Station Fire Update: Killed L.A. firefighter's baby due
Categories: Spot News
The Los Angeles County Fire Department released two sad biographies of the firefighters who were killed when a boiling wall of flames suddenly appeared near a remote road where they were driving. Their vehicle went over the side, plummeting 800 feet down a cliff. Arnie Quinones, horribly, is expecting a baby with his wife, Sonia, in a matter of weeks. Ted Hall was a highly experienced veteran who'd wanted to a firemen since he was a kid.
Firefighters everywhere were in mourning for these two partners, and eloquent blogs written by firefighters shared in the grief, while the International Association of Wildland Fire listed the firefighters who have fallen in recent years.
Here is what the official county bios about these two men say:
Fire Fighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, 34, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, August 30, 2009, during the Station Fire, when his emergency response vehicle went over the side and fell 800 feet into a steep canyon during fire suppression activities protecting the Camp 16 in the City of Palmdale.
Quinones joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department on August 6, 1998, as a member of the Department's call firefighter program. He was assigned to Fire Station 84 in Battalion 11, where he remained until November 2000, when he was accepted into the Department's Fire Academy as a member of the 104th Recruit Class. Upon graduation in February 2001, he became a Fire Fighter and was assigned to serve the public from Fire Station 24 in the City of Palmdale. In August 2001, he transferred to Fire Station 153 in the City of Covina. In March 2002, he returned to Fire Station 24 and served there until November 2003, when he transferred to Fire Station 82 in the City of La Canada Flintridge.
In December 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Fire Fighter Specialist, and joined the crew at Camp 16, which was his last assignment. Quinones is survived by his wife, Loressa, who is expecting their first child in the next several weeks, and his mother, Sonia Quinones.
Fire Captain Tedmund D. "Ted" Hall, 47, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, August 30, 2009, during the Station Fire, when his emergency response vehicle went over the side and fell 800 feet into a steep canyon during fire suppression activities protecting Camp 16 in the City of Palmdale. Hall joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department on April 22, 1981, as a student worker.
Like many young students seeking a career in the fire service, he supporting the Department's mission in this capacity before being accepted into the Department's Fire Academy in 1983, graduating with fellow classmates of the 64th Recruit Class on September 10, 1983. Upon graduation, he joined the crew at Fire Station 122 in serving the City of Lakewood. In March 1984, he transferred to Fire Station 28 in the City of Whittier and, in October 1985, joined the crew of Fire Station 43 in the City of La Puente. In December 1987, he joined the Department's Command and Control team of fire dispatchers until November 1988, when he was promoted to the rank of Fire Fighter Specialist. He served as an engineer for 12 years in a number of locations, including Fire Stations 149, 165, and 90, and also at Camp 2 in La Canada Flintridge and at Camp 11 in Acton. In January 2001, he was promoted to Fire Captain, and served at Fire Stations 73, 11, and 33.
His last assignment was Camp 16 in the Palmdale, where he was assigned in May 2001. Fire Captain Hall is survived by his wife, Katherine, sons Randall, 21, and Steven, 20, and parents, Roland Ray and Donna Marie Hall.
Firefighters everywhere were in mourning for these two partners, and eloquent blogs written by firefighters shared in the grief, while the International Association of Wildland Fire listed the firefighters who have fallen in recent years.
Here is what the official county bios about these two men say:
Fire Fighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, 34, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, August 30, 2009, during the Station Fire, when his emergency response vehicle went over the side and fell 800 feet into a steep canyon during fire suppression activities protecting the Camp 16 in the City of Palmdale.
Quinones joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department on August 6, 1998, as a member of the Department's call firefighter program. He was assigned to Fire Station 84 in Battalion 11, where he remained until November 2000, when he was accepted into the Department's Fire Academy as a member of the 104th Recruit Class. Upon graduation in February 2001, he became a Fire Fighter and was assigned to serve the public from Fire Station 24 in the City of Palmdale. In August 2001, he transferred to Fire Station 153 in the City of Covina. In March 2002, he returned to Fire Station 24 and served there until November 2003, when he transferred to Fire Station 82 in the City of La Canada Flintridge.
In December 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Fire Fighter Specialist, and joined the crew at Camp 16, which was his last assignment. Quinones is survived by his wife, Loressa, who is expecting their first child in the next several weeks, and his mother, Sonia Quinones.
Fire Captain Tedmund D. "Ted" Hall, 47, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, August 30, 2009, during the Station Fire, when his emergency response vehicle went over the side and fell 800 feet into a steep canyon during fire suppression activities protecting Camp 16 in the City of Palmdale. Hall joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department on April 22, 1981, as a student worker.
Like many young students seeking a career in the fire service, he supporting the Department's mission in this capacity before being accepted into the Department's Fire Academy in 1983, graduating with fellow classmates of the 64th Recruit Class on September 10, 1983. Upon graduation, he joined the crew at Fire Station 122 in serving the City of Lakewood. In March 1984, he transferred to Fire Station 28 in the City of Whittier and, in October 1985, joined the crew of Fire Station 43 in the City of La Puente. In December 1987, he joined the Department's Command and Control team of fire dispatchers until November 1988, when he was promoted to the rank of Fire Fighter Specialist. He served as an engineer for 12 years in a number of locations, including Fire Stations 149, 165, and 90, and also at Camp 2 in La Canada Flintridge and at Camp 11 in Acton. In January 2001, he was promoted to Fire Captain, and served at Fire Stations 73, 11, and 33.
His last assignment was Camp 16 in the Palmdale, where he was assigned in May 2001. Fire Captain Hall is survived by his wife, Katherine, sons Randall, 21, and Steven, 20, and parents, Roland Ray and Donna Marie Hall.
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