This July, Assistant Chief John Drake will be

replacing Chief Richmond as the Assistant

Bureau Commander for Operations Valley

Bureau. Chief Drake has over 30 years of

experience with the LAFD and brings with him

a wealth of Department knowledge. Chief

Drake recently promoted to the rank of

Assistant Chief and was temporarily assigned

to Operations Central Bureau. In addition, due

to Chief Emile Mack’s retirement in June

Assistant Chief Patrick Butler will transition over

to Operations Valley Bureau as a 24 hour

platoon duty Assistant Chief. Chief Butler

previously held the position of Assistant Bureau

Commander for Operations West Bureau and

has over 26 years of experience with the LAFD.

We look forward to working with Chiefs Drake

and Butler, and utilizing their experience to

manage Valley Bureau operations.

PRESERVING BUREAU OBJECTIVES

I am excited to be taking over the responsibility for the LAFD Operations

Valley Bureau as Chief Arbuthnott’s successor. I look forward to working with

all partners in public safety in an effort to make our service better. I am

confident that our continued progress, consistent with the Fire Chief’s

strategic plan, will position us for success. Our team has been built with some

of the most highly qualified members our department has to offer. I am

certain that we have the right team in place to get things done. My vision

for fire department service in the Valley includes a commitment to making certain that in every

case, people calling 911 will get a dedicated and professional employee. I am eager to work with

our community leaders to find ways to work collaboratively towards common interests. Over the

next year I will launch several initiatives that will focus on the improvement of service both internally

and externally. These initiatives will involve contemporary approaches to leadership, community

involvement and administrative effectiveness. Thank you for your interest in Operations Valley

Bureau and I look forward to working with you in the future.

IIISSUESSUESSUE 999 OOOPERATIONSPERATIONSPERATIONS VVVALLEYALLEYALLEY BBBUREAUUREAUUREAU JJJULULUL/A/A/AUGUGUG 201620162016

Proudly serving: Arleta, Bell Canyon, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, City of San Fernando, Encino, Granada Hills, Lake View Terrace, Mission Hills, Noho Arts District, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima,

Panorama City, Porter Ranch, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Sunland/Tujunga, Sylmar, Tarzana, Toluca Lake, Tujunga, Universal City, Van Nuys, Warner Center, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills.

BUREAU COMMANDER DEPUTY CHIEF

Trevor Richmond

ASSISTANT

BUREAU

COMMANDERS

ASSISTANT CHIEF Patrick Butler

John Drake

Andrew Fox

Gregory Reynar

TRAINING

OFFICER

CAPTAIN II Richard Fields

EMS OFFICER

CAPTAIN I Danny Wu

OFFICE 4960 Balboa Blvd.

Encino, CA 91316

818-728-9921

818-728-9931 Fax

lafd.valleybureau

@lacity.org

LAFD Valley

VALLEVALLEVALLEYYYVVVieieiewww LLL AAA FFF DDD

NEW CHIEF’S MESSAGENEW CHIEF’S MESSAGENEW CHIEF’S MESSAGE

Not including boating incidents, on average

about 10 people die from drowning every day in

the United States, according to

Injury Facts 2016, the annual

statistical report on unintentional

injuries produced by NSC.

SWIMMERS SHOULD KEEP A FEW SAFETY

PRECAUTIONS IN MIND:

• If you don’t know how to swim take lessons

• Never swim alone

• Learn CPR and rescue techniques

• Ensure the body of water matches your

swimming skill level

• If you do get caught in a current, don't try to

fight it; stay calm and float with it, or swim

parallel to the shore until you can swim free • Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard

• Don't push or jump on others

• Don't dive in unfamiliar areas

• Never drink alcohol when swimming

Please see Drowning continued on Page 2

SUMMER SAFETYSUMMER SAFETY

DROWNING It Can Happen in an Instant!

NEW BUREAU STAFF

New Bureau Commander

Deputy Chief Trevor Richmond

Patrick Butler John Drake

2

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Drowning continued from Page 1

THE YOUNGER THE CHILD, THE GREATER THE RISK

Most parents think water safety is first and foremost on their minds whenever they are enjoying summer activities with their

young kids. But when the unthinkable happens and a child drowns, parents and caregivers have been known to say, “I

only looked away for a second.” NSC statistics point to drowning as a leading cause of death for young children – mostly

due to children falling into a pool or being left alone in the bathtub.

DISTRACTIONS MAKE FOR TRAGEDIES

Parents are cautioned all the time about water safety, but drownings still occur. Always be aware and be in the

present moment with your children. Following are a few water safety precautions:

• Never leave your child alone; take your child with you

• Find age-appropriate swim lessons for your child

• Lifeguards aren't babysitters; always keep your eyes on your child

• Don't let children play around drains and suction fittings

• Never consume alcohol when operating a boat

• Ensure everyone is wearing U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets

• Don't underestimate the power of water; rivers/lakes have undertows

• Always have a first aid kit and emergency contacts handy

• Get training in CPR

• If a child is missing, check the water first

• Learn more from the National Safety Council:

http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/news-and-resources-water-safety.aspx

BRUSHBRUSHBRUSH

The Los Angeles Fire Department reminds you that all fireworks, even

“safe and sane” ones remain

ILLEGAL in the City of Los Angeles!

Those who use, possess, or transport any type of firework in Los Angeles

may be subject to criminal prosecution or worse yet—painful and debilitating

injuries or even death.

This year join firefighters and their families at a Public Fireworks Show—the safest and most enjoyable way to celebrate our nation’s independence.

To find a professional show visit:

www.safejuly4th.org

Remember that when clearing your brush, safety is very important. In recent years

many brush fires have started by homeowners attempting to clear their brush. Many

times, the sparks produced from metal blades on motorized equipment have

accidentally started fires.

The following are simple guidelines for homeowners to follow to clear their brush safely:

• Always have a water source readily available. A water extinguisher, garden hose or a

few buckets of water.

• Avoid clearing brush during the peak temperatures of the day, between 11:00 am and

3:00 pm and on days when a Red Flag Alert* has been declared by the Fire

Department.

• Only use properly maintained motorized equipment and have a spark arrester when

required.

• Do not refuel motorized equipment while motor is running. Use approved fuel-

dispensing containers only.

• Always make sure the hot exhaust on any motorized equipment is clear of any

vegetation. (grasses, weeds, shrubs)

• Do not use metal blades on weed whackers/whips. Use nylon line or plastic blades

instead.

• Always wear safety glasses and gloves. Hard hats and dust masks are recommended.

Thank you for clearing your hazardous vegetation and making your community a

safer place. For additional information, please contact the Brush Clearance Unit at

(800) 994-4444, or visit our website at lafd.org/fire-prevention/brush

*Red Flag weather days refer to certain weather conditions that can cause a wild-land fire to start and to spread rapidly. These conditions generally exist when the winds exceed 25 mph and relative humidity is below 15%

BRUSH CLEARANCE Safety Tips for Homeowners

3

OOOPERATIONSPERATIONSPERATIONS VVVALLEYALLEYALLEY BBBUREAUUREAUUREAU

OVB is highlighting firefighters in our

bureau to help guide community

members who may be considering a

career in fire service. Sharon Bonfield

has been with the Los Angeles Fire

Dept. for 22 years and is currently

assigned to Fire Station 77 in the Sun

Valley community as an Engineer. She

is married to a firefighter and has a14

year old daughter.

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE GETTING ON

THE DEPARTMENT?

My greatest challenge was finishing the drill tower. I had

never been in any kind of paramilitary organization and had

to adjust to the structure and discipline. Also adapting to the

mental and physical demands were a new experience as

well.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR WORK AND HOME LIFE?

As far as balancing work with home life I am very fortunate

to have a firefighter husband who understands our

profession’s lifestyle . We enjoy sharing the responsibilities of

maintaining our home life and raising our daughter. My

biggest challenge is to not let my lack of sleep affect my

family after a busy shift at work.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW CANDIDATES

TRYING TO JOIN THE LAFD?

My advice to young female firefighters is to definitely make

sure that your significant other understands the nature of our

job. The job is truly rewarding and offers a lot of freedom

with your work schedule, but it also presents unique

challenges when you are in a relationship.

And if you decide to have children, plan on adjusting your

time off to help raise your family!

RECRU ITMENTRECRU ITMENTRECRU ITMENT

SHARON BONFIELD LAFD Engineer, Wife, and Mother

4

The smell of delicious BBQ

brisket and ribs

permeated the air on

Memorial Day at Sherman

Oaks’ Blue Dog Tavern as

they sponsored a worthy

fundraiser benefitting the

FEMA LAFD California Task

Force One (CATF-1)

Canine Search Team.

Blue Dog Tavern owner/dog lover Paul Scrivano—a regular

supporter of the LAFD—selflessly created the event himself

and coordinated with Operations Valley Bureau and the

LAFD Foundation to host a successful event that raised over

$2200 in one afternoon! A special thanks also goes to LAFD

Post 89 Cadets from North Hollywood as they assisted Paul

and his staff with cooking, serving, and cleaning up.

Training a search dog to complete the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) certification process generally

takes about one year, equating to over 800 hours of training.

The handler and the

canine must both

learn their roles and

develop the skills

necessary to

become a proficient

and professional

search team, ready

to serve when called

at anytime.

When it comes to locating victims, search dogs are capable

of doing the work of 50 first responders. The dogs are able to

discern scents unnoticeable by humans and they can do it

while jumping, crawling and running across a debris pile.

Efficiency and effectiveness are what these dogs bring to a

search and rescue operation.

Thanks to Paul and Blue Dog Tavern, our CATF-1 members will

have the opportunity to further their training and purchase

new equipment for the team. If you would like to donate to

the Canine Search Team or the LAFD please visit the LAFD

Foundation at: www.supportlafd.org

COMMUN ITY CONNECT IONCOMMUN ITY CONNECT IONCOMMUN ITY CONNECT ION

LLLOSOSOS AAANGELESNGELESNGELES FFF IREIREIRE DDDEPARTMENTEPARTMENTEPARTMENT ——— OOOPERATIONSPERATIONSPERATIONS VVVALLEYALLEYALLEY BBBUREAUUREAUUREAU

A family enjoys meeting the search dogs!

CANINE SEARCH TEAM FUNDRAISER Blue Dog Tavern Memorial Day BBQ

LAFD Search Dogs Riggs, Faith, and Veya

To request LAFD resources at public events (community fairs, school visits, etc.) , please send an email to LAFDrequest@lacity.org with the details of your event (date, time and duration, location, etc.). As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities.

EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS

Daryl Arbuthnott Retirement July 13 Operations Valley Bureau

Deputy Chief Daryl Arbuthnott is recognized by Councilmembers Nury Martinez and Paul Krekorian, Fire

Commissioners Rebecca Ninburg and Andrew Glazier, and the LAFD Command and Operations Valley Bureau

Staff for his 36 years of service to the City of Los Angeles at the City Council meeting on June 28, 2016.