By Bill Corliss

The Department of Motor Vehicles in California is establishing new guidelines to monitor senior drivers’ ability to drive safely. One major change is a new vision check that will include tests of mature drivers’ peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to evaluate motion. It is used at six DMV offices in the state and should be implemented statewide by 2012.

As a result of increased monitoring of mature drivers, I have more contact with this age group, in my role as a driving instructor. In instruction sessions, it has become apparent that senior drivers struggle with visual checks when turning right on a red light. With the advent of the green arrow (a protected left turn), the visual checks drivers need to make to safely turn right on a red light are different than they were two decades ago. The previous teaching of looking left, right, and left again is not sufficient or safe.

In updating these visual checks, drivers must learn both WHERE to look and WHAT to look for, as they turn right on a red light. Simply stated, a safe turn may be made by checking left, center, and right (LCR). Each of these looks checks for a potential danger and each of these dangers could have a green light.

While checking left, a driver would look for a car coming straight from the left on a green light. This has not changed and has been taught and executed for years. My mature students routinely take this visual check.

However, very few look to the center, out the front windshield, to the car coming head on. These vehicles will be turning to their left on a green arrow. Drivers making a left on a green arrow are on a direct collision course with a right turn on a red! This conflict is new. This turning green emerged in our traffic system after mature drivers were trained. Previously, this left turn would yield to a right turn, but currently the arrow is green while the right turn has a red. Not making this visual check causes preventable crashes.

None of my mature drivers check to the right. What potential crash are they missing? The driver who is making a U-turn on a green arrow.

To summarize, always think LCR. When turning right on a red, remember to make three visual checks: Left, Center, and Right (LCR). On the left, look for a car coming straight at you; in the center, look for the car making a turn on a left green arrow; and finally, check to the right for a U-turn being made on a green arrow. Only one of these potential conflicts will be moving at any one time, the challenge is to locate the one that has the green light.

Recent Court Decision May Change the Rules for Good Samaritans

Q: I was listening to the radio recently and heard about a woman who is being sued after she pulled a friend out of a crashed car. Isn’t there a law that protects people from being sued in this kind of Good Samaritan situation? Why would anyone help their fellow man if he’s just going to sue them?

A. Not that we help friends or strangers in need because we’re looking for their undying gratitude or anything, but being sued for it seems beyond ungrateful. I thought the golden rule indicated that we’re supposed to help people who are in a bad spot.

It does, and to encourage Californians to help someone who is hurt, there is some legal protection from being sued for any damages caused while administering aid. It’s called the Good Samaritan law, it’s in California’s Health and Safety code and it reads, in part:

“No person who in good faith … renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission.”

So the intent is that if you help someone in an emergency and you, for example, break some of their ribs while performing CPR, this law shields you from having to pay the injured party for breaking those ribs. If I need CPR I’d rather have it with a few broken ribs than die with intact ribs, that’s for sure.

Seems like the state wants people to help their neighbors.

The case you heard about has been working its way through the California court system and the decisions that were made by the court have a big impact on the way that this Good Samaritan law is interpreted. And the case affects anyone who helps a friend or stranger in need.

First, the case at hand.

The basic details of the case are that friends were driving home from a night of drinking and revelry when one of their two cars crashed into a pole. The second car in the convoy stopped to help the crashed friends and Lisa Torti pulled her friend Alexandra Van Horn out of the car, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times by Carol J. Williams.

Torti says she thought the car was going to explode and that Van Horn had to be moved. Still, Torti only moved her out of the car, not outside of a blast radius.

Van Horn says that not only did the car not blow up, but that it was obvious that it wasn’t going to blow up and that Torti should have kept her hands to herself, the LA Times story states. Van Horn was injured in the crash, but Torti’s rescue allegedly worsened the injury and left Van Horn a paraplegic.

The California Supreme Court has found that Torti isn’t shielded by the Good Samaritan law. Now she may end up paying damages for compounding Van Horn’s injuries.

Emergency Care vs. Medical Care?
Tiffany Smith-Henson, a local personal injury attorney for eight years, told me that the law is not clear on whether the “emergency care” covered by the Good Samaritan law is limited strictly to medical care. The court’s decision points to only medical care being immune from damages, she said. Other “care” may not be exempt.

Torti didn’t give medical care to Van Horn. She “just pulled the friend out of the car,” said Smith-Henson, of the Law Offices of Tiffany Smith-Henson.

The Supreme Court’s decision has caused a lot of controversy because the decision was split so closely, Smith-Henson said. Even the majority wasn’t uniform in its interpretation of the law. Supreme Court Justice Marvin Baxter, who sided with the majority opinion, said that he doesn’t agree that the law only applies to medical care, but he’s on the majority anyway. His thinking seems to be that the Good Samaritan law covers both emergency care and medical care, but that Torti’s actions still aren’t immune from liability.

Even though Justice Baxter isn’t looking to change the way the law is interpreted, the result of the decision could be to restrict the ways you can—without fear of being held liable—help a stranger in dire straits, Smith-Henson said.

So, why would you help someone who’s going to sue you later? After all, you don’t have to help them in the first place. “California common law doesn’t obligate a lay person to help a someone,” Smith-Henson pointed out. You can’t be held liable for not helping in an emergency.

Senator John J. Benoit (R-Bermuda Dunes) is proposing a change to the Good Samaritan law that should give people more incentive to help out, Smith-Henson said.

Benoit’s Good Samaritan Protection Act would apply to people who provide all kinds of emergency care—not just medical care—and make it clear that emergency assistance is shielded from liability under this law.

This means that if you see someone drowning and hurt them when you pull them out of the water, you’re not going to have to pay damages for those injuries. Seems like a good way to encourage people to care about others and help when they can, instead of looking at strangers—and even friends—as potential challengers in court.

To Help or Not to Help
So should you help someone who’s injured? That depends on you. Calling 9-1-1, when it’s warranted, seems pretty low-risk for most people. Performing the Heimlich maneuver or CPR, if you know how, is neighborly.

You’re not required to do any of these things, but if you do, be smart about it. Smith-Henson pointed out that one basic rule of negligence is that you must act as a reasonable person would. So I read that as: if a reasonable person wouldn’t do it, you shouldn’t either.

An example I can think of is that a reasonable person probably wouldn’t move someone who was just in a serious car crash out of the way of an impending explosion, and then leave the victim right next to the car that’s about to explode.

There’s some medical aid that I don’t know how to perform, so I wouldn’t because I’d do more harm than good. But if I did know how to do it, I’d sure try to help. Being a Good Samaritan is good karma, after all.

What’s the 411?
The 411 answers readers’ questions about emergency responders and all those who give aid when disaster and misfortune strikes. So if you’ve got a puzzler that could rescue others from confusion, be a Good Samaritan, send your question to me at info@valleyresponsemagazine.com. I’ll talk to the experts and share the 411 with your fellow man.

During the production of this issue, we became aware that Tulare County had lost two very honorable public safety heroes within the span of the last month. It is with both sadness and sincerity that we offer our thoughts and prayers to the families and departments of those who lost these two great men. In honor of their tremendous contributions to our community, we have dedicated a special section in this issue to remember these heroes with stories shared by loved ones and information about how to make donations to funds established in their honor.

Also in this issue, we profile two of the local K9 units, providing readers with the history of the K9 officer, the costs associated with raising and training a K9, as well as a true “tail” of rescue that bonded one officer and his canine counterpart for life. As a dog lover, this feature is one that I’ve been looking forward to for some time now. In light of the upcoming Sierra K9 trials I hope this article promotes an interest within the community to attend and support our furry friends and their handlers at the annual competition in March.

Additionally, it is a pleasure to introduce longtime health care provider, Dave Sanbongi to our readers in The Sketch. Dave has been devoted to the health care system within the Central Valley for close to thirty years, and his commitment to local agencies such as SkyLife and Kaweah Delta Hospital certainly makes for a long career full of exciting and impacting experiences.

As long as my family has been involved with the EMS community, it was not until we attended a Three Rivers Heroes Appreciation event in January, that we truly understood the extent of the role volunteers play in keeping our community safe. I hope you will enjoy our Three Alarm feature about some of the heroic individuals in the Valley who generously give their time and put their safety on the line to ensure ours is in good hands.

Whether they’re on four feet or two, volunteer or paid, the people who come to help when someone’s life is turned upside down or when one’s life is on the line, these folks tie our community together in countless ways. These are the folks our magazine is dedicated to. Our sorrow when they’re taken and the pride that endures reminds us of our gratitude to them. Their stories are our small way of repaying that debt.

By Amber L. Ferreira

Flashing lights, blaring sirens, pounding hearts, chaos, and ruins; a second chance, hope restored, and peace of mind. These images and more are used to describe the extra-help firefighters at the Tulare County Fire Department and what they deal with on a daily basis. For many extra-help firefighters, getting started was easy and natural. It was a way of carrying on a family tradition and making their forefathers proud. Others seek a sense of fulfillment from helping their fellow man. But for all, at the end of the day, it is a way of life and a way of giving back to the people that make up the community in which they live and thrive.

While other fire departments use reserve staff to augment their emergency response in large fires or events, the Tulare County extra-help firefighters are part of the first-line response to any incident regardless of size. They are the firefighters and engineers for the department; the full-time staff are the lieutenants and captains. Therefore, Tulare County’s is truly a combination department; the extra-help staff are integral to the department’s response capabilities. While firefighters and engineers “volunteer” their time, they are compensated as part-time county employees, and the department could not effectively carry out its mission without them.

“Inasmuch that we are a ‘combination’ fire department, we are very much dependent on our community-based fire company firefighter and engineer members,” stated Fire Chief Steve Sunderland. “With our current full-time staffing, absent our community-based fire company’s tremendous everyday support, we would be hard pressed to field an effective suppression and/or rescue effort at any incident.”

The Tulare County Fire Department provides rapid responses to an area that covers over 4,800 square miles, with twenty-eight stations providing life-saving services around the clock. This is a fairly new department, created on July 1, 2007, after the Tulare Board of Supervisors terminated its fire protection contract with Cal-Fire. With such a short amount of time to grow, this department has made leaps and bounds. This team of dedicated individuals is almost 400 people strong and growing.

Each and every extra-help firefighter makes the department what it is.The spirit of these firefighters is: situations change, fire seasons come and go, but the people remain the driving force that makes this department stand out. They all offer something unique, and without hesitation give their time, their sweat, their energy—some even give their lives—to help keep others safe.

Along with the desire to help, the Tulare County firefighters all enjoy the thrills that come with the job. “When I turned eighteen I needed something to do so I became a (paid call firefighter) and was hooked after my first fire. There is always something new to experience and the more motivated you are, the more you will get out of it. This job can be one of the most exciting jobs you can get,” says Lieutenant Matt Drum from TCFD Station 16, “Also it’s problem solving and who doesn’t like to see the end result when it’s all over. Plus it makes for some good stories later on in life.”

“My career highlight is definitely going up the ladder truck to fight a church fire in Cutler,” says Firefighter Kyrie Hubbard of TCFD Station 11. “I had never fought fire from the truck before! It was my first time. The church was fully involved when I was up on the stick. I could look right into the fire from my position. I had control of where the water was going based on the fire. It was a unique and powerful experience.”

On any given day at the Tulare County Fire stations, you can find extra-help firefighters on call, waiting for the chance to get out in the field and put in their best efforts. Other firefighters respond strictly from their homes or offices. And while the evident sense of family and camaraderie within the department may not be driving recruits to sign up initially, it is the glue that holds the team together.

Engineer James Israel from Station 15 has fond memories of competing against other counties and departments in the State Fire Muster Competitions. “The teams travel all over the state of California and compete in these games against about twenty other teams from within California. The events consist of Hose Cart, Bucket Brigade, Motorized Cart, and a few others. Then at the end of the year they have state championship games where someone is crowned the best in each category,” he explains, adding with pride, “We at TCFD hold the state championship for Motorized Hose Wagon for the men and third place for Vintage Hose Carts and Women’s Hose Carts for the women.”

It’s not all fun and games, however. The stress is real and the job itself is treacherous. Extra-help volunteers go up against not only fires, dealing with fully involved homes, car fires, and grass fires; they deal with heartbreaking medical aid situations, some of which continue to haunt them well into their careers. “At my very first structure fire a small child died inside the house,” says Hubbard, who is quick to note that there is always an upside to difficult responses, sharing “My kids are proud of me for being a firefighter. They think it is exciting to put out fire or participate in a medical aid.”

In addition to inspiring others, the firefighters and engineers at Tulare County Fire work to inspire each other through selfless deeds within the department. In small ways like helping pick up around the station or washing engines; or big efforts like organizing car pools and blood drives, they always make sure their teammates are taken care of when they need it. Everybody works hard to spread the values that make emergency response an admirable field: respect, honor, dignity, learning, and continued individual growth. It all contributes to becoming the best they can be at their job and as a department.

Tulare County Fire Department offers its firefighters a chance to gain new skills and hands-on experience through an internship program, offered in conjunction with College of the Sequoias each semester. Interns are assigned to stations throughout the county and learn from the staff captains and lieutenants. They respond to calls, go through training exercises, and have one-on-one time to ask questions of the experts, the career firefighters, and company officers. They undergo periodic evaluations to assess areas for improvement and to measure their successes. At the end of each semester, the students receive class credit toward their degrees, typically an A.S. in Fire Science or a Fire Technology degree.

Hard work and dedication drive the members of the Tulare County Fire Department to excel, but in the end, it is the human factor—the heart and soul that goes into each call—that makes these firefighters heroes. No deed is too small in the eyes of someone who benefits from their emergency response. Every act is one of courage and capability and the lives they touch are forever changed for the better.


*Dedicated to the men and women who took their last breath while serving others on the fire line, and to those that continue to live as though today could be their last, selflessly giving to others.

By Aaron Collins

High-speed, head-on collision. Three survivors at the scene, two unconscious, ambulances en route to the hospital. Thus may begin a day’s work for Visalian Dave Sanbongi, RN. As Prehospital Coordinator for Kaweah Delta Medical Center Emergency Department, he focuses on the interface with EMTs and paramedics. Whether the immediate impending crisis is a still-conscious man in his late-50s complaining of chest pains, or a multi-auto collision on a freeway shrouded by Tule fog — broken this, lacerated that, you name it — Sanbongi is there to coax order from chaos.

But Sanbongi says emergency medical care differs significantly from how the public may see his field. Things can be far less dramatic, though no less poignant, but with far fewer life-threatening situations than one might expect. Perhaps that is because a typical person’s vision of an emergency medicine career is filtered through popular TV shows like ER, or exciting movie dramatizations.

“Many times (TV shows) make things look more dramatic than they really are,” says Sanbongi, whose name is Japanese in origin. “Don’t get me wrong — because we see our share of excitement. But some of the things that you see on TV are just over the top.” Hollywood would never be able to sell these shows without all the manufactured drama, he admits. In reality, emergency care providers are far more concerned with keeping the drama to a minimum.

That vision of drama — in 1970s shows like Emergency — drew Sanbongi himself to first responder work. In the ‘80s he worked as an EMT-II in Visalia for American Ambulance. “I wanted to be a paramedic,” he said. But he also “wanted to stay in Tulare County.” The county, at that time didn’t hire paramedics, who have a wider scope of medical skills. “So I decided to go to nursing school. I’m glad I didn’t wait, as it was almost 20 years later that Tulare County finally upgraded to paramedics,” Sanbongi recalls.

So what’s his life in the ER really like?

During his two decades in the field, he has seen it all and knows the drill, the lingo, the ethos. For starters, scratch ER and call it the ED, for Emergency Department. Full-fledged EDs long ago became complex and advanced operations that can’t be encompassed by the word “room.”

Words of Warning
The cardinal rule in the ED is “Never say the ‘Q’ or ‘S’ words.” Those letters are for “quiet” or “slow,” Sanbongi explains, words that seem to conjure an onslaught of patients, and suddenly things are not all that different from on-screen ERs. “The bus just unloaded” is a familiar turn of phrase for those situations, he says.

One common myth is that an emergency visit means that an interminable wait is in store. Believe it or not, there occasionally are times of quiet (… er, the “Q” word). One conception that is true, he says, is that the ED sees far too many cases that are not emergencies at all. Sanbongi says these cases are the result of a healthcare system so burdened by those without any alternative to the ED that California’s emergency department physicians have recently filed a lawsuit against the state of California in response to the degenerating healthcare funding crisis.

Sanbongi’s role as Prehospital Coordinator means that he works with the EMS agency and EMS personnel to help improve care of patients prior to their arrival at the hospital. He may answer a radio call from paramedics, but just as likely he is involved in the training and regulation compliance issues he must track. He fields questions from EMS personnel and fellow Mobile Intensive Care Nurses (MICNs), the EMS agency-certified emergency department RNs who have specialized training in EMS policies, procedures, and treatment protocols; EMS communications; disaster management; and disaster triage. MICNs go through a 40-hour training program and complete an internship alongside a certified MICN. MICNs have mandatory training and educational requirements in order to maintain their certification, and they must be recertified every two years.

He also still steps into his hands-on role as an ED nurse. So anything can happen on his typical day — if there is any such thing as a typical day. The tempo of his work life is tied to the vagaries of regular people going about their daily lives, only to discover that everything has changed in an instant, and suddenly they find themselves en route to the ED. Sanbongi himself had a visit a few years ago, courtesy of his appendix, but his first trip came at just one year old, when he and his mother were in a car accident that nearly took her life. He got away with a broken leg, a tough start in life for a baby.

‘Fun Job’ in the Sky
As if all the variety in his ED job isn’t enough to keep things interesting, Sanbongi’s other job—his “fun job,” as he puts it—is being a flight nurse with Fresno-based SkyLife, work that makes him especially qualified to decide what’s drama and what’s not, attending to patients in the skies as they’re transported from accident scenes to EDs around the Valley, or shuttling patients via helicopter between hospitals when patients with life-threatening conditions determine they must be sent to facilities elsewhere for their specialized treatment.

Sanbongi says the flight crew consists of an EMS pilot, a flight nurse, and a flight paramedic. When they are not flying or doing clinical rounds, they stay together in the crew quarters, “so you get to know your partners well. It’s like a second family,” says the Fresno native who has a wife and two kids. “I trust the pilots I work with … I know my life is in their hands.”

One reward common to his ED and flight nurse jobs: The ability to act immediately to save lives, Sanbongi says. “I love the autonomy. In the ED, the nurses have an extensive list of treatments and diagnostic (tests) that they can initiate prior to the physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant seeing a patient,” although ultimately, staff still works under their direction, he notes. In his job as flight nurse, too, he has that expanded scope of practice, authorized to perform several procedures that most hospital-based nurses are not.

“In most circumstances, we do not have the luxury of having rapid access to a physician to help guide patient care, so you have to be comfortable with your skills,” says Sanbongi. But that independence can also leave emergency personnel wishing occasionally that a doctor were at hand, especially in trying circumstances. This is “extremely rare,” he says, but when it happens, you have to remember that “you and your partner are the best that is available for the patient at that particular time,” he says.

Mission: Safety
With the rush of rising to a medical emergency and flying around the Valley in a helicopter, it’s not hard to see why Sanbongi refers to himself as an “adrenaline junkie.” But safety is in the forefront of the crew’s minds on every flight.

Sanbongi says that many of the recent air ambulance accidents in the news have been preventable. “Where I work, any member of the flight crew can cancel a response if they are uncomfortable with any aspect of the mission. All three crew members have to be in agreement for us to go. For example, if we are going to land at the scene of an accident and I’m uncomfortable with the landing zone the pilot has selected, I can tell the pilot I am uncomfortable with that site and we will look for an alternative landing zone.”

It’s nice to have veto power, he says, but in ten years he has never been in a situation where he was in disagreement with the pilot during a response. “In the end we all want to go home at the end of the shift,” he says, noting that during his career, the harrowing moments have all been on the ground, the tragedies of others. “When I was a fairly new flight nurse, one call that I will never forget was an accident where there were thirteen fatalities on the scene. We flew out the two lone survivors from that accident,” Sanbongi recalls, still evidently deeply affected by that day.

Fortunately the burden of such emotional memories are overshadowed by the rewards — “The people I get to work with” are among them, he says. “We have an awesome team in the ED. It’s the only department I’ve worked in since being hired at Kaweah Delta in 1990. I truly enjoy my job and will probably retire from there. But I always tell people if I win the Lotto, I’m going to quit, get an RV and travel all over the country.” If anyone understands the value of living in the here and now, not holding out for some eventual reward, it’s an emergency care provider like Sanbongi.

“Several years ago I took care of an elderly lady who injured her hip. She told me that her husband just died the day before. I told her I was sorry and she told me ‘Don’t feel sorry for me. Me and my husband had a good life together. We did a lot of things and did a lot of traveling while we were young and still had our health. I have a lot of good memories. You should do things now with your family while you still have your health.’ Her words have definitely had an effect on my outlook on life,” he reflected.

The beneficial influence Sanbongi has over others’ life-or-death health matters, suggests he’ll have no regrets, when all is said and done, having made a major difference in the lives of so many.

By Robert Robinson

On the stage of the Crest Theater in Sacramento, with a huge American flag behind him, Captain Wesley D. Grim of Exeter bowed his head as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger slipped the Governor’s Medal of Valor over Grim’s head.

Capt. Grim was one of forty-two state employees on December 9, 2008, to receive the Medal of Valor — the highest honor California gives to its public servants. A twenty-six-year Cal-Fire veteran, Capt. Grim earned the honor through his extraordinarily brave efforts to save a local infant trapped in a burning home on May 31, 2007.

On that May morning, Exeter Fire crews fought a blaze in a single-family home at 301 South Orange Ave. in the small town of Exeter. When Exeter Police arrived, twenty-year-old Esbeyde Calvillo told them that though she and her oldest son, two-year-old Alonzo Gomez Jr., were fine, her eleven-month-old son, Jonathan Gomez, was still inside the burning home. A local schoolteacher had tried to get into the home but the smoke and heat drove the teacher back from the home.

Exeter Police Officers Scott Jones and David Diaz attempted to enter the blazing home several times to save the child, but they too were no match for the extreme heat and smoke. Exhausted from their battle to save the little boy, both officers were treated for smoke inhalation and Officer Jones had to be rushed to Kaweah Delta Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Exeter Fire Capt. Grim and Firefighter Rob Hubbard were preparing the fire hose for their attack on the fire when Exeter Police Chief Cliff Bush ran past them shouting that there was still a boy trapped inside. Immediately Capt. Grim dropped the line, running for the house without regard for his own safety or even his life.

Diving into Smoke and Flames
He shattered the window and dove into the smoke-and flame-filled room. As he crawled through the room searching for the child, flames and thick black smoke consumed the room foot by foot making it impossible to see anything. When Capt. Grim found the young child, he scooped him up and headed back for the window he had entered through. Capt. Grim handed the lifeless child out of the window where Officer Diaz was waiting. “All I could see was this pair of arms extending out of the smoke holding this child’s small body,” said Officer Diaz. With his helmet and gear singed and smoldering from the intense heat, Capt. Grim quickly exited through the window as the flames engulfed the room.

The heroic efforts put forth on this day, ultimately, were not enough to save the young boy’s life. Jonathan Gomez, just one day shy of his first birthday, had already lost his battle to the smoke and heat. The rescuers could not revive him. This was a tragic event in the small community. Exeter Police officers, city workers, teachers, and firefighters did everything humanly possible to save this boy. Altogether, stations from Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, and Ivanhoe responded to this blaze with a total of nineteen firefighters working from 9 a.m. until late afternoon to completely extinguish the flames. It has taken considerably longer for some involved to heal, both physically and mentally.

The Medal of Valor is awarded to state employees who have demonstrated great bravery, going above and beyond the call of duty to save a life, unselfishly putting their lives and safety in danger to save others. Capt. Grim’s colleagues and superior officers felt he had done just such a thing that May day in Exeter, and nominated him for the award. Though the child’s life could not be saved, the effort Capt. Grim made to save him demonstrated the true resolve our first responders show on a daily basis. “It’s an honor that my colleagues and bosses feel I deserve this for going above and beyond, but it’s what I was trained to do,” said Capt. Grim humbly. “We all go above and beyond every day in the fire services.”

During the award ceremony Gov. Schwarzenegger presented each recipient with a medal. Family and colleagues cheered as the medals were placed around the necks of the honored men and women. As the recipients returned to their seats, pride swelled inside the Crest Theater, just a block from the state capitol building. Several of Capt. Grim’s family members and colleagues traveled to the capital to support him. As the ceremony ended, Gov. Schwarzenegger invited award recipients and their guests to the state Christmas tree lighting ceremony where an ornament with each of their names would be placed on the tree that had been named “The Tree of Heroes.”

Capt. Grim is now at the Cal-Fire station in Woodlake. He is still a huge part of the Exeter fire community, where he volunteers part time for Tulare County Fire as an engineer and helps train the local fire explorer group.

By Captain Cody Bogan

Daniel Vernon Campbell
1970-2009

On January 14, 2009, Cal-Fire lost a firefighter with a heart of gold. Dan Campbell passed away at Kaweah Delta District Hospital, leaving behind a beloved fiancé, family, and friends.

It is an honor to share my thoughts, stories, and memories of Engineer Dan Campbell with you.

Dan wasn’t just another fireman, he was a great friend and my drinking buddy. Dan was a “fireman’s fireman.” When it came to doing the job he was the best. From pulling ceiling on a working attic fire to firing out a mile of line, he was the go-to guy. When Dan had your Six—“your back”—you knew you were in good hands. Dan had a wealth of knowledge that benefited many of our valley firefighters. From instructing our finest on rescuing a fireman down, in R.I.C. (Rapid Intervention Crew), to teaching “boots” basic firemanship, Dan did it all.

I met Dan at the Firefighter I Academy in Porterville during the winter of 1999. My first impression of Dan was “Wow. This guy is good.” Dan was confident, professional, and most of all, knowledgeable. One time we were working on SCBAs, the self-contained breathing apparatus a fireman wears on his back in a smoky structure. The instructor referred to the air bottle and Dan couldn’t resist. He made it known that firemen get water out of tanks, beer out of bottles, and air out of cylinders. To this day I find myself correcting people on that issue. Dan was a perfectionist—pressed uniforms and polished boots. He was always standing tall.

I’d like to share a couple of stories with you.

In 2001 we both worked as seasonal firefighters for CDF in the summer and as paid call firefighters for Tulare County Fire in the winter. We had been teaching classes that winter for the Tulare/Kings Training officers. Rob Stone, Justin Tashiro, Dan, and I were on lunch break from teaching a R.I.C. class in Porterville. We were in an engine en route to get lunch when dispatchers broke the news that there was a structure fire just down the street. We arrived on scene to find a working room-and-contents fire in the back bedroom of a residential structure. By the time Rob had given his report on conditions, Dan was at the front door waiting to make entry. When I got there he looked at me and asked, “Where’s your tool?” I forgot my ax. I hurried to the engine, grabbed my tool and we went to work. Within thirty minutes we had knocked down the fire and were back teaching class. Later that day, Dan just had to tell the class that I had forgotten my ax.

Dan, I will never forget my tool again!

In winter of 2003 we found ourselves teaching yet another class for one of the local firefighter academies. Dan was dedicated to everything he did, from picking up the portable potties to spending late nights in the garage, constructing building collapse props. It was burn day—the day students got to go into a burning building. We had the rooms prepped and the first group of students was ready. John Crivelo came across the radio, “Fire in the hole!” Class was underway. Everything was going as planned until we got word from the exterior of the structure that the fire was burning in the attic—a dangerous place for it to be and not part of the lesson. We pulled the students out of the building and we went to work. We were pulling down the sheet rock from the ceiling and chasing fire, but the fire was well established in the attic. Every time we thought we were getting ahead of the fire it would back us up. Then the Incident Commander came across the radio and wanted the building evacuated. Dan heard it, but decided to ignore it. We continued to chase that fire. Dan hollered at me, “Pull that ceiling and we can catch it!” Shortly after the IC came across the radio again and demanded that we back out of the structure. Dan looked at me and said, “We almost have it!” Well, we ended up catching that fire. When we came out of the building we were on top of the world … so we thought. Shortly after stepping outside the IC found us and quickly advised us that we would never disobey a direct order again. Dan looked at me and said, “Well sometimes it’s better to beg for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission.”

Dan, you were a fireman.

In closing I want to say, Dan was the man, but even more importantly, he was a devoted family man and a dear friend that will be greatly missed by all.

Hey buddy I’ve got three on the counter. … Until we meet again.

By Jill K. Applegate

Spring is springing up everywhere! The weather’s warming up, the Easter Bunny’s at his busiest, and it’s a time when traditions of all kinds bring families to the dinner table. As the valley thaws, don’t overlook these little-known laws that may come into play this time of year.

Fuzzy Bunnies
An Easter bunny of your very own—better yet a pink bunny—may sound like a cute idea, but under California law (Penal Code 599), it’s a misdemeanor to give away live chicks, rabbits, or ducks as an incentive to enter a contest or a business. It’s not illegal to dye eggs, but after the chicks are born, dying them or their bunny and duckling friends is not allowed.

Not Kosher
Purim is in March and Passover is in April, so happy feasting! But keep in mind that selling non-kosher meat or other food as kosher violates California Penal Code 383b—as well as the religious laws and the laws of good taste.

Puppy Love
Spring is well known as a time of rebirth. Well, it’s a time of birth too. Soon the streets and websites will be filled with notices of puppies to take home and love. They’re cute when they’re little, but when they’re too little, they need their moms to give them a healthy start. To keep them in the nursery longer, California’s Penal Code section 597z (a)(1) makes it an infraction or a misdemeanor to sell a dog that is not yet eight weeks old. It could cost you up to $250 per violation.

For our cover story this issue we went behind the scenes of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and Visalia Police Department’s K9 units to find out how man’s best friends fit into the world of public safety and why they’re such an asset to their department and the handlers they work (and live) with every day. Although our “models” were technically on duty during the story’s various photo shoots, it was apparent that a day in the life of a K9 officer isn’t all work and no play. Though attentive and alert at their handler’s side while working, each break in the action is cause for a quick “atta boy” exchange between partners: pat down by the handler and several slobbery kisses from the pooch.

For the cover, we headed out to Mooney Grove early on a Saturday morning in January for a TCSD K9 training event, where units demonstrated a variety of exercises that keep both K9 and handler in sync with one another. Throughout the day, the teams went through a series of obedience training exercises and performed several search drills as part of a routine that keeps both dog and handler in peak condition.

For another shoot, we battled the 7 a.m. fog at a drill with the VPD K9 unit. Dogs and handlers performed similar training exercises, but due to thick fog, we were unable to capture much of it on camera. As a result, we reconvened a few nights later in an alley downtown, where photographer David Swann was able to get a spectacular shot of the unit in action. David’s wife Sue added a new dimension to the shot, as you will see in this issue’s centerfold on page 24.

Talent: On the Cover: Officer Anthony Rodriguez and Rexx; Centerfold: Visalia Police Department K9 Unit (left to right) Agent Mark Lyon and Alex; Officer Clay Moffett and Bosco; Officer Jason Feierbach and Timber; Officer Ryan Lasalde and Mack; Officer Gerrit DeJong and Samson.

Spring is in the Air

By Paul Main

We have entered March, and we are likely out of the woods with our “Gray Winter” Tule fog and the coldest of temperatures. The days are getting longer, seasons are changing, and spring is in the air. With later sunsets, we have more opportunities to be active and even to make a great meal for family, friends, and coworkers.

In all seasons, consumers can typically find many fruits and vegetables, with produce shipped to us from all over the world. Even so, let’s not forget where we live: We are in one of the largest, if not the largest, agriculturally based food-growing regions on the planet, and I look forward to the different varieties of products that are available at our local fruit stands, farmer’s markets, and even our grocery stores in springtime.

Out of respect for our Valley’s bread basket, let’s kick spring off with some lighter, but flavorful, dishes. For starters, I would like to suggest some salad-making ideas that pack a bounty of nutrients, as well as taste. We will then grill marinated lamb skewers and pair them with a lemon and rosemary couscous.

Salads

Salads have endless variety. There are many combinations for making a great spring salad, so experiment with some of the ideas below and enjoy your own creation.

Fresh Idea 1: Use assorted salad greens—baby greens, spring mix, arugula, watercress, endive, or other fresh crunchy leaves
Fresh Idea 2: Use some fruits and vegetables—radishes, artichokes, avocado, strawberries, dried cranberries, apricots, fennel, carrots, green peas, green onion, sugar snap peas, asparagus, and beets, to name a few. Don’t be afraid to use apples, oranges, or other produce that you enjoy.
Fresh Idea 3: Use some nuts—almonds, walnuts, or pecans
Fresh Idea 4: Use some cheese—blue cheese, feta, goat cheese, or your favorite type
Fresh Idea 5: Add some dressing—Balsamic or citrus vinaigrette, fresh lemon juice, and poppy seed dressing are all light and a bright complement to your fresh creation. Try to avoid creamy dressings, unless you just can’t do without.

Marinated Lamb Skewers

Ingredients:
1 ½-2 pounds of boneless lamb, cut in 1-2 inch cubes
1 cup red wine (any red wine will work)
½ cup olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced (it is better to use fresh than jarred)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
2-3 teaspoons chopped mint (use more if you want, I don’t like to overpower the meat)
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt

10 wooden skewers (more if you make some veggie kebabs)

Method:
Cut the lamb into cubes and place in a bowl, shallow pan, or baking dish. Combine all other ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until salt is dissolved. Pour the marinade over the meat and mix well (you might want to use your hands for this part). Marinate the meat at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. When ready, start your grill and warm to a medium heat. Put the meat on the skewers and grill 6-8 minutes or to your desired doneness. Rotate skewers occasionally to allow all sides of the meat to cook.

Serving suggestion: While you have the skewers out, consider grilling some vegetable kebabs to serve along side the lamb and couscous. Cut up some onion, squash, and asparagus and toss quickly in your own marinade or use some Italian dressing. Skewer the vegetables and grill 3-4 minutes, rotating to ensure even grilling.

Note: This recipe works just as well with beef or chicken. If possible, use fresh herbs (basil, thyme, mint, etc.). If these are not available, use dried herbs.

Lemon and Rosemary Couscous

Couscous is round, tiny pasta. It is available at most stores in the bulk section or with the boxed rice and grains. It comes in many varieties and flavors. If you have never made couscous, I encourage you to try this recipe.

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (preferably low sodium)
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (the bottled stuff isn’t the same for this)
zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary (if using dried rosemary, make sure it is finely chopped)
¼ teaspoon of salt to taste (most canned broths contain salt; you may not need much)
black pepper to taste
2 cups plain couscous
additional lemon sections for an extra splash of juice

Method:
In a sauce pot, bring the broth, lemon juice, and zest to a boil with the rosemary, salt, and pepper. In a medium bowl, measure in the couscous and add the boiling broth mixture over the couscous. Cover and allow the mixture to sit for 10-12 minutes, until the broth is absorbed.

With a fork, fluff the couscous and serve.

Cooking Safety Tip:

Since we talked about salads, we should discuss cleaning lettuce, as well as other fruits and vegetables. Lettuce and spinach grow low to the ground, so this increases their exposure to ground-based fertilizers and contaminants. Remember to clean produce with grooves and texture carefully as they are harder to clean.

Be sure to thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables under running water before eating them. Do not use soap, detergents, or bleach solutions. If necessary, you can use a small vegetable brush to remove dirt trapped on the surface. Also, remove bruised or damaged areas of the produce, as bacteria can flourish in these places.

To learn more about food safety, go to HYPERLINK “http://www.foodsafety.gov” www.foodsafety.gov. Keep safe and keep cooking! More recipes are now available at HYPERLINK “http://www.valleyresponsemagazine.com” www.valleyresponsemagazine.com.