Demonstratively safe

Luis Pena

Playing with the common household garden hose might get some children

in trouble by their parents, but at the Public Safety Emergency

Services Expo Sunday, kids safely handled the beast of all hoses.

The city of Costa Mesa hosted the annual expo, which featured

police and fire department displays including demonstrations that

ranged from mock blazes to K-9 dogs in action.

“I liked the hose ... because [the fireman] showed us how we can

turn the gauges, not just how to shoot, and not just because the guy

was cute,” 10-year-old Katie Barr said.

Matt Godby, a recruit from the Santa Ana Fire Academy, helped out

with the fire hose demonstration. He said the hose could normally

shoot 250 gallons per minute of water, but was set to 95 gallons per

minute, enough for a child to handle.

“It’s really neat, because I think he would like to be a fireman,”

said Mike Benzmiller, who brought 2-year-old grandson Tyler to the

event.

The expo also attracted a high-profile local politician, who left

after a brief visit to “change diapers.”

“This emergency expo is vital for all of us to understand that we

can’t take anything for granted,” Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said.

California Highway Patrol Officer Julian Rodgers said he values

being part of the community and that it’s a great opportunity to meet

the people he serves. The officer handed out safety information,

which emphasized such things as buckling up.

“Who knows, one day one of these kids might be my partner out

there,” Rodgers said.

Two firefighters, John Brock and Pete Melgoza, rappelled from

station No. 4’s four-story training tower. They used high-angle

rappelling, which would be used to rescue a window cleaner, or

someone stuck on a high-rise building, firefighter Shawn Brosamer

said. The two men came down the building slowly, but Brosamer said

they could stop on a dime.

One of the more thrilling demonstrations was when K-9 member Duco,

a Belgian Malinois, went into action. A white, unmarked car pulled

over with a Costa Mesa police car behind it. Sgt. Larry Hicks shot

his gun twice, and when his door opened, Duco attacked Hicks’ left

arm with jaws of steel. Hicks was wearing protective gear on his arm

and didn’t get hurt. Cadet Allison Litchfield said the dog had been

trained since being a puppy to find human odors. This training helps

police find suspects, weapons and victims in a disaster, Litchfield

said.

Christina Garcia, 10, called the K-9 demonstration “cool,” adding

that she hoped she was never bitten like that.

* LUIS PENA is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at luis.pena@latimes.com.