In April 2013, a group of 37 firefighters from Brazil visited Los Angeles to learn about facets of our operations. They came with an interest to study brush firefighting tactics, managing large scale incidents, media relations and hazardous materials response. Their training was conducted by B/C Corey Rose, Capt Dave Perez, Capt Jaime Moore and B/C Jaime Lesinski. The Brazilians left with an interest in fortifying a partnership with the LAFD and invited us to visit their department in the future.
A couple weeks prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, Chief Lesinski and Captain Moore arrived in Brasilia to participate in an international symposium on Haz Mat emergencies hosted by the fire department there.
After an 18-hour flight, both members were warmly greeted by a group of Brazilian firefighters in their readily identifiable bright orange nomex work uniforms. A tour of the Department’s main training academy kicked off a whirlwind of networking and educational experiences for these two LAFD members. Housed in a hotel on a military base, Lesinski and Moore were actively involved in the symposium alongside other instructors from England, France, Belarus and Poland.
The LAFD representatives spent many hours teaching Haz Mat response techniques to 200 Brazilian firefighters and command staff. Captain Moore also used his fluency in Spanish and his Portuguese translation abilities to help introduce the Brazilian fire service to both the positive and negative aspects of social media in the public safety arena.
Outside of the classroom, Moore and Lesinski visited numerous national landmarks and networked with their Brazilian and international colleagues. They recognized they weren’t just representing the LAFD but also representing the USA when they had the opportunity to meet members of the United States Embassy in Brazil. They also toured the National Stadium of Brazil, site of World Cup matches, to assess public safety concerns and possible fire and life safety issues.
After six days in Brasilia, Lesinski and Moore returned to Los Angeles having further strengthened the relationship between these two great fire agencies and brought back a better working knowledge about how international fire agencies handle many of the same challenges we face here in LA.
By Darlene Leon, Intern
LAFD Public Information Office
