The San Marino Fire Department and a San Marino Police Department cadet and enlisted California National Guard Airman are at the scene of the Thomas Fire in Ventura County right now maintaining “law and order” and keeping homes safe as the inferno continues to threaten homes and livelihoods. The Thomas Fire had burned 237,500 acres with only 25 percent containment at the time The Tribune went to press Wednesday evening.
SMFD Chief Mario Rueda said Engine 91, manned by Captain Nick Maza, Fire Engineer Mike White, Firefighter/Paramedic Richard Fixsen and Firefighter/Paramedic Dave Tannehill, was sent to Santa Clarita to help with the wildfires last Thursday night before being redeployed to Ventura County. Engine 91 joined crews from Burbank, Pasadena and Vernon to form Strike Team 1207A, one of three Strike Teams from the San Gabriel Valley.
Engine 91 is working to protect houses in the Carpinteria area, according to Rueda, and in an email, Captain Maza shared a look into their efforts to quell the devastation with The Tribune: “While [Strike Team] 1207A has not danced with the devil, we have been engaged and eager to assist in any way we can. So far we have been tasked with mop up and tactical patrol in an area that was devastated and is now being repopulated.”
“Our engine and uniform may say ‘San Marino,’ but we know we are here to represent the Thomas Incident, bringing our professionalism and kindness to the people of Ventura. As you can see we have taken each assignment seriously and feel fortunate to have opportunities like these to help others. After all, that’s why we all became firefighters.”
The SMFD crew is working 24 hours at a time doing structure defense, Rueda said.
“They’re clearing things away from the home and staying with the homes to ensure they don’t burn down,” he said. “Then after 24 hours, normal protocol is that they’ll come off the line to eat and sleep.”
Rueda said the Ventura County Fairgrounds is being used as a basecamp for the firefighters.
The SMFD must stay up to 14 days at the Thomas Incident as part of their county aid commitment. In the meantime, the department’s reserve engine is performing normal duties here in San Marino.
San Marino Police Department cadet Kyle Kitagawa, who’s been with the department for about 3 years, is also serving in Ventura County. Kitagawa is an enlisted airman with the California Air National Guard, who’s unit was activated for duty last Wednesday night.
Kitagawa spoke with The Tribune over the phone Tuesday from the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station.
“I got home from work [last] Wednesday night and I got a phone call saying we had to go to the March Air Reserve Base,” he said. “Within 12 hours, I’d packed up all my equipment and showed up at base, where the unit came together. Then we traveled to the Channel Islands base. From here we were assigned to Ventura.”
Kitagawa said the group was tasked with keeping out looters, and keeping residents out of harm’s way until it was safe to come back into their neighborhoods.
“We are there to make sure these people aren’t forgotten, and to make sure law and order is maintained,” he said. “As long as the state needs us, we will be here.”
Kitagawa said a couple of the men serving alongside him lost homes to the fires, but they’re there to prevent the same thing from happening to others.
“I got to see some of the devastation firsthand,” he said. “There’s people who are coming up to our checkpoint, knowing they can’t go past us, they can’t go any further, but they’re just trying to see what’s going on…if they’re home can be saved or what happened to it.”
Kitagawa said it was heartening to see the SMFD up there with him, working together to support the community in this trying time.
“Even though I’m up here, we’re still working together,” he said. “Whenever we’re needed, we’ll drop everything and go.”
