LAFD Mourns Passing of Active Duty Fire Inspector Jerald L. Coates

Saturday, May 26, 2012

LAFD Mourns Passing of Active Duty Fire Inspector Jerald L. Coates

Public Memorial Service for

LAFD Inspector Jerald L. Coates

Dear Friend of the LAFD,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of a highly respected member of the Los Angele Fire Department.

Fire Inspector Jerald L. Coates left us suddenly on Sunday afternoon, May 20, 2012, while off-duty and in the comfort of his own home. He was an active-duty, 25-year veteran of the Department, having been appointed to the LAFD in 1987.

In his nearly three decades of service to the people of Los Angeles, the 59 year-old Coates held a variety of demanding assignments. In 2001, he was promoted to the Fire Prevention Bureau, where he specialized in "underground tanks." He then joined the Brush Clearance Unit in 2010.

As a member of this small team of 13 inspectors, Coates helped supervise brush clearance issues of nearly 180,000 parcels, citywide. He truly enjoyed educating the community about the dangers of wildfire and was routinely lauded by residents for his firm, but fair handling of difficult situations. And by all accounts, he took great pride in personalized public service.

We kindly ask you to keep Inspector Jerald L. Coates and his loved-ones in your thoughts and prayers. He is survived by his longtime girlfriend, Donailah and his 25 year-old son, Oryan.

The public is invited to join the LAFD and the family and friends of
Inspector Jerald L. Coates, as we together, will mourn his passing.

DATE: Friday, June 1, 2012

TIME: 10:00 am
LOCATION: Divine Saviour Catholic Church, 610 Cypress Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065
INTERMENT: Private
VIEWING: Private
DONATIONS: IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, PLEASE SEND DONATIONS TO: Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firemen's Fund 815 Colorado Blvd, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Official Source: http://lafd.blogspot.com/2012/05/lafd-mourns-passing-of-active-duty-fire.html
"Serving with Courage, Integrity and Pride"
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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.

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Saturday, May 26, 2012