San Luis Obispo Unit

Spring/Summer 2012

Last month during the ―Calf Fire‖ I was so proud of all of you and your response to this difficult fire. The fire fight was coordinated, effective and executed safely. The air and ground attack was synchronized. The ECC provided the right support and expanded their operation appropriately. An incident team was put together to ensure logistics, finance and plans were supporting the operation. Employees, whether uniformed or civilian, rallied with many of you coming in on days off and even vacations. No homes were destroyed and the fire was quickly stopped because of the actions all of you took. Not all fires will go this well. Some will out smart us at every turn. But I can clearly see that this Unit knows its job and we have an effective firefighting operation. We know how to fight fire aggressively and provide for safety first.

I want to say thank you to all of you for tightening down on spending. The recession re-quires that we do all we can to make sure we are using the citizens’ money most efficiently. We did that last year and we need to continue to do that. Thank you to our administrative section for your diligence in balancing our budget.

Most of you participate in your communities doing volunteer work. You help coach, you work in classrooms, you help the homeless. Many ―fill the boot‖ for MDA. Several of our women are going to walk for breast cancer to help find a cure for this insidious disease. FAE John Byrnes, with many of you supporting him, is going to bike across the country to raise money for his sister to purchase a specialized vehicle so she can be independent. Our Benev-olent Association members help find funds to support our own when in need. Our union members volunteer time to make sure your rights are protected. Whatever it is you are doing to help your community it is important, keep up the good work, your community needs you.

This is what we do. This is who we are.

Message from Chief Lewin

CALFIRE/San Luis Obispo County Fire

April—August 2012

Issue No. 8

Battalion 1, 2 2

Battalions 3, 4 3

Battalion 6 4

County Fire Haz Mat Training Bureau

5

Pre-Fire/Prevention 6, 7

Ventura Camp 8

Training 9

Personnel Changes/ AHC Graduation

10

Emergency Vehicle Show 11

Burn Relay OWN Network

12

Physical Fitness Cadre 13

Mid State Fair 14

Chris Kanton Memorial 15

Retiree Happenings/Babies 16,17

Lauren’s Ride Information 18

MDA Fill the Boot 19

Inside this issue:

Please keep submitting your

articles for future publications!

Next publication will be

“Fall/Winter 2012”

Articles due by October 1, 2012

THANK YOU!

Calf Fire July 16, 2012

Page 2 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Battalion 1 - 3411 ~ Phill Veneris

Battalion 2 - 3412 ~ Bill Fisher

Please see other sections for B-1 information...

On May 23, 2012, The Airport Fire Station 21 conducted its MCI (Multi-Casualty Incident) drill at the San Luis Obispo

County Airport. Multiple San Luis Obispo responders gathered to participate in the MCI drill including : SLO County Fire

Engine 21, Rescue 21, Crash 21, Water Tender 21, Company 21, Engine 62, Engine 3484, San Luis Ambulance, SLO City

Fire Engine 3 and Truck 1, Red Cross, SLO Sheriff, Cambria Hospital District, Airport Operations Staff and SLO EMSA.

The drill involved a plane crash into a populated office building/aircraft hangar. EMS providers had to triage, treat, and

transport 25 simulated patients and manage simulated fire with victims inside the office and downed aircraft. The Airport

fire station and adjoining emergency responders participate in this type of full-scale exercise once every three years.

Treating it like a real incident, responding units came in and took positions according to the Incident Commander's assign-

ment and began going to work. The drill lasted 4 hours and was greatly appreciated by all participants.

Paul Miner retired from Company Twenty with over 21 years as a Paid Call Firefighter…

Congratulations Paul!

Please see other sections for B-3 information...

Page 3 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Battalion 3—3413 - Steve Crawford

On May 23, 2012, our government officials, fire and law enforcement personnel and most important the Creston community members came together to dedicate the San Luis Obispo County Creston Fire Station #43. It has taken many years to build this much needed fire station and we all share together in its completion.

Over the next 50 or more years this fire station will be occupied 24 hours a day with people dedicated to serve their community.

The firefighters and law en-forcement officers who will work at Creston Station will sometimes see tragedy and sometimes they will experi-

ence the finest things humans are capable of. But what will motivate them the most is that of service to their fellow human. A firefighter and a deputy do what they do not for the money; they do what they do because they believe in the mission of protecting life, property and our natural resources.

We would like to thank the architects from the local firm RRM Design for meeting all of the needs on this project.

Battalion 4 - 3414 ~ Matt Jauregui

Bag Piper Dave Digges

Congratulations to the Community of Creston!

Page 4 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

RWC Program

This past May the State Fire Marshal - Personal Watercraft Rescue Operations course was conducted over the course of 3 days in Pismo Beach. As with our Surf Rescue Operations, those applying are required to meet a physical stand-ard demonstrated in a timed swim. The first day is composed of a classroom lecture, followed in the afternoon by boat orientation. The second day further develops the skills necessary in operating the Rescue Water Craft (RWC) and is an extended commitment as the participants train well into the evening. The final day emphasizes maneuvering and agility while in the surf, concluding with the manipulative final and thorough overhaul of the vessels.

Exposure to the varied facets of our County’s coastal areas allows the students a greater perception of the conditions present during a rescue in which the RWC’s would be utilized. Controlled operations in tight quarters near piers, rocks, and other watercraft allow the students to develop a finessed approach to the physics of the vessel. While open water training amid breaking surf, high winds, kelp, and nighttime travel hone skills in handling the boat while affecting res-cues. The limited amount of equipment available and the time allotted to conduct the class allow a small group to partici-pate in this training.

This year four members of the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department were able to take part. Water time, exposure to cold, mechanical set backs, high wind and fully developed seas called upon the commitment of all. All demonstrated excellent ability as operators on the boat, and rescuers in the water. The conditions presented in our surf and ocean rescue response area provide a surpassing canvas on which to develop a well-rounded skill set.

Lifeguard Program Preparations for the 2012 Pismo Beach Lifeguard program began in March with recruitment for Ocean Lifeguards. The staff at Station 64 was instrumental in the hiring and training development during the month of April. A 48-Hour Ocean Lifeguard I Academy, accredited by the United States Lifesaving Association, was the platform for three new hires and 17 returning lifeguards. Before lifeguards can work the beach they all must be certified and re-certified through this USLA Academy.

Station 64 began coordinating the summer staffing of the beach on Memorial Day Weekend. 8 Lifeguards are utilized to cover the 1.5-mile stretch of beach daily on the weekends and 6 lifeguards daily during the weekdays. The daily beach population on any given weekend, during the summer, will range around 5,000 to 10,000 beach patrons. The Pismo Beach Lifeguards are committed and take pride in their strong aquatic rescue skills, their vigilance in rescue prevention and their pre-hospital medical skills.

Pismo Beach Lifeguards utilize Five Cities Tone 12 and County Tac 4 for their radio frequencies. They also have a good cooperative working relationship with the Oceano Dunes State Lifeguards and the Port San Luis Harbor Patrol. It is not uncommon for the lifeguards to be involved with multiple emergencies at once. With the experience of the Lead Lifeguard Staff (Lifeguard 64) incident management becomes habitual. They have proven to be effective leaders in miti-gating emergency conditions and requesting additional resources when needed.

Pismo Beach Junior Lifeguards Not only does the Station 64 staff administer the Pismo Beach Lifeguard Program they also directed a six-week, Mon-day through Friday, Junior Lifeguard Program. This year the program was comprised of 105 junior lifeguards ranging from the ages of 9 to 17 years of age. The program could not be as successful as it is without the involvement of the Pismo Beach Lifeguards. The lifeguards are instrumental in providing the youth of our community with life skills in fun-damental ocean swimming techniques and acquainting them with the hazards of ocean. Participants learn the basic components of water safety, lifeguarding, surf rescue, use of rescue equipment, CPR, First Aid and marine life aware-ness. For information visit pismobeach.org/jg

Avila Valley Station #62

Greetings from the Beach House! In case you did not know, our own Michele Dyck co-stars in the brand new Oprah Winfrey Network television series called Lives on Fire. The show follows four female CALFIRE firefighters and gives a glimpse into their lives, both on and off-duty. Go to www.oprah.com and search for Lives on Fire for more information or catch it Friday nights at 9 on OWN. Needless to say, Michele owes us all a LOT of ice cream…

The landscaping project in front of Station 62 has been completed. All of the design and work was done in-house and it looks great.

Crews have been continuing the on-going fuel reduction project above Davis Canyon, cleaning old roads, re-establishing safety zones, and cutting firebreaks. Retired FC Kirk Robertson has been clearing the way, hiking the hills with his chainsaw and falling any tree that gets in the way!

Battalion 6 - 3416 ~ Paul Lee

Training Update— Submitted by Chief Reeder

Page 5 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

The Haz Mat Team and the USAR Team were able to drill with one of California’s Civil Support Teams at Cellar 360 (Meridian Winery).

This drill allowed both teams to focus on their teams specialties and to cross over and try something new. The team members were able

to teach and learn what each other do in their disciplines and how we can work together. Training topics included rope rescue, confined

space, a Ricin lab and a release of Anhydrous Ammonia.

As more debris wash up on our local beaches from Japan we should be reminded that some of the items can be dangerous. Drums and

cylinders that were damaged in the tsunami have been corroding in the ocean for months and can fail if touched or moved. In the above

picture a large Anhydrous Ammonia cylinder washed up and started leaking. In the picture take note of the frost line which is a great

indicator the cylinder is leaking and how the salt water has almost completely dissolved the valve. When responding to debris remember

to isolate, deny entry and never move the container.

County Fire HAZ MAT—Submitted by Chief Paul Lee

Your Training Bureau staff significantly changed with the various promotions and re-assignments throughout the Unit. During the first part of 2012, we welcomed FC Eric Shalhoob, FC-P John Forsberg, OT Lorinda Crotty and BC Steve Reeder to the training team.

The personnel change brings some fresh ideas for adjustments to the way we do business. Our short term priorities include moving forward with a re-tool of the Target Solutions program, building a Rescue Systems 1 and 2 training site and completing the Unit Train-ing Plan.

Progress has been made in the three areas. Changes already made to the TS program are intended to meet some of the issues that were being experienced in the field. A grant was awarded to build the Rescue Systems 1 and 2 training site to include a tower and various props. And the previous work done on the Unit Training Plan is being reviewed and assembled.

By listening to your needs and working together to take action, we are on track to accomplish these objectives by the end of 2012.

Chief Lewin talking with the Firefighters during their re-hire academy hike.

Page 6 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Pre-Fire/Prevention

PRE-FIRE DIVISION

Although everyone in Prevention is just as busy as ever, there’s not too much in the way of interesting topics to report. However, some notable things worth mentioning include:

Kevin McClean is approximately half way done with his FTO training. Once this is completed, we look forward to his help in main-taining a strong LE shop.

Hopefully everyone has had a chance to welcome Dennis Byrnes (P3428) to the Unit. He is in his 4 th month in SLU and continues to work hard to learn his new duties under the tutelage of Laurie Donnelly.

Joe Larson is now signed off as a qualified infrared interpreter (IRIN), becoming only the second CAL FIRE employee statewide with this ability. For the Unit this means that NIROPS data, which is the most commonly used source of infrared data, can be or-dered and disseminated very quickly. As long as the aircraft are available, this intelligence should be available the first night of a fire.

Our crews completed vegetation clearance around the communication facilities above Cave Landing a mere 2 weeks before a fire occurred that had the potential to cause significant damage to this site (upper left corner of the photo). This is a first-hand example of the value of targeted fuel modification projects. After all, ―it’s not if, but when‖.

Other upcoming fuels reduction projects include a number of VMP burns:

TAFT – 30 acre training burn in southeast Atascadero

Out in the Huasna Valley, both the Mankins/Allan (525 ac) and Alamo (1,100 ac) VMPs should be available this sum-mer or fall.

Long Cyn North / Pismo – 200 acres just north of Pismo Beach off Price Cyn Road (see map). In order to closely manage smoke within this WUI area, this unit has been divided into 8 smaller units that can be burned in stages to permit rapid smoke dispersion.

NOTE: For those of you with taskbooks, these VMPs are excellent opportunities to get things checked off. We urge you to make sure your supervisor and the Training Bureau are aware of this when projects become available.

Page 7 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Pre-Fire/Prevention

FUELS REDUCTION GRANTS

The SLOCC Fire Safe Council just submitted this year’s application for Fire Safe Council grant dollars. A number of projects throughout the County including fuel reduction, chipping, signage, and education were proposed totaling nearly $200,000.

Western States WUI – In partnership with the Unit, the Fire Safe Council submitted a $300,000 grant for a series of fuel reduction treatments on the southwest side of Heritage Ranch. Thanks to Jeff Elmore, Dan Turner and others who helped prepare this pro-posal.

Western States, State & Private Forestry – A $300,000 grant has been prepared to allow the use of mastication to prepare control lines for a series of prescribed burns on the Hearst Ranch. 3 burn units have initially been proposed totaling 5,000 acres. Our goal with this project is to reintroduce fire to strategic locations throughout this 82,000 acre working cattle ranch in concert with their Conservation Easement Land Management Plan. This request is due at the end of August and will also be sponsored by the Fire Safe Council.

The fate of all these grant requests should be determined by fall.

BRIDGE STREET FUEL BREAK

Mastication work on this 4-mile long, 45 acre project was completed during the month of June. Several days of hand crew work remain as the project is not expected to be fully completed until after slash piles are burned this winter/spring.

Saw training opportunity – Under the direction of Woody Bouska, the Training Bureau will be conducting saw training at this project site. Although priority will be given to crew captains in need of ―B‖ certification, trainees will include all those in need of certification at the ―A‖ or ―B‖ levels.

Page 8 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

All personnel at Ventura Camp would like to thank Fire Captain Mark Parry for his years of dedication and hard work performing the

thankless duties of the Administrative Captain. We wish Captain Tim Davis best of luck as he transitions into these responsibilities.

Mark will be taking Tim’s spot as the primary Captain on CAM 21. Mark is looking forward to participating in the evaluation process for

the new wildland safety uniform that Crew 21 will be testing.

Next time you come by Ventura Camp you should notice some changes. Thanks to covering strike teams, the CAM crews and camp

staff, a tremendous amount of work has been completed restructuring, improving and cleaning the facility.

What’s up with those Camarillo Crews?

As you probably already know CAL FIRE at Ventura Camp is currently operating three Type 1 Fire

Crews in conjunction with the California Conservation Corps – Camarillo Center (CCC). Through

these cooperative efforts CAL FIRE is able to staff fire crews, known as the Camarillo Crews (CAM),

year-round, 7 days a week.

As is the case with all other CAL FIRE crews, project work and training is performed when the

crews are not busy on emergency assignments. In addition to the 64 hr Basic Wildland course and

their regular field training such as hiking and cutting line; the crew members receive training in:

Wildland Urban Interface firefighting, Leadership, Emergency Medical Response, Hazardous Materi-

als Response, and Flood Fighting. In addition several crew members have graduated from Oxnard

Fire Academy. Many are also qualified EMT’s, EMR’s, and 5 Crew Members are now skilled B-

Fallers.

Recently the CAM crews participated in

a variety of joint training exercises with

many of our local cooperators in both

Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

These sessions present an excellent op-

portunity for each agency to become

more familiar with the skills and abilities of each other, which has helped to

foster a better working relationship with our personnel during a real inci-

dent. One example is the joint progressive hose lay training that the CAM

crews individually participated in with engine companies from several of the

local cooperators including: Los Padres National Forest, Ventura County,

City of Ventura,

and Santa Barbara

County Fire. Not

surprisingly, each one of these fire agencies has developed a different hose pack

and system for deploying hose. The CAM crews are now better prepared to

assist and support these agencies after participating in these drills and practicing

various hose lay evolutions.

Ventura Camp Update

Crew Members routinely use the sand table to re-

view fatality fire and lessons learned such as this

discussion of the Loop Fire tragedy.

Training expertise with Santa Barbara County Helicopter Unit

CAM 23 working with Santa Barbara County Fire during

a progressive hose lay drill

CAM Crew Members routinely

practice and test their EMS skills

Page 9 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

On April 25, 2012, CAL FIRE personnel, the sheriff’s dive team and a CHP helicopter crew sharpened their ocean rescue skills by taking part in training offshore of Montaña de Oro.

In one drill, firefighters and dive team members rescued individuals dropped into the water. Participants wore full wetsuits to insulate themselves against ocean temperatures in the low 50s.

Training

Cuesta Crew coming across the finish line shoulder to shoulder.

On April 24, 2012 the Annual Bautista Drill was held on the Vierra Ranch in Atascadero. The training exercise went off quite smoothly and all of the crews qualified for the current fire season.

National CPR Day—June 7, 2012

On June 7, 2012 a Nationwide Hands-on CPR Day was held. It was a re-

sounding success with over 991 people exposed to CPR in a 2 hour period of

time. Pretty impressive! Way to go CAL FIRE!

A special ―Thank you‖ to Roger Rinehart and John Forsberg for coordinating

this life-saving training for CAL FIRE!

Life Saving Congratulations!

On July 3, 2012, BC Paul Van Gerwen and FPS Es Berliner were at the entrance to the Oceano OHV assigned to the Pismo Beach Fire Works Law Enforcement Operation when they heard a car frantically honking. They immediately went over to the vehicle and they could see that the woman in the car was in distress. Es pulled the woman out of the car and Paul delivered a series of Heimlich maneuvers freeing the woman’s airway. Had it not been for their immediate actions this woman would have died.

Our appreciation to the two of them for recognizing the situation and taking action, well done!

Congratulations on Recent Personnel Changes/Additions

We are pleased to announce the selection of Dennis Byrnes to the Planning and Engineering Bureau as Fire Captain Prevention (P3428). Captain Byr-nes brings a vast amount of diverse experience and training that will serve our Unit well.

Dennis Byrnes began his Fire service career with the City of Paso Robles in 1995, where he served as a Fire Fighter/Driver Operator, Acting Captain and Fire Investigator. Dennis also has been a member of San Luis Obispo Fire Investigation Strike Team for over 14 years and is a charter member of San Luis Obispo County Fire Department Company 36 at Meridian Station. In 2009 Dennis left the City of Paso Robles and came over to CAL FIRE, taking a position in San Benito- Monterey Unit (BEU) as a Crew Captain at Gabilan Camp. Dennis and his wife Liz live in Paso Robles and Dennis has an adult son who lives on the East Coast. Fire Captain Byrnes’ appointment was effective May 7, 2012.

James Tully has promoted to the Safety Battalion Chief (B3417). Jim brings a vast amount of diverse experience and training that will serve our Unit well. I am confident he will be an important and vital part of the leadership team in the San Luis Obispo Unit.

Captain Tully started his career as a seasonal firefighter at the Paso Robles Fire Station 30 in 1994. He promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer in 1999 at Station 30 working both in Schedule A and B. In 2003 he was promoted to TAU Fire Captain in Shell Beach and then received a permanent promotion to Fire Captain at Ventura Camp in 2004. In 2008 he returned to San Luis Obispo County and after 6 months of being back at Station 30 he transferred to the Airbase as an Air Attack Officer. He has proven his command capability, leadership and management abilities and is thus well deserving of this promotion.

His wife Ellisha works at Sierra Vista in the NICU as a supervising Respiratory Therapist , they have a two and a half year old daughter, Morgan and they live in Paso Robles.

Firefighters from local departments were honored March 20, 2012 for exemplary community service by King David’s Lodge, No. 209 F &AM in San Luis Obispo, California. These individuals, by their zeal and endeavor, have been of significant and outstanding service to their communities.

Honorees included Fire Marshall Tom Prows, Morro Bay Fire Department; Battalion Chief Chad Zre- lak, CAL FIRE / County Fire, and Fire Captain Paramedic Sammy Fox, San Luis Obispo City Fire Depart-ment.

A $1,500.00 donation in honor of the fire fighters was made to the AlisHa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. Each honoree received a framed certificate at the awards banquet in San Luis Obispo.

Page 10 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Allan Hancock College Fire Academy, May 21, 2012

Congratulations Officer Kevin McLean for

completing the Basic Law Enforcement Academy

Class # 102—5/24/12; Not only did Kevin

graduate from the Academy, he was the Class

Valedictorian! Way to go Kevin!

Page 11 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Emergency Vehicle Show in Morro Bay

Thank you for your participation at the second annual Emergency Vehicle Show in Morro Bay on April 21, 2012. We had a great variety of vehicles. I especially appreciated the County Fire contingency. The hazmat unit, USAR unit,

and new type 3 engine were beautiful and great additions to the event. Es Berliner and all your employees did a

great job show casing your equipment!

Thanks again,

Mike Pond

Morro Bay Fire Chief

Here is a picture taken of many of CAL FIRE’s Stations 12 & 21's seasonal and full time staff, plus respective PCF's at SLO Airport July 3 to welcome home 3 soldiers returning to the Central Coast from their tours in Afghanistan. It should also be noted that SLO City Fire Department's E3 and crew attended, as did many of the public and a motorcycle group or two as well. For more infor-mation, visit the Welcome Home Military Heroes Website: www.welcomehomemilitaryheroes.org

The Fisher Family

Welcome Home Military Heroes!

Colonel Kelly Fisher returned home recently

and many people were there to greet a ―very

surprised‖ Colonel! Thank you for your

sacrifices and service Colonel Fisher!

The Fisher Family

Page 12 San Luis Obispo Unit Spr ing/Summer 2012

Issue No. 8

Michelle Dyck—Lives on Fire—OWN Network

Michele Dyck was highlighted in a recent series by the Oprah Winfrey Network, ―Lives on Fire‖

Michele Dyck is a Fire Apparatus Engineer with eight years of experience working for CAL FIRE. As an Engineer, Michele operates and maintains the apparatus and equipment, and manages emergency incidents including fires, cliff and water rescues, medical aids, and traffic collisions. Ever since her first day in her basic Firefighter I Academy, Michele knew this is what she wanted to do and couldn't imagine doing anything else. She enjoys the diverse challenges faced everyday and the opportunity to help people in emergencies. She just recently transferred from a station in Paso Robles, where she predomi-nantly fought wildfires, to Avila Beach, an area known for its dangerous cliff and water rescues. Michele is working hard to hone her water and cliff rescue technical skills so she can excel on calls within these challeng-ing new conditions. Great job Michele!

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/own-lives-on-fire/Lives-On-Fire-Michele-Dyck#ixzz21YyDsfga

Alisha Ann Ruch Burn Relay—

Thank you very much for your continued support to the Alisha Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. Your work raising awareness for AARBF along with burn and fire prevention education in the Central Coast is invaluable. Without your participation many children would be less prepared in the event of a fire.

In recognition of the years of work and dedication to burn survivors, please accept our most sincere thanks. At-tached, please find pictures from this year’s relay so you can share the great work that you do with your network.

The work that you do every year is a testament to the mission of AARBF.

Thank you again,

Evan Scher, Development Coordinator—Alisha Ann Ruch Burn Foundation

2601 Mission Street, Suite 401, San Francisco, CA 94110— Phone: (415) 495-7223 ext. 303 | Fax: (415) 495-7224

www.AARBF.org

♥ Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Brent Lee ♥

FAE-P Brent Lee and Communications Operator Corrin Clark were married March 17, 2012 in

Paso Robles. Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you many years of wedded bliss ♥

Page 13 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Physical Fitness Cadre is Here to Assist YOU! Submitted by Bill Grundler

Captain Grundler’s Quest To Be The Fittest Man In The World!

Congratulations to Bill Grundler for placing 5th overall in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games Southern California Regionals on May 13-15! Bill just missed the 3rd place mark he needed to qualify to compete in the World Games, but was very close!

He went into the Regionals seated 4th after the Sectional Open which had over 68,000 people worldwide compete in a 5 week, 1 workout a week competition. Everyone was ranked both worldwide and regionally (with Bill being in the Southern California Region). He ended the Open in 39th place in the world and 4th in the region!! Oh, and out of the top 50 placers’ in the Open, 40 were in their 20's, 9 were in their 30's and Bill was the oldest at 43!

The Regionals was a 3 day, 6 event competition putting the top 60 in each region out of the Open in head to head competition. Bill was in 1st place after the first day by winning the 1st event. It was a mix of Dead-lifts at 225# and Hand Stand Push-ups for 21 reps of each, then 15, then 9 in a time of 2:12. He was 4th in the next event which was 2000m of Rowing, 50 reps Pistols (single leg squats) and then 30 reps of Hang Power Cleans at 225# in 13:26.

Day 2 consisted of 4 rounds of 100# Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches to overhead 10 times, and then a 75m Sprint and then lastly, a crazy workout that had the athletes do 50 reps of Back Squat with 135#, 40 Pull-ups, and 30 reps of Push Presses at 135#, then 50 reps of 85# Front Squats, 40 Pull-ups, and 30 Push Presses at 85#, and finally 50 reps of Overhead Squat with 65#, 40 Pull-ups and 30 reps of Push Press at 65#. Bill tore his hand during the second set of Pull-ups which slowed him down quite a bit. Between the two workouts he was in 4th place going into day 3.

The final day had a Snatch Ladder which had each athlete having to do 20 Double Unders with the jump rope and then 1 rep of Snatch that started at 155# and went up 10 pounds each minute until 275#, if you made it that far. Bill made it to the 225# weight but wasn't able to hold it up. He placed 14th in that event.

The final event had the finalists doing 3 rounds of 7 Muscle-ups and 7 Dead-lifts at 345#, then 3 rounds of 21 Wall Ball Throws of a 20# ball to a 10 foot target and then 21 Toes to Bar, which are when you hold onto a pull-up bar and lift your legs until both feet touch the bar then come back down. Then, pick up two 100# dumbbells and carry them 100' and do 28 Burpee Box Jumps over a 24 inch box, then carry the dumbbells back and finish with 3 more Muscle-ups. When the dust all settled, Bill ended up in 5th place just missing his goal of top three.

But, he went to the GAMES as the Men's Color Commentator for the ESPN3. The Games were held July 13-15 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. World class men and women battled for the title of World's Fittest Athlete and a top prize of $250,000.00. Way to go Captain Grundler!

Page 14 San Luis Obispo Unit Spr ing/Summer 2012

Issue No. 8

Mid State Fair 2012

Another successful Mid-State Fair has passed July 18—29, 2012. Thanks to Es Berliner and all the people that helped

―make it happen‖ the CAL FIRE/San Luis Obispo County Fire booth and Fire Safe House was a huge success!

Thank you Es for another outstanding job!

Page 15 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

In Memory of Chris Kanton

On May 29, 2012, Chief Lewin had the honor of presenting the Chris Kanton Memorial Scholarship Awards to two individuals at

Paso Robles High School. Along with the honorees, Chris’s Mom Mary and sister Heather were there to present the awards.

Chris Kanton’s Obituary (August 2005)

Chris Kanton, age 23, passed away in the line of duty on Saturday, August 6, 2005 in Riverside County. Chris was born December 1, 1981 in Puyallup, WA and moved with his family to Paso Robles, CA when he was nine years old. While in high school Chris started as a paid call firefighter at Station 33 at Heritage Ranch in Paso Robles, CA. After graduating from high school in 2000, Chris attended and graduated from the Allan Hancock Fire Academy in Santa Maria, CA and subsequently completed three years as a seasonal firefighter in Riverside County, CA. He completed HAZMAT training and served on the HAZ-MAT team at Station 81 in Palm Springs and other locations as a full-time firefighter. Recently, Chris was transferred to Station 58 in Moreno Valley where he served as a firefighter II. Chris’ love and passion for firefighting is exemplified by the numerous certifications he achieved throughout his career.

Chris had an interest in photography and served as the yearbook photographer and editor in high school. His greatest love was extreme sports. Chris was an avid wakeboard, snowboard, and motorcycle enthusi-ast. When he was not on duty with CDF he worked for the Ski Patrol at Big Bear and rode his dirt bikes in the summer. Chris learned to play hockey (he was a goalie) before arriving in California and played in several leagues including the high school league in Paso Robles. For the past four years he played hockey in the Firefighter Olympics for both L.A. and Riverside Counties.

In February of this year Chris married Kathryn Motts and they made their home in Temecula, CA, with their two dogs Nixon and Kaylee. Chris was a giving person. Helping others, regardless of their need, was an integral part of his personality. He had another side too. He was fun to be with and could bring a smile to your face, if not outright laughter, in even the most difficult of times. Words cannot express the joy that Chris brought to all of those that he touched. Chris was a loving son, husband, and brother. He was our friend. We will miss him.

Chris is survived by his wife Kathryn of Temecula; parents, Paul and Mary Kanton of Paso Robles, California; sister, Heather Alspach and husband, Michael, and their son Blake of Paso Robles; Grandmother Betty Sharber of Paso Robles; Uncle Pete Kanton, and wife Carol and their daughter Ashley of Scottsdale AZ; Uncle Robert Sharber and wife Linda, and their son Jason and daughter Jana of Eugene Oregon; Great Aunt Bessie Georgouses of Santa Cruz California; Linda Motts mother-in-law; Tim Motts, Father-in-law; Janelle Thompson, sister-in-law and husband Casey; Michael, Jeff and Tim Motts, brothers-in-law, all of Mission Viejo.

A memorial service with full fire department honors will be held on Wednesday August 10, at the Cross Road Church in Corona Cali-fornia at 2:00 PM. In addition, a Rosary will be held Thursday, August 11 at 7:00 PM at the Kuehl-Nicolay F.H. in Paso Robles, and a Mass will be held Friday, August 12 at 10:00 AM at St. Rose Catholic Church in Paso Robles. A fire engine processional will follow to the Paso Robles District Cemetery for the committal.

Chris Kanton

12/1/81—8/6/05

Since the last newsletter retired FC Mike Medico and his wife,(Diane) have taken a 15 day cruise from San Diego, CA to Hawaii and back. It is 4 1/2 days each way on a cruise ship.That's a lot of water.

They toured several islands including Maui, Kauai, the Big Island of Hawaii and Oahu. On returning they spent a week in Las Vegas --just to rest up!!

Three weeks after coming back to the Mainland from the cruise they went back with their two daughters and sons-in-laws and all four grandchildren and spent two weeks on Maui.

Their next adventures take them to Spain and a 12 day cruise of the Mediterrean Sea. They will be visiting Barcelona, Spain: Marcielles, France: Rome, Italy, Dubrovinik, Croatia, and the Island of Sicily.

They also have a Carribean cruise planned but that will be on the next report.

Beyond this Mike continues to raise tomatoes, grandchildren and to chase the elusive winning CA Lotto Ticket.

Best Regards to all of you in the field this fire season. Be safe!!

Best Regards,

Mike Medico—Retired FC 2008

SPEAKING OF SPAIN…..

Charles Stone (a.k.a. Chuck) recently travelled to the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Along with his wife, Susannah, they did the Camino de Santiago or otherwise known as The Way of St. James (in english). They walked approximately 500 miles from France on the border of Spain in the Pyrenees through Spain to the northwestern part of Spain. They walked for 34 days and stayed in Spain and France for a total of 41 days. The end of the Camino was in Santiago de Compostela in the autonomous region of Spain known as Galicia. Chuck says, “I guess once you get the Camp (Cuesta Camp) experience you take it with you for life.”

One of the pictures is of a roof in the Galicia region of Spain. Many rural areas use slate rock for roofing tiles. The se-cond is of old wildfire burns, while they were there they had a rash of large wildfires burning in the south, south of Bar-celona. They use air tankers, dozers and engines like we do though he didn't see hand crews.

Retiree Happenings…

Page 16 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

** Please keep submitting your Retiree Happenings **

In front of our destination the Cathedral of Santiago de

Compostela.

Retirement Party 2012

Page 17 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Congratulations to the most recent graduates of the CAL FIRE Class of 2012. A celebration was held April 28, 2012 at El Chorro Regional Park in San Luis Obispo. The honorees were introduced by Battalion Chief Matt Jauregui. The awesome BBQ Crew (Bergstrom, Shroeder, Duran, Marshall and many others) cooked up another fabulous meal! (Thank you Valorie Marshall for the photos!)

CAL FIRE CRIB CROWD…

Chad Zrelak Patricia Grisham and

Chief Matt Jauregui Rodger Wesney

Tim Eckles

The “Comedian” -aka

“Huggy” Jauregui

Jeff and Lacey Smith welcomed Baby Bryson Jeffrey Smith into the world May 19, 2012, 8 pounds 21 inches long. Congratulations to the Smith Family! Baby Bryson definitely inherited his parents happy smiles!

Congratulations to Roger and Mandy Rinehart on the new addition to their family!

Lola Ann Rinehart Born 6/21/12 @ 2035 9 lbs. 1 oz.—20 3/4

I’m retired… Goodbye Tension—Hello Pension…

Author unknown

CONGRATULATIONS DALE RODRIGUEZ! (Submitted by Chief Lewin)

I know you all join us in wishing Captain Dale Rodriguez and his wife Penny a healthy and happy retirement. April 26, 2012 was his last day on duty. I have worked with Dale since we were young seasonal firefighters. Dale has always been a complete professional. He worked in both Sch A and B. He worked in training, prevention, ARFF and on crews. We were both at Cuesta Camp together and he was a strong and aggressive captain who I knew I could trust to be right there when things got hot. I look forward to visiting them at their restaurant ―Penny’s All American Café‖ in Pismo Beach. Thank you Dale for a job well done! (Dale was unable to attend the Retirement Party since he was on a lengthy celebration Road Trip with his wife… One of the ―perks of retirement‖!)

Page 18 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Lauren’s Ride — How you can help…

Lauren’s Ride was created by John Byrne, in order to help his sister obtain her goal of independ-ence. Lauren is a 22 year old quadriplegic, the result of an accident seven years ago. Lauren doesn’t let her accident define her. She plays wheelchair rugby. She goes to college. She travels with her family and friends. She has recently been able to walk a short distance, with the help of her therapists and some electrical stimulation. The one thing that has truly limited her independ-ence is transportation. Lauren has relied on family and friends to drive her to where she needs to be – even with public transportation, she still must rely on someone to get her to the bus or train station. Her parents, brother and friends are happy to drive her to where she needs to be, but she dreams of going away to a four-year college and those options won’t necessarily be avail-able. That’s where John comes in.

The cost of a vehicle for Lauren is approximately $30,000, and John realized he could raise funds to help out by exercising one of his talents – cycling. John has competed in several triathlons, fell in love with cycling and recently completed a three day, three hundred mile ride. This in-spired an idea to help Lauren with her first true step toward independence. John will be riding his bike from California to New York in September of 2012, with the goal of raising money to help Lauren purchase a vehicle adapted for her needs. He will depart from the Golden Gate Bridge on September 9, 2012 and will arrive at the Brooklyn Bridge 36 days later. There are two fundraising dinners: one in Nipomo and one in John’s hometown of Newark, CA. Information on the dinners can be found at www.laurensride.org.

The Nipomo Dinner Fundraiser will be held Friday September 7, 2012 at the Edwards Barn in Nipomo, 1095 Pomeroy Road. Food will include spaghetti, lasagna, and a vegetarian option with garlic bread and salad. A no host bar will also be available. Dinner tickets are $20 each and can be purchased through Corrin Lee or John Byrne or online at the website above. There will also be a silent auction and door prize giveaway. Prizes include a 4 night stay in Kauai, hotel stays, restaurant gift certificates, wine, golf packages, and much more!!! Those tickets are available also from Corrin or John Byrne for $1 and $5.

John Byrne (FAE at Nipomo Fire Station) is taking on a huge challenge, and many people have asked how they can help. You can help

John reach his goal in one of five ways:

Donate. You can click on the link on their website and donate any amount to the cause. John is collecting funds for Lauren’s car – the cost of the trip will be shoul-

dered by him through his own funds and help from friends and family. Any amount you can donate toward Lauren’s vehicle would be appreciated. Lauren’s Ride is gener-

ously supported by the non-profit San Luis Obispo Firefighters Benevolent Association (tax ID #770305877) and, as such, donations to Lauren’s Ride may be tax-

deductible. Please contact your tax advisor regarding the availability of tax deductions.

Support. John will need as much support as possible, and not just financially – moral support is important as well. He would love to have cheering sections along his

route to encourage him and push him along. Riding with him may be possible in some spots. He would like to accommodate everyone who would like to ride along, but

in some places it just won’t be feasible. Prayers for his safety, success and well-being would also be very welcome!

Share. To help spread the word about Lauren’s Ride, please share this website on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, email, or by phone – we would love the support that

word-of-mouth can bring!

Be a Contact. John will be riding alone, for the most part. Although he will have a ―chase vehicle,‖ he may still be in need of contacts along the route. If you’re

available or know someone who might be and would be willing to be a contact in case of emergency, please send an email: info@laurensride.org

Housing Support. John’s plan is to stay overnight at Fire Stations along the route, but there will be spots where that won’t

be possible. If you are willing to house him for a night in September, please send an email to: info@laurensride.org

If you can think of any other way you can support him, please let us know!

Page 19 San Luis Obispo Unit I ssue No. 8

Website Information:

www.calfireslo.org

This site gives the public detailed information for them to prepare

for the upcoming fire season.

Fire Safe Council

WWW.FSCSLO.ORG

MISSION STATEMENT

To serve and safeguard the people and protect the property and

resources of San Luis Obispo County through education preparedness

and emergency response.

Vision

The San Luis Obispo County Fire Department will exceed expectations

and maintain the highest standards of preparedness, training, and

emergency response.

Core Values

Integrity, Competence, Teamwork, Courage, Commitment

The San Luis Obispo County Benevolent Association provides assistance to employees and their families

during times of financial need. Many families have benefited from their generosity. If you would like to

make a donation to the Association, checks can be mailed to:

San Luis Obispo County Benevolent Association

Post Office Box 3095

Paso Robles, CA 93447

The Benevolent Association is selling Challenge Coins for $10.00

Proceeds go directly to the CDF/SLO County Firefighter Benevolent Association.

Please submit your articles, information, pictures, etc., to:

Naomi McCormack

635 North Santa Rosa Street

San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Email: Naomi.mccormack@fire.ca.gov

Please submit your Fall /Winter 2012 articles for

publication by October 1, 2012 ~ Thank you!