LAFD Chief Recognized for Participating In Four Major Out-of-State Events
LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday June 5, 2018, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) honored Battalion Chief Craig White, the only LAFD Member to participate in each of four major out-of-state events that occurred in 2017. He responded without hesitation and represented the Department in an exemplary manner by performing his duties with great professionalism and dignity during the following four events:
At the end of September 2017, he deployed to Hurricane Harvey in Houston Texas and served as a Facilities Unit Leader with the Blue FEMA US&R Incident Support Team (IST) providing Logistical support to all Federal Search and Rescue assets assigned to the mission.
Shortly thereafter, without returning home, Chief White was reassigned to Hurricane Irma in Florida working under the Red FEMA US&R IST filling the role of Logistics Section Chief providing support to all Local, State and Federal, Search and Rescue assets in the entire southern half of the State of Florida.
Almost immediately upon his return home, on October 1, Chief White went to Las Vegas as an Agency Representative to assist LAFD members and their families who were participants and victims of the Las Vegas Country Music Festival mass shooting. He worked with LAFD Chaplains, Relief Association, and Union Leadership to ensure that the needs of our members and their families were met. He visited several members in the hospital and many more via the phone, and kept the Department leadership back home, up-to-date.
Lastly, within only a few days of his return from Las Vegas, Chief White deployed as a member of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 1 to the massively destructive Northern California fires as the Teams Deputy Logistics Section Chief, providing Leadership and direction during these historical, large-scale wildland incidents.
In addition to his service at these major events, it must be noted that anytime he was out of the City, he stayed connected to his office, attending to any and all matters pertaining to his regularly assigned position. Chief White’s personal sacrifice and commitment to service at each of these events was in the highest tradition of the Los Angeles Fire Department and should be recognized as such.
