Dear LAFRA,
As I read this month’s (May 2016) issue of the Firemen’s Grapevine it saddens me to see the memoriam of my fellow firefighter and sister Sandra Smith. I worked with San-d at Fire Station 94 for close to 10 years.
I see she has accumulated many awards and accomplishments in her life and career. I want everyone to know what I believe her biggest attribute and accomplishment was. She was an outstanding human being! She made everyone around her a better person. She had that personality that when you were around her made you notice that things were just plain better being in her presence. She was our little sister at Fire Station 94 . . . always looking after a house full of grown boys trying to become better men. ALL 3 SHIFTS . . . ALL 35 of US!!
Everyone who has had a little sister growing up knows. She had nicknames for all us boys! T.T., D.T., Mister O, Mo, and Gerkout to name a few. We can never forget our years at 94’s and everyone that were assigned there knows it was some of the best years of our lives. Three shifts all working, living and getting along with each other. Names that are etched in stone on this great fire department: Brooks, Graf , Trail, Arbuthnott, Eberle, Sullivan, Durso, Reyes, Thomas, Mulvehill, Addison, Valenzuela, Czubek, Howe, Lima, Campos, and many, many others that spent a number of years at the great 94’s.
We can also say that we all had a little sister (“S.S. in the house”) as she would say that made our days at 94’s that much more enjoyable. She taught us important things we thought we could leave at home when came to the fire station. Good manners being one. Boys will be boys and when you come into the fire station workplace you sometimes lose sight of the semi-military scheme of things. But because we had our lil sister “S. S. in the house” watching us all the time, all us boys became better Men.
Great people make a great fire station and San D made sure of that. Rest in peace my lil sis. You are now in a much bigger house and I know your presence will be shinning upon us all.
GERKOUT (my nickname forever) Michael Gerken
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Dear LA Firemen’s Relief Association Family,
Thank you for your thoughtfulness for the lovely living flowers in celebration of a life well lived by my dad, Tom Smith. He was ‘wired” to serve others . . . as an LA fireman and then to serve them and their families on the Relief Assn Board. We will all miss him. I was proud to be the daughter of one of LA’s finest!
Sincerely,
Dorothy Smith Collins
Visalia, CA
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LAFRA –
I credit Walt [Clements] for getting me interested in the L.A.F.D. I met Walt in July of 1967. He owned a house in Palms/West LA that he rented and I had just gotten married, been discharged from the Armed Forces and had returned to the area where I was raised. Walt was kind enough to rent me the house and then allow me to move out after a few months when I got a job in Long Beach and found the commute too punishing. It wasn’t until I had given my notice to move out that I learned he was a fireman. He invited me to have lunch at the fire station and sold me on a career in the LAFD. He handed me an application, gave me some insight into the examination process and told me about the potential competition I would face. The rest, they say, is history.
My condolences to the Clements family for their loss.
Mike Littleton
Thousand Oaks, CA
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Dear James Dolan:
Thank you so much for the flag, plaque and your kind words about Bill [Rowe]. He was quite a man.
He loved the fire department, and when we moved here he started up a fire academy at the College of the Siskiyous . Many of his students are now fire captains and battalion chiefs all over the west coast.
Sincerely,
Vicki Rowe
Fort Jones, CA
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LA Firemen’s Relief Association’
Clair Buskirk was part of the greatest generation. He flew P51’s over Germany [in WWII]. He shot down two fighters and then was shot down and spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp. He never spoke of it. It was my pleasure to work with him at 35’s.
Samuel Serra
Sequim, WA
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LAFRA –
I drove Captain McManigill at 44’s and enjoyed his sense of humor. He loved driving the district (Mt. Washington), which I benefitted. I appreciated his experience and unique perspectives.
Thank you Howard,
Jim Jure
La Mirada, CA
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Hi Andy –
The enclosed donations are made in the memories of Dick Mandichak and Irene McLeod.
I work with Dick Mandichak for several years at old 25’s. He was a great tailboard fireman and a really good guy to be around, a friend of long ago.
Irene McLeod was the beautiful and gracious wife of Laverne McLeod, who sadly passed away before her time. We had fun trips to Mexico with them in our own campers in years past and lots of other get togethers.
Just knowing that she and my wife Barbara are not here tugs at my heart and leaves a hollowness. My regards to Bruce McLeod and family. He’s retired LAFD also.
My thanks to you Andy for all you do for us.
Your Boat & Ski Club Buddy,
Don Gillett (retired 1980)
Auberry, CA
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LAFRA –
As a drill tower rookie in 1975, I’ll never forget what happened at a live fire drill in a drill tower basement. It was so hot and so steamy when the instructors finally told us we could make our way to the exit. I stumbled over a man that was wearing a yellow helmet. I yelled at the guy and shook him but he wouldn’t move. Thank God I started to drag him to the exit when he jumped up and ran out. It was Captain Nunnally . . . and he was hopping mad! Some stepped on him and over him and he drove the message home that you don’t leave anyone behind. What a character, but what a great instructor and officer. I’ll never forget you . . . that’s for sure!
Chris Shaw
Redmond, OR