Local firefighters honored

Deepa Bharath

Three fire engines were probably just a drop in the bucket when it

came to fighting wildfires that consumed several thousand acres of

land, homes, property and lives this year.

“But, ultimately, we succeeded,” Costa Mesa Fire Chief Jim Ellis

said.

The raging fires in San Bernardino, which Costa Mesa firefighters

helped combat, and others in Simi Valley and San Diego that ravaged

Southern California, were finally quelled thanks to the heroic

efforts of hundreds of brave men and women, Ellis said.

Costa Mesa’s firefighters were recognized on Wednesday by Rep.

Dana Rohrabacher, who thanked them for their efforts during a special

ceremony at the Vanguard Fire Station. He presented each of the

engines’ three captains with a U.S. flag that had flown over the

Capitol in Washington, D.C.

“When it comes to our cities and communities, the police officers

and firefighters are our first line of defense,” Rohrabacher said.

“These firefighters and many others did a great job in a situation

where so many lives were at stake.”

The presentation of the flags was his way of saying “thank you” to

the firefighters, Rohrabacher said. He had made a similar

presentation at Palos Verdes and is scheduled to present flags to the

Orange County Fire Authority as well as to Huntington Beach and

Fountain Valley firefighters who fought the wildfires.

Rohrabacher told Costa Mesa firefighters that they have won the

appreciation and gratitude of local communities.

He also emphasized the need for communities to be prepared for

emergencies.

“The war that we’re in is not only overseas,” he said. “It’s also

here at home. So, we need to be prepared.”

Fire Capt. Eric Johnson said he was touched by the congressman’s

gesture.

“It’s not very often that you get a congressman coming out here

and thanking us,” he said.

Johnson, who was in one of the engines that helped fight the “old

fire,” said the intensity of the blaze was comparable to some of the

biggest fires in Southern California’s history. A 23-year veteran of

the department, Johnson fought the fires in Big Sur in 1985 and the

Laguna Beach fire in 1993.

Firefighters do what they do with no expectations, Ellis said.

“We did our jobs, and we love doing what we do,” he said. “But

it’s awesome when you have anyone take the time to say thank you.”