Thank you to Action Heroes

Heroes are not crafted of words or images. They are made by actions. Theirs. These are the Fire Department Personnel who were given a standing ovation at the last Diamond Bar City Council Meeting.
( L-R) Deputy Chief Mike Bryant, Captain Mike Leckliter, Community Services Representative Leticia Pacillas, Captain Greg Cleveland and Battalion Chief Mario DeFina.

These are real heroes. Afew of the 538 public safety personnel assigned just to Diamond Bar plus an additional the 3700 firefighters who protected us from the Triangle Complex Fire last weekend. People who willingly dedicate their lives to what Daryl Bowler described to his mother as "Hell on earth." These next 3 images, taken by Jody Schmalz from her Yorba Linda home illustrate what Daryl felt from his home, not so many miles from hers, as the fire marched towards us.

The fire has been a big reset button for many. An instantaneous reminder of what is truly important. A lesson as to how Thanksgiving came to be as a holiday not during great prosperity, but after times of tremendous loss- first after the Pilgrims lost half their numbers after landing at Plymouth Rock. Then when it was made a holiday by President Lincoln after the Civil War.

There is no logical reason why the fire started on the Yorba Linda end of the Puente- Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor. Why some of their neighborhoods did not have time for the fire departments to send in an evacuation notice like they could here. Diamond Bar and her residents were just fortunate. We had time for the heroes to set up. The good fortune for the winds to have died down.

"Tremendous!" is the word Diamond Bar resident Vinod Kashyap described the effort in Diamond Bar.

"Everything I ever worked for stood in the way of the fire."As he waited in the evacuation center, he was aware that it was possible he could come home to a scene such as at the right, also taken by Jody. Sadly, some of her neighbors lost homes and the treasures within.

Vinod was born on another continent. Lived in many countries. During another conversation, he explained that he has lived places where he and I would not have been allowed to speak, because we are of different races. This night he declared to all who listened, that the response to the fire was just one more reason that he, "Thanked God for letting me live in this country." No where else would the effort have been so valiant, so open and without discrimination.

These next four images were taken by Daryl Bowler during breaks when he and his father stayed behind to help protect their neighborhood, which sits at the outskirts of Tonner Canyon.

Daryl and his father, John Sr., are part of a handful of people who are qualified by temperament and judgement to stay behind the lines in such a situation.


For a bit of perspective on the economic cost of fighting a fire:

In 1.5 days, 30,000 acres burned.

Phoschek drops cost $5600 per hour.

Imagine the destruction without them?

It will be good when the 3 National Guard C-130's are approved for added air support in fire suppression- scheduled for March, 2009.

Photographer Gene Sasse, who earlier allowed me to share the night shot of the fully formed 10 mile long line of fire wanted to share from his personal file from the 2003 Grand Prix Fire, which threatened his home

"This photo has alot of meaning for me, The photo was taken in front of my home with all the vegetation gone, it was so surreal - I didn't see the fireman waving until after I had processed the film. I always wished I could have said thank you to them!" - Gene Sasse

Many blessings are sent to all who called or e-mailed concern this week. I cannot adequately thank all who contributed photos, quotes and information for this short series of posts during and after this Triangle Complex Fire.

Our prayers remain with those who have suffered harm from the wildfire.

To any firefighter who reads this. From all of us: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.