<![CDATA[ - EVENTS & BLOG]]>

<![CDATA[ - EVENTS & BLOG]]>Wed, 12 Jan 2022 05:43:11 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Election Results]]>Sat, 13 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/election-resultsThe Board wishes to thank everyone who took the time to vote in the recent election. It is important for the women to continue to have a seat at the table for the issues we have within the LAFD.

The results are:

Tanya Crabbe - Vice President
Tisa Murphy - 2nd Vice President*
Alicia Castro - Secretary

We are here to address your concerns and we are working hard to make sure the recently completed Organizational Assessment has actionable items to change the culture and work environment of the LAFD for the better.

Thanks,

The LAWFS Board

LAWFS Board Members
Kris Larson - President
Tanya Crabbe - Vice-President
Tisa Murphy- 2nd Vice President
Mallory Riss - Treasurer
Alicia Castro - Secretary]]><![CDATA[Jimmie Woods-Gray Elected President of L.A. Fire Commission]]>Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/jimmie-woods-gray-elected-president-of-la-fire-commissionJimmie Woods-Gray, a veteran educator and community activist, is the new president of the City of Los Angeles Fire Commission and she faces some pressing issues in her new assignment.
Recent headlines about L.A. Fire Department reveal an agency charged with racism, favoritism and sexism. Another complaint is the lack of promotional opportunities for people of color.
Confronting these grievances could turn a less courageous person away, but not Woods-Gray. Throughout her career, she boldly tackled challenges to find solutions to problems and she aims to apply that strategy in this leadership role.

“I definitely like to look at what the issue is and then work from there because the issue is bigger than any one person. It’s not about a person, it’s about a group culture or concept, so we need to look at the real issue and figure out ways we can solve them. I’m convinced that there are ways to solve issues,” said Woods-Gray, who has served as a member of the commission since 2013.

“My goal is to work with groups in our department like the Stentorians (African American firefighters group), Women in Fire Service, Los Bomberos (Latino firefighter group), and the union to build a relationship. What we all want is to have the best department in the world, so there is no time to fight about different little issues that are not a part of the big picture,” she explained.
“I want to bring everybody in under that ‘big picture’ tent so that everybody has a part to play. I’ve met so many firefighters who are just excellent public servants. They never complain, they just keep moving and just do the job. I always found that a fascinating thing and I look forward to working with them.”
Also, Woods-Gray plans to focus on improving inclusivity and diversity in LAFD by recruiting more African Americans, women and people of color to the ranks. The numbers have definitely improved from 1974 when 97% of the department was Caucasian males.
Today, half of the staff is comprised of minorities. Hispanics make up 31.4%, African Americans are 11.3%, Asians are 5.8% and Native Americans are 2.4%.   Women are 3.4 %, but the department’s goal is 5% and the new president wants to help the agency reach that level.
“This is a great profession for women, but we have to work on making it inviting and helping them to stay in the program. It’s the same thing with African Americans. We need to recruit, retain and we just help them get promoted. We don’t want them to work as firefighters only, we want to see firefighters in leadership as well,” she insisted.
As for accusations that the department is racist towards minorities and sexist regarding women, Woods-Gray said she takes those claims seriously and will work with Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas, along with her fellow commissioners, to address the concerns.

She added that the agency would be conducting a survey among employees to ascertain impressions and information about job satisfaction, workplace culture and upward mobility. Using the results of the report, LAFD executive management will develop strategies to enhance the work environment to benefit all staff.
“I find that the chief is open and he does sit and listen and talk with me about issues. We’ve done this many times in the past. So, I’m looking forward to working with him and learn what employees are thinking, how they feel about who they work with, where they work to do their jobs and exactly what department staff is thinking about different issues,” she said.
Working closely with staff is familiar ground for Woods-Gray, who amassed an abundance of experience in that area through her union background. As an educator for more than 30 years, she was active with United Teachers Los Angeles serving as the organization’s chapter chair, in the UTLA House of Representatives, on the California Teachers Association State Council and the National Education Association’s Board of Directors.
She received additional exposure as a delegate for the California Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers/American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations conventions as well as a delegate to the L.A. County Federation of Labor board. Most recently, she was a member of the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation and chaired the UTLA Political Action Council of Educators for six years.
In the community arena, Woods-Gray has been just as busy. She’s been elected multiple times to serve on the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, the California State Democratic Central Committee and the California Democratic Party Executive Committee. She was the first person of color and only the second woman to be elected chair of the L.A. County Democratic Central Committee.
Mayor James K. Hahn appointed Woods-Gray to the Neighborhood Empowerment Commission in 2001 where she served five years. In 2011, then-Council President Eric Garcetti named her to the LAUSD Redistricting Commission.
Anticipating her tenure as president, Woods-Gray said, “I’m excited. It’s a real challenge because there’s a lot of work, but I’ve always loved to volunteer for positions where there was a lot of work. I’m also excited that Mayor Eric Garcetti supported me for this position and just excited to try to work from a different perspective because I have a different background than some of the others who’ve been president before.
“The need for inclusivity and diversity is so important. I hope that having leadership that’s diverse has an impact on future recruits and the community,” noted Woods-Gray, who shared that Dr. Jimmy Hara, a Japanese-American and professor at Charles Drew University and UCLA, is vice-chair of the L.A. Fire Commission.
For the immediate future, she said her agenda will be concentrated on “working on recruitment, the issues with the different constituency groups, and building a unity that I hope will transcend into developing greater policy and greater activities and a comfort level for all firefighters that the department belongs to them and it’s not just some people who get access. Everybody will have access to the benefits of LAFD,” said Woods-Gray.
Also, she encouraged young people to consider joining LAFD. “You only need a high school diploma to become a firefighter in Los Angeles and we need firefighters of every ethnic group. There’s room for everybody in our fire department.”
In addition, Woods-Gray urged the public to share their concerns and their compliments about the fire department with her. “We have a 106 fire stations and so I invite the community to communicate with me if they have a need or question about anything by emailing commrwoodgray@gmail.com,” she said.

Link: https://lasentinel.net/jimmie-woods-gray-elected-president-of-l-a-fire-commission.html

]]><![CDATA[May 2021 Firefighter of the Month, Linsay Pellegrini]]>Sat, 01 May 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/may-2021-firefighter-of-the-month-linsay-pellegriniLinsay Pellegrini is an Inspector with the LAFD’s Fire Prevention Bureau, handling public safety for institutions such as hospitals, convalescent homes, assisted living facilities, and jails in the Western San Fernando Valley.
More specifically, Pellegrini is responsible for evaluating the safety conditions at any facility where people who cannot care for themselves might live for more than 24 hours.
Inspector Pellegrini’s top priorities are making sure that the employees, residents, and visitors at these facilities are as safe as possible. This includes checking to ensure fire protection systems are functional (such as sprinklers, lights, and alarms), and evaluating access to emergency exits so that occupants can evacuate safely in an emergency.
Arguably, her most important responsibility is forecasting and mitigating potential risks for fellow firefighters. Pellegrini has to be able to spot safety threats that may arise if/when firefighters are called to a site for any variety of reasons. For example, any chemicals housed on-site must be labeled, stored, and documented accordingly so that in the event of a fire, the responding engine companies know what types of hazards they might encounter.
The lion’s share of Pellegrini’s workload relates to the hundreds of residential care facilities across the Valley. These are non–medical facilities that provide rooms, meals, housekeeping, supervision, storage and distribution of medication, and personal care assistance, typically for elderly patients.
“I’ve been in this role for close to five years. The list of facilities to inspect is never-ending,” expressed Inspector Pellegrini. “Between following-up on leads from local fire stations and walking every square foot at these facilities, it is an endless sea of safety concerns.”
These facilities with six or fewer beds, usually located in residential neighborhoods, are intended to provide less institutional care than more extensive facilities like convalescent homes and hospitals. Pellegrini estimates that close to 75% of her time is consumed tending to these types of facilities.
Common violations include blocked exits, doors that do not function properly, improper storage, and locked doors. “The blocked emergency exits are a big concern. Understandably, these facilities want to stop transients from entering or prevent patients with memory loss from eloping, but we constantly need to reinforce why these exits need to remain clear – it is for everyone’s safety,” explained Pellegrini.
Pellegrini has been a member of the LAFD for 18 years. She joined the Department because of her desire to become a paramedic. The one-on-one of helping patients was what she enjoyed most during her days at the fire station.
After nearly ten years in the field, Pellegrini’s career shifted when she became a mom. ‘It is definitely very different than working on an ambulance, but I enjoy it,” shared Pellegrini. “Working in the Bureau gives me the feeling that I’m still helping people, granted on a broader scale. I feel a sense of responsibility to help our fire stations from a different vantage point.”
When Pellegrini is not busy holding down one of the most technical and taxing roles in the Department, she moonlights as a super mom to her son and daughter. She also draws some uncanny comparisons to parenting and firefighting. “I think managing stress and sleep deprivation are aspects that definitely cross over to being a parent,” joked Pellegrini.
“Hobbies? Who has time for hobbies?!” exclaimed Pellegrini. “My kids are my life and my hobby. I literally have no time for myself,” she said laughingly. “But it’s totally worth it. I don’t want my daughter or any young woman to think that they have to sacrifice family life for their career. When you love what you do, you find a way to make it work.”
Pellegrini is married to LAFD Captain Nick Pellegrini, who is assigned to Station 75 in Mission Hills. “We make a good team,” shared the Inspector. “It’s fair to say that as a mom, I take the lead with the kids, but on the days that I have inspections, Nick holds down the fort with academics and extracurriculars.”
In typical firefighter fashion, Pellegrini showed her LAFD spirit and competitive nature when explaining her home dynamic. “Sometimes people are surprised to learn that our kids have two parents that are firefighters. But once you get to know us, we’re just like most other families…The difference is, I might be an Inspector at work, but at home, everyone knows I’m the B.C. (Battalion Chief).”

Link: https://supportlafd.org/news/ffotm.html]]><![CDATA[Denise Alvarado retires after almost 34 years!]]>Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/denise-alvarado-retires-after-almost-34-yearsTo kick off this #womenshistorymonth we celebrate the recent retirement of firefighter/paramedic Denise Alvarado. She joined the #LAFD in February of 1987 and served with pride until 8/31/20.

Denise comes from a strong bloodline with her mother, Charlie Rottler, being the first female in patrol for @lasdhq LA County Sheriff Department, opening the doors for women behind the badge.

Denise, thank you for all of your hard work and dedication serving the citizens of #LosAngeles.
The time is yours now… Enjoy!

]]><![CDATA[It's time to start training!]]>Sat, 13 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/its-time-to-start-trainingThe drill tower is not the time to start training. The time was yesterday. Success isn’t easy, but it is worth it.
Wondering what the workouts look like? Check out the LAFD CAP - Candidate Advancement Program
page for videos & workouts.
You got this!]]><![CDATA[Stacy Gerlich promoted to Battalion Chief!]]>Mon, 23 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/stacy-gerlich-promoted-to-battalion-chiefIn her 35th year of serving the citizens of Los Angeles, Stacy Gerlich just promoted to Battalion Chief of one of the busiest and largest departments in the nation!
Congratulations Chief!

]]><![CDATA[2019 LAWFS Board Elections]]>Mon, 19 Aug 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/2019-lawfs-board-electionsCongratulations to the new board members of the LAWFS!

Vice-President Tanya Crabbe
Secretary Jennifer Middleton

]]><![CDATA[Women's Fire Alliance Meet and Greet]]>Sun, 14 Jul 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/womens-fire-alliance-meet-and-greetThank you to everyone who attended the Women's Fire Alliance meet and greet! The WFA is a newly formed organization with a vision to provide support and training resources to female firefighters in the Southern California region. Stay tuned for future gathering dates and times. For more information, email us! ]]><![CDATA[July 2019 Foundation FF of the Month: I/PM Ruthie Bernal]]>Mon, 01 Jul 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/july-2019-foundation-ff-of-the-month-ipm-ruthie-bernalLAFD firefighters and paramedics are known for responding to emergencies after they have begun. Inspector/Paramedic Ruthie Bernal’s job is to prevent some of those emergencies from ever happening.
“The next brush fire might be inevitable, but it does not have to be a catastrophe for a community,” said Bernal. “My job is to work with the public to keep that from happening the best we can.”
Bernal serves as an Inspector in the LAFD’s Brush Clearance Unit (BCU). She oversees parcels of land in the communities of Sylmar, Sunland and Tujunga that are part of the 133 square-miles of Los Angeles that have fire high fire hazard zones. Her duties include inspecting properties, issuing notices and educating the community about simple ways brush clearance can save lives. To manage the 10,000 parcels assigned to her, Bernal uses technology that she helped design.
After serving in the BCU for three years, Bernal heard that the digital program for tracking inspections was severely outdated. Having an extensive amount of administrative knowledge of the unit, she was selected to represent the BCU during the development of the new program: Vegetation Management System (VMS) 2. This inevitably laid the foundation for the LAFD’s current software program, VMS 3, which utilizes GPS data and allows Inspectors to photograph, document and manage any potential property notices.
“I found being a part of the development of VMS 2 was a lot of fun,” Bernal said. “It was an honor to be chosen as the lead from for my unit to help create such an important program.”
Bernal has been with the LAFD for 28 years with time as a Paramedic before joining the BCU in 2001. Besides her roles in the creation of VMS 2 and VMS 3, she also streamlined the informational card that is mailed to residents living in extreme fire hazard areas. These exceptional contributions earned her the Michael P. Reedy Award, one of three Annual Fire Marshal’s Awards.
Outside her LAFD work, Bernal enjoys traveling, anything outdoors and spending time with her husband and two boys.

]]><![CDATA[Promotions!]]>Sun, 23 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://lawfs.org/events--blog/promotions2110887The LAWFS Board would like to congratulate our newly promoted
LAWFS and Los Angeles Fire Department members!

Battalion Chief - Monica Hall
Arson Investigator - Cynthia Sato
Captain I - Kim Rudloff

Great job ladies!
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