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DIVISION news
Covering the Cities of Needles and 29 Palms, the Town of Yucca Valley
and seven unincorporated areas on the eastern edge of the county
By Local 935 VP Zack Taylor and Ryan Beckers
LOCAL MAN HOLDING LINE AT MALIBU
FIRE CHIEF PROTECTING HOMES WITH STRIKE TEAM
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DIVISION news
By Jene Estrada Hi Desert Star
MALIBU — More than 300 square miles in
California is on fire and one of the Morongo
Basin’s own firefighters has joined the fight.
Battalion Chief Scot Tuttle, a Morongo Basin
resident and a San Bernardino County firefighter,
is with a strike team protecting structures
affected by the Woolsey Fire in Malibu.
LABOR REP:
AARON COMSTOCK
TOM MARSHALL
ASSISTANT CHIEF
“We took a strike team of five San Bernardino
County fire engines from all over the county,” Tuttle said. “We left here at about 3
a.m. on Friday and they put us to work on the line in Thousand Oaks the first day.”
The Woolsey Fire began Nov. 8, minutes after Southern California Edison reported an
electric circuit outage in the area. While the cause of the fire is still undetermined,
many factors, including high winds and dry climate, have spurred a fast-spreading
blaze. The fire had burned over 152 square miles — roughly the size of the entire
Morongo Basin — by Wednesday afternoon.
“Since the first day we have been over in the west hills area of Los Angeles on
structure defense and patrolling hot spots,” Tuttle said.
Teams on structure defense are on the outskirts of the burn area using their rigs
and their water supplies to block the flames from spreading and destroying more
structures, Tuttle said. Their work has allowed some of the more than 250,000
people evacuated from the area to return to their homes to salvage what is left from
the flames. Many, however, are finding they have nothing left.
Charity groups in the cities affected by the fires are accepting donations of food,
money and clothing for those who have lost their homes.
“The community support has been great,” Tuttle said. “If people want to help, please
focus on the families who lost their homes in the fires. We firefighters are well taken
care of by our command but the local people can use whatever help you can give.”
The fire was 47 percent contained and had killed at least three people and destroyed
at least 483 structures and killed at least two victims, according to Cal Fire.
Firefighter/Paramedic Cody Underwood battles a recent fire near the town of Yucca Valley.
HOT TOPICS
FROM ACROSS THE SOUTH DESERT
• Chief Hartwig met with Yucca Valley mayor
Rick Denison to discuss construction of
new Stations 41 and 42.
• The Basin Wide Foundation, an umbrella
non-profit agency for local philanthropics,
recently gave Local 935 and Station 41 its
highest honor with the “Together We Can”
award, presented for our financial support
and involvement in the Miracle League
youth baseball program for special needs
players. We also received recognition from
the U.S. House of Representatives, the San
Bernardino County Board of Supervisors
and the California Assembly.
•
Local 935 congratulates Merl Abel and Jim Schooler on
their recent re-elections to the Yucca Valley Town Council.
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FIREWIRE • FALL 2018
The Yucca Valley Elks Lodge held its annual
First Responder Recognition awards ban-
quet again this year. San Bernardino County
Sheriff John McMahon was the keynote
speaker. Engineer Aaron Comstock received
the Firefighter of the Year award. At Local
935’s request, an award was added so our
Ambulance Operator group could be recog-
nized as well, with Amy Sumida receiving
Paramedic of the Year.
•
•
The crew from Station 36 in Joshua Tree
put on a hands-free CPR class in town. Un-
fortunately the event was not well-attend-
ed, which just means those who showed up
got extra training! Thanks to Captain Jett
Schuster and your crew for your efforts.
Our members assigned to
Station 41 are proud to serve
the town of Yucca Valley.
Local 935-endorsed Yucca Valley city
council candidates Jim Schooler and Merl
Abel were elected with over 60 percent of
the vote. Both have expressed their grati-
tude to our organization for the support.
Our members in the city of 29 Palms complete a
recent auto extrication drill at Station 44.
Engineer Aaron Comstock and Ambulance Operator
Amy Sumida recognized by the Yucca Valley Elks
FALL 2018 • FIREWIRE
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