#MEDIA ADVISORY - LACFD Chief to recognize USAR Task Forece work in Haiti

County of Los Angeles Fire Department MEDIA  ADVISORY
CONTACT: FIRE CAPTAIN SAMMY PADILLA PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE (323) 881-2411 February 10, 2010	FIRE CHIEF P. MICHAEL FREEMAN 1320 N. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA   90063

                                         

Our Vision  The Los Angeles County Fire Department will be an exemplary organization acclaimed for our national reputation, our regional strength, and our hometown attentiveness as we provide fire protection and life safety services.

Core Values

INTEGRITY                 ¨   TEAMWORK   ¨  CARING   ¨   COURAGE   ¨   COMMITMENT  ¨  COMMUNITY

L.A. County Fire Chief Recognizes

Urban Search and Rescue Team Deployed to Haiti

WHO:              85 members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, California Task Force 2, including six canine heroes and their handlers; 31 members of the CA-TF2 Deployment Support Team; Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman; Los Angeles County Supervisors Molina, Yaroslavsky, Knabe, and Antonovich; USAID Operations Division Chief James Fleming; Sam Jean, Haiti native and brother of Wyclef Jean, founder of Yele Haiti Foundation; the Garfield High School Band, and a surprise guest.             

WHAT:              Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, the Board of Supervisors, and other officials will formally recognize 85 members of California Task Force 2 and 31 members of their logistical support team for saving nine lives in Haiti, following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.  The first team deployed on January 13, 2010, on a 14-day mission to assist the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the rescue and recovery of earthquake victims in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince.  A second team was deployed for eight days beginning January 29, 2010, to provide “rescue ready” support and humanitarian aid as the country continued its recovery efforts, and returned to Los Angeles on February 7, 2010.  Individual members of the team will be available for personal interviews about their experiences in Haiti.

WHEN:              Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 10 a.m.

WHERE:              Cecil R. Gehr Fire Combat Training Center, Los Angeles County Fire Department headquarters, 1320 N. Eastern Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90063.  Parking for media vans will be available adjacent to the ceremony for your convenience.

CONTACT:   Please direct all inquires to the Public Affairs Team at (323) 881-2411.

#Haiti http://bit.ly/9jFpkq #USAR #EQHaiti