LOS ANGELES – December 2, 2009 – Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman announced today that the Pacific Western Bank Foundation, part of The San Diego Foundation, has generously donated $25,000 to the Los Angeles County Firefighters Memorial Committee to benefit the surviving family members of fallen County firefighters.
“Today, Pacific Western Bank Foundation has let our family survivors know that they, and the sacrifices made by their loved ones, are not forgotten,” said Freeman. “This donation will help lessen the burden already placed upon them.”
Joe Cecala, president of the Pacific Western Bank’s Inland Empire Region, personally presented the check to the Fire Chief, and Chief Deputies Daryl Osby and John Tripp, and explained how their organization is similar to the fire service when it comes to community involvement.
“Our bank is a community-based bank, and we take a strong interest in assisting local organizations that serve others,” said Cecala. “After watching the Station Fire play out on the news and learning of the deaths of two County firefighters – including one whose wife was about to give birth to their first child – Executive Vice President Jared Wolff came up with the idea of supporting the fallen firefighter families of L.A. County Fire.”
The funds will allow the Firefighters Memorial Committee to continue its mission of providing immediate financial assistance to widows and children of firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty, including the families of Fire Captain Tedmund “Ted” Hall and Fire Fighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, who were killed on August 30, 2009 during the Station Fire. Following the presentation, Cecala toured the Department’s Fire Command and Control Facility, where more than 400,000 emergency calls are taken each year.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department is one of the largest emergency service agencies in the world, providing fire protection and life safety services to more than 3.8 million residents and commercial business customers in the County’s 2,305-square-mile area. For more information, visit the Department’s website at www.fire.lacounty.gov.
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