I shot over 600 pictures this day, and with over 38 pages on my website from this day, I wanted to do this to tell the full story of this day....
July 4th, like most holidays, is always a special day for families and people throughout the US. People from far and wide get together to have bbqs, watch fireworks, head to the beach and the mountains for camping and other fun stuff. For firefighters though, the 4th of July carries with it a sense of trepidation and foreboding. With the increased traffic on the roads, the dangers of firework and bbq accidents, medical aids and so on, it can be one of the busiest days of the years and one of the most heart breaking.
This year, the LACoFD had additional staffing in place throughout the county in preperation for the holiday and it was that kind of forward thinking that truly paid off in most areas. I headed over to 125s simply because in Battalion 5, you know that if something happens in the Batt., Q125's going to be on it. After all, the next nearest county truck co. is in West Hollywood or Marina Del Rey! That means anything from Westlake village down to Malibu along PCH and the 101 is in 125s area.Plus I know that any shift with Capt. Duda and the gang over at 125s is going to be a safe one and one not to miss.
There were a few new faces that day at 125s, but for the most part, it was the same general bunch of characters you've seen time and time again by this point. On the Quint it was Capt. Tom Duda, Engineer Mike Nava, FF Rick Zeni as the tillerman, and new guy FF Jason Roelling who was not only new to 125s, but to the Dept as a whole. On the other side of the bay, Capt Thomas Encinas, Engineer Robert Carson, and Firefighters Tommy Davis and Shawn McClintock staffed the Engine. Most of you should recognize Bob Carson, Mike Nava, and Tom Duda from the Canyon Fire in Malibu and other incidents over the past couple of years.
For the most part, the shift was just dead quiet. I had the radio with me just to hear what was going on throughout the county and 14s just got hammered all day. At one point they had over 4 squads working calls in 14s area at the same time and it was like that from morning untill night. Medical aid, sick person, minor injury, medical aid, medical aid, sick person, just a barage just hammering that area. In our area though, it was like the night before Christmas. I really couldn't believe it and around 2 or so I just gave up and finally grabbed my novel and laid down on my bunk. I'm not very superstitious but I knew I was really going to piss off the Fire Gods if I laid down, and sure enough as soon as I started to fall asleep all hell broke loose. Let this be a lesson to all of you, DO NOT fool with the gods for they have a sense of humor and you are always the punchline!
I can still remember the sense of shock and general "Oh Shit" when instead of Medical aid, traffic collision or something along those lines, we had an Explosion in 67s area. 67's is deep inside the Calabasas/Malibu Creek area and fires there tend to spread into the brush fast and furious and will go gang busters in the right conditions. With it beng July 4th, I could only imagine what we'd find at an explosion call.
Here you can see my view in the Quint. That's Capt Duda on the right as we're rolling down Code 3 down Las Virgenes toward the incident. As you can see, the inside of Fire Apparatus are filled with all sorts of books, gloves, maps, flashlights and other michigas. Oh yeah, and Firefighters... but mostly michigas.
Rolling up to the incident, we could see a pretty good header coming up and as you can see, there was a whole lot of dry fuels in the area. This area is right across from the Malibu Creek State park where hundreds of day campers were enjoying their holiday. Normally a quiet, and remote area, it was bustling that day which amped everything up just a bit more.
I love this shot to be honest. You can see Nava's reflection in the rear view mirror and the State parks truck at the intersection. At this point we got word that this was a heavy HAZMAT incident and we were to hold up a sec. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor, especially when Methy-Ethyl-BadShit is involved!
Duda got out and there was a pow-wow of the Orange Helmets to figure out what we had and what to do and that's when we got word that the guy had a metal plating business in his backyard of a trailer park and it was clear to go in before HAZMAT got on scene. Even with that said, I made sure to roll up my window quick and start looking at wind direction real fast.
One of the joys of being on the apparatus is that you get a front row trip to the incident. The bad part is that you don't get that great shot of units rolling in! I was lucky enough to be able to run ahead and nail this shot of E68 and 125s coming up with squad 68 parked to the side. FF/PM Chris Plank was on S68 and it was good seeing him again. Most of you might remember him from the other structure fire in 67's area on my very first day with LACoFD back in 2004.
The first thing we saw when we pulled up was just a huge wall of flame coming out of one of the trailers with trees and brush all around it. The first trailer you see that closest to the street was filled with papers and other misc. stuff in super packrat conditions with a wheelchair near the front door. There as barely a walk path through all of the junk and crap stacked shoulder high in most areas. To think there could be a disabled person trapped in there or under some of the junk really raised the pucker factor high.
At this point it was starting to hit the trees and that's when I knew this was going to be a real pisser of the highest caliber. My first thought was to look up and around and make sure I didn't get tunnel vision and end up in a bad spot. LCES is always the first rule of business. You never want to be caught in a bad situation without first having taken the time to stop and look around.
This shot is a little more artsy then my usual work, but I'm really pleased with how it came out. At this point, we were still pulling hoses off of 67's and 125s and the trees just went up big. I had no idea what was to the rear of the trailer, but I had in memory the winter Malibu fire that took out 10 homes along the beach as it leapt from one to another. As I saw the wall of flame behind and flying through the trees, I had a feeling if we didn't catch this fast, we'd be in for a long day… how true that was.
The big story of the day, as you'll see will be water and hoses. At this point it was still mostly confined to this home and the back area. Because of the area and remoteness, they ended up laying out the entire hose bed and by the end of the day the area looked like a mess of spaghetti.
Here you can see everyone going around the back to hit the sides and rear and see what all we had going. The idea of the chemicals and stuff was still heavy on everyone's mind and more then anything we wanted to stop it from catching the exposures like the home on the right.
FF Davis and Roelling are hitting it hard from the side here in this series of dramatic shots. The whole back side was fully involved and the grass behind it was catching at this point. You really couldn't see much of the rear because of the heat flame and smoke and it wouldn't be till much later that I got my first surprise of what was back there.
Color really worked great, but this one screamed for B&W treatment.
I have to say that this shot of Davis is one of my favorites of the whole series. You can see just how filled with flames the structure was. Fully involved is an understatement at this point.
Here you can see Capt. Duda along the side of the structure. These are some of the images that will stay with me for a very long time. Screw the Chuck Norris jokes, if anyone can stare down a fire and make it go out, it's going to be Duda!
This black and white shot from that series will forever be embedded in my memory of that day. It has a soft/silky art feel to it and just says Duda and FS 125 to me in bold words.
At this point Plank and Nava were getting ready to hit this thing through the front door. As you can see the fire spread fast and was now blowing out the door like crazy.
Got the hose, got the gear, We're Going IN!
Or…………………... maybe not… Let's hit the side first!
Ok, 2nd shot, in the door we go!
I was just so lucky to capture this shot of Planks eyes looking back toward Nava right before they hit the door.
The IC of the Fire (for the most part) was Capt Morris off of 67s, and here you can see Carson all suited up and ready to go now.
Heading up the stairs and to the door. At this point I figured we'd have this thing out in minutes, and be back at the station soon enough to enjoy the ribs Nava had started making.
THIS!*!*! is why very few men and women can do this job. No camera or photoshop tricks here. This is what makes the men and women of the Fire Service a breed amongst themselves.
It sounds stupid to say this, but ya know what? Getting water on the fire makes all of the difference in the world.
Hitting it hard from the doorway!!
You can see just how much progress they made in such a short time. From fire blowing all around to almost completely out in this shot.
FF Arnold Velasco, formerly of 125s, with a hose outside hitting the roof. All suited up with SCBA and everything, we have a very scary Darth Vader/Monster type look to many adults and kids. That's one of the reasons we try our best to get our images out there and visit schools and such .so that in times of emergency that fear reaction is lessened. It's made a huge difference especially amongst children.
At this point the fires were mostly out in the middle trailer, and things were looking real good. For some reason my right foot started to hurt though. I was looking forward to getting my boot off and grabbing a shower.
I love this shot with the sign pointing which way to the beach considering, 1) we weren't near the beach and 2) like I mentioned before, water would soon become a big problem.
67 and 125s with the spaghetti of hoses all around. I have to admit the big reflective numbers in the grille look sharp on the new KMEs.
It was right after they went in the door and the fire was pretty much dead, that all of the the lines went dry! The hydra assist or something blew on the hydrant, and we lost all water. Even with the tank water, it wasn't enough to keep the fire from roaring back up and all of the ground the they had gained in keeping this thing small went right out of the window.
Zeni had the right side by himself and you can see the fire build back up and just get insane while we were waiting for more water.
The middle home really started going once again. Back to square one!
If you ever want to see what a Capt. In Action looks like, these shots tell a story better then I ever could with just words.
It was at this point that the smoke and flames cleared up a bit and I got my big surprise of the day. I remember exclaiming What The F*CK?!?! When I saw what appeared to be a freaking South Asian Hindu Temple in the middle of the remote part of freaking Calabasas! And sure enough, that's EXACTLY what it is! Known as the Hindu Temple of Calabasas, feel free to google it, cause I have to admit that it shocked the heck out of me! I never saw it rolling up cause it was on the opposite side and I was probably busy getting my gear on.
This shot is definitely one of my favorites with how it turned out. The way the colors and the lighting of Zeni, the composition, I'm just really pleased how well everything worked. Remember the great challenge here is that a flash would just reflect off the striping and screw everything up. Metering is also near impossible because of the flames, and in the end, you just have to wing it and figure things out through trial and error. Sometimes, it all just comes together though.
With just s much junk around the back and sides, it was dangerous just walking around and through there. This shot had a bit of weird issue, but came out real nice with the artistic bent to it.
Duda and Zeni back together again. It was a common site throughout the day, and I managed to float around, but keep my eye and the camera near Duda for most of it.
Back in the front door! Haven't we already done this once today???? Deja View and Groundhog day have nothing on this fire.
At this point, everyone had their hands full, and the fire was just ripping in every direction.
While everyone was getting ready for water, I ran back to the side and caught these shots. It's one thing to look through the front door, but to know that THIS is what they're going to push into shows just how big of a fight they have on their hands.
You can see the guys still waiting for water, but ready to go in the moment the hoses fill!
We have WATER and Foam! That ain't your momma's bubble bath!!
Zeni and Duda start hitting the side and rear again.
There is something special about this shot. I don't know if it was the light or what, but this is one of those pure stock "FIREFIGHTER' shots that just grabs you.
A little water goes a long long way. If I had to title these pics it'd have to be "Truckies doing it best"!
Capt. Encinas leaning WAY over to talk to Zeni as the damage that was done became noticeable.
Arnie, from 67's was still looking way to clean at this point. Here he is hitting the roof of the 3rd home that caught.
Zeni doing what truckies do. Grabbing the Ladder cause 125's going to up on the roof.
At this point I looked up and realized we had 2 helos over head. I figured at first that it was just a command and control bird, to make sure it didn't get into the brush or anything. I was so preoccupied by what we had in front of us that I quickly dismissed it since it would appear briefly and then fly away. Another thing that briefly came to mind is why were we the only ones there. Where was everyone else? I kept waiting for more engines and maybe a 2nd truck and stuff to come rolling in, but it just kept being 67's, S68, and 125s doing the dirty work.
I love this shot of Plank surrounded by debris , a small bit of flame in the background, and the smoke swirling all around.
Duda, Nava, and Zeni went up on the roof of the 3rd home to vent it while others went into the door next to the Beach sign as the fire spread to that home.
Here we go! Let's VENT!
I was able to bounce some light off the side of piece of metal to get these shots of Nava on the roof. Between the sun and the white/gray smoke and everything else, it was just hell trying to get good lighting and contrast.
You can see how almost instantly flame started coming up through the vent hole
FF Chang from 67's getting the gear off and grabbing some fresh air.
Time to get off this roof! One of the big hazards of being on the truck is that modern construction doesn't stand up well to heat. More firefighters are hurt and killed each year when poor construction and poor design makes roofs collapse with almost no warning.
This wasn't some quick 10 min fire and hour mop up. The look on Tommy's face sums everything up.
At this point we still had smoke coming from the middle house, and 3's roof was really starting to go. It was nowhere near over.
Hydration! Hydration! Hydration! More firefighters are hurt not because of flames or debris, but heat exhaustion.
Captains at work!
At this point you can see why they got off the roof so fast as it starts to warp and buckle.
More fun in the bubble bath! Water is great, but foam is amazing.
Zeni with the reel line. Truckies really do it all!
The spaghetti mess coming off of 67 and 125 as the 3rd house really starts going . Hoses were pulled from every direction and in every size.
I've come to the conclusion that Carson and Davis are two guys that no matter how hard I try, I just can't take a bad shot of them. Duda has such a command presence, Nava always has that intense poker face, Carson and Davis both have that "I'm a Firefighter" look that no matter the time, scene or place, always comes out in spades. Here you can see Davis nailing the side and the roof.
Oops, better move the ladder before we lose it!
And this is when I realized what the helos were for. See that huge plume in the background? When I first got off the rig and came around the rear I heard a loud series of pops and a very loud whizz and bang right near my head. I didn't think much of it at first, beyond ducking and making sure I had my helmet on. What I didn't realize is the that shuff in the back was cooking off and flying in all directions and had sparked a pretty major brush fire down the street! That's why we were by ourselves even though I kept hearing more and more units being dispatched to our area. Everyone was trying to catch the brush and fast before it hit the campgrounds
I just love these two shots of Davis beside the rigs
Davis… Mr Firefighter
What a garden hose will do vs the geiser of a Fire hose.
I didn't see much of Capt Encinas on this fire, but this second shot really stands out .
I really hate taking these kinds of shots simply because, and lets be totally honest here, no one wants their pic taken like this. And yet, there is something to be said about this moment captured forever. At this point the fire had been going on for a full hour and everyone was feeling it, and we all still had a LONG way to go.
Hitting it hard as the roof really starts to go
This was Roellings first fire with LACoFD. Heh, he shoulda known that when I came walking in that morning, we'd see something big. Dude owes me some ice cream I tell you what! In 4 years, I've never had a boring shift with 125s that's for sure. Unlike some other depts and some fires where everyone is fighting to get some nozzle time, this fire really gave everyone a shot to do damn near everything. Even Roelling got to hit it all day long.
Here's one for your Discovery Channel fans… Being a FF is a very dirty job Mike Rowe!
Says it all doesn't it?
Hose went down, out came the pole, and no rest for the weary Mr Plank!
I have no idea where FF McClintock was all day, in fact I think this was the first time I saw him after leaving the barn! I kinda liked the whole framing device of the two engines and Shawn in the middle with the hose. It's not something I was going for on purpose and it is something I need to start looking for more often as far as compositional aids go. As you might have noticed, at this point there was a lot of sitting down going on.
My favorite shot of Nava. Debris all around him, propped against the saddle horse, the colors and the smoke just all worked so well.
What a mess says it all.
At this point I took a hike around the back and found Patrols 67 and 70 hitting the field of dry grass between the Blue Dude Community and the Hindu temple. As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of the patrols and the patrolmen/ff's are what keep that area safe in so many ways.
Honest! It's a real hindu Temple!!! Google the darn thing, I'm telling ya I was stunned to see it there.
Finally a BC showed up for an update. Usually a single home would get 3 to 4 engines, a truck, squad and an ambulance, and a BC. For the most part it was just E67, E125, S68, and Q125 for 3 homes with the two patrols and at least 10 other units, including hand crews, working the grass. We were pretty isolated, and almost secondary to stopping the brush from taking off and wiping out the whole area and the full camp grounds in Malibu Creek State park.
Still at it. Still Tired. No other words can express what these pics show.
The Meeting of the Minds. When the Orange helmets get together, you know business is going to get done!
By this point, Chang was feeling better and climbed up on 67's and got the deck gun going.
You know me and my "Tale of the helmets". This is for you Kelly! It's actually 2 of a series of 4, but these two are my favorites.
That temple just… it still makes me laugh. How freaking random. That's why I love my job. No two days are ever the same, and people… well… people are just so different.
125's is where the action always is! I doubt I could ever ask for a better group of men or a better station.
Wohoo! Reinforcements arrive! I don't know what the deal was, but all of a sudden we started to get a trickle of more units in to help us with overhaul and mop up. And yes, that's Capt. Duda and the Blue Dude Community. I waited all day to get that shot!!
Total stock photo… Got the LACOFD and helmet numbers perfect.
The aftermath. The person at that home had a metal plating business in his backyard that went kablooie from what I was told. The whole area was filled with random stuff including the rear half of a truck filled with aluminum cans! All it meant was that the fire had tons of fuel to feed it and lots of debris for us to work around.
House 1 was the packrat house and just suffered a little bit of damage to the side facing the fire. Shawn grabbed the axe and pulled open the smoking sides while Nava tore the singed and burnt drapes out.
When we throw a party, every body comes for the festivities, even the bomb squad showed up!
At this point I decided to take a hike down the road to see the full scope of the incident. First thing I came across was S68 in the mist from the water.
Hoses breaking, hydrants rupturing, water ended up being the big story of the day. And yes, the deputies car did have its window down … poor guy.
Closer to the Hindu temple I came across these guys, yes even the Rangers came out to play with their pretty little white truck. I need to stop by there one day and say hi. Anyone know anyone with the MRCA?
Farther down, I finally found the hydrant. By now my right foot was killing me and I couldn't figure out why. I bassically just shrugged it off and kept hiking down to the end of the road. I title this set "Fun with water". I was pretty stoked that I caught the rainbow too!
I finally found out where 68's ended up, they were down here hooked up to the hydrant!
When I finally got to the end of the street, I turned around and shot this to show just how remote this area was. Just large fields of dry and dead grass with trees and bushes spread out on both sides.
And then it was over… fires were out, mop up was done, reinforcements had arrived from the SCV, and throughout the county, and it was time to pick up hose…
This is something you will rarely ever see, but shows what makes Capt. Tom Duda a cut above the rest, yes, the Capt is rolling hose!
This is just a shot I was really happy with. The CHP lightbar with the quint in the background.
That was the last shot before it was time to head back home at 7:30pm. When I finally got to the station, I was able to remove my boot and see the damage and whoowee did I do a number on my foot. It was far beyond just blister, this was a pretty huge chunk that got gouged out. Even today, 2 months later, its still red and tender and not fully healed. Close, but not fully. The good, and amazing news is that the explosion was the only call of the entire night. The ribs Nava made came out good, and after dinner, we all just crashed for a good nights rest.
The aftermath ended up being 2 homes with massive damage, a 3rd with minor damage, and at least 20 acres of brush burned up. No injuries to Civilians or Firefighters, and no damage to the Hindu temple.
1 comment:
very well told Mike and so many great shots :):)
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