News: Los .Angeles County Fire promotions

Thursday, April 10, 2008

News: Los .Angeles County Fire promotions

Congratulations!
L.A. County Fire names first black chief deputy

Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman announced the appointment Wednesday of the department's first black chief deputy and first female deputy chief.

Daryl L. Osby, 24-year veteran of the department, was appointed to the position of Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations, making him the second-in- command in the department, according to Kristina Hajjar, director of communications for the department.

"This is a turning point in the history of our department," she said.

Osby most recently served as the deputy chief of the East Regional Operations Bureau, where he oversaw emergency service, personnel, training and budget issues for the regions 76 fire stations.

He has served as the top commander of fire operations for several major incidents over the past five years, including the 2003 California fire siege and the 2005 Topanga Fire. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Osby spent 18 days in Louisiana helping to manage recovery efforts and rebuild the city's government.

Osby is a long-time resident of Pomona.

Meanwhile, Freeman also appointed Helen Jo to the position of deputy chief, becoming the first woman in the department's 85-year history to be promoted to that rank.

Jo will manage the department's fire fleet services, materials management and construction and maintenance divisions.

Jo began working for the county 20 years ago, working in the Auditor- Controller Department. She joined the Fire Department in 1998 as a budget officer and was promoted in 2002 to chief of the Financial Management Division.

Born in Korea, Jo emigrated with her family at age 4 and grew up in Los Angeles. She lives in Sierra Madre.

From wire reports

Editors Note to self: What is the difference between a chief deputy and deputy chief?

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, April 10, 2008