marshal’s Awards. Each year, one civilian employee, one Inspector and one supervisor are nominated by their peers. The Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Marshal select the winner in each category.
Inspector I Ruthie Bernal received the “Michael P. Reddy Award” for her outstanding contributions to the efficiency and success of the Brush Clearance Unit, which is responsible for brush clearance in more than 150,000 parcels each year. Inspector Bernal is a 28-year veteran of the LAFD who has been in the Brush Unit for 18 years. She is married to retired Engineer Phil Bernal, and has two sons Nate (19 years old) and Justin (18 years old).
Fire Protection Engineering Associate II Dominique Medina received the award for the outstanding civilian employee in 2018. She began her career with the LAFD in January 2015, and has distinguished herself with outstanding customer service and professionalism. She is the Primary Case Management LAFD representative working with Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, and she has been the plan checker for several major projects, namely the Anita May Rosenstein Campus, the LAX LAMP project, and the MacArthur Park Plaza Hotel.
Captain I Scott Miller received the award for the outstanding supervisor in 2018. The award is being renamed in his honor after his retirement. He is a 38-year veteran of the LAFD, affectionately known as “Captain Silver Fox” with 25 years in the FPB. He served three years in the Public Assemblage Unit, five years in the Valley Industrial, five years in the High-Rise Unit and 12 years in the Valley Public Safety Unit. His contributions to the LAFD cannot be easily summarized, but a committee of five was formed just to replace him on the Fire Code Committee, and that is just one of his projects!
All nominees for the awards received certificates acknowledging their contributions. Civilians Christene Mendoza, Debbie Moreno, Renee Ramirez Rosemarie Barraza, Sandra Guerrero, Inspectors Lindsay Pellegrini and Michael Webb, along with Captains Marshall Rodgers and Ryon Jones were nominated in their respective categories.
The Fire Marshal’s Award recipient’s pictures are prominently displayed in the lobby of each FPB Office for a year, and they received personalized plaques.
By Chief Roy Harvey, Asst Fire Marshal