Thanks, Civilians
A robust and full crowd celebrated the career achievements of nine LAFD civilians at a fun luncheon held July 30 at the Stadium Club at Dodger Stadium.
The Club proudly co-sponsored the luncheon. Several Club Members were honored during the event.
Presenting the awards were Chief Kristin Crowley and Chief Deputy Orin L. Saunders, Administrative Operations.
The invocation was delivered by Retired Engineer and current Fire Chaplain George Negrete.
The LAFD’s Civilian Employee Recognition Committee (CERC) was established in 1991 to facilitate the recognition of outstanding civilian employee performance on a quarterly basis. In 1997, the ceremony changed to annually.
Nominations for recognition are solicited at the end of each calendar year.
The Club congratulates all the honorees and thanks them for their exemplary service to Los Angeles. Well done!
The Club thanks Diana Assadourian, Budget and Data Analyst, for producing the excellent event and assisting the Club in producing this article. The Recognition Committee included Jennifer Corona and Patricia Arias, Co-Chairs; and Diana Assadourian, Bruce Gallion, Dishan Chaudhuri, Mario Salazar, Veronica Arcega, Ingrid Orellana, Silvia Pena, Elsa Rodarte, Jared Lawyer, and Ret. Capt. Robert Cordobes.
THOSE HONORED
Professional/Specialized Skills:
Carr Oduro
Fire Chief’s Group Award of Excellence:
Carol Ruacho, Club Member; Anna Areyan, Club Member; and Kendrex Lundry, Purchasing
Employees of the Year:
Carol Ruacho, Clerical, Club Member; Nicole Castro, Professional/Specialized Skills, Club Member; and Oscar Jimenez, Shop Maintenance.
Certificate of Special Recognition:
Yvonne Reyes, Professional/Specialized Skills, Club Member; and Gregory Brown,
Shop Maintenance.
Longevity Award:
Carlos Moreno, Shop Maintenance.
Below are excerpts from the remarks for the candidates:
Employee of the Year/Shop Maintenance
Presented by Chief Kristin Crowley
Oscar Jimenez
“Oscar Jimenez began his journey with the Fire Dept. in 2016 as an Equipment Mechanic at the Avenue 19 location. He is currently the lead Mechanic for the P2 Shop. His duties include overseeing the maintenance and repair of transportation equipment, assigning tasks to subordinates to complete day-to-day operations, ordering necessary parts and equipment to ensure the shop is stocked with the essentials, ensuring the service he provides meets a high level of quality and satisfaction, open repair orders and maintain accurate records on work performed, ensure compliance with regulation, maintain shop compliance safety regulations, and continuously pursue improvement in efficiency and quality work with his utmost skill and professionalism.
“On June 28, 2023, Oscar played a vital role during a fellow member’s medical emergency. While sitting in the meeting area, a co-worker came up to him, gasping for air. After performing the Heimlich Maneuver several times to no avail, Oscar took the coworker to the nearest Fire Station. Oscar’s quick action and notification of first responders enabled them to provide immediate care to the coworker, resulting in a life-saving action.
“Oscar has gone above and beyond on more than one occasion.
“His word of advice: ‘Kindness goes a long way, and remember to keep a positive attitude, even in challenging times.”
Employee of the Year/Professional/Specialized Skills
Presented by Chief Kristin Crowley
Nicole Castro, Club Member
“Nicole began her journey with the Los Angeles Fire Dept. as a Management Assistant in 2019. She was assigned to the Grants Section, where she assisted in applying for, managing and auditing grants, and worked on and submitted grant reimbursement requests.
“In 2023, she was promoted to Management Analyst in Grants. She attends the Board of Fire Commissioners, Public Safety and City Council meetings, works with Subject Matter Experts, and various LAFD Sections/Units and other City Depts., to complete projects and seek reimbursement. This past year, Nicole has worked on grant-funded projects for the department, including a new Command Post vehicle, a Hazmat Apparatus, a backup power generator for FS 46, and the High Frequency Radio Communications Project. She’s currently working on purchasing the Lucas Chest Compression devices, shipboard firefighting props, and USAR Swiftwater support vehicles.
“Her words of wisdom are: ‘Choose to be kind and remember that your most important work is always ahead of you and never behind you.’”
Fire Chief’s Group Award of Excellence/Purchasing Section
Presented by Chief Kristin Crowley
Anna Areyan, Club Member; Kendrex Lundy; and Carol Ruacho, Club Member
“These members are constantly going above and beyond. SRS orders used to take extremely long to receive. Currently, orders are processed in a timely fashion, and the members assist in expediting last-minute urgent orders to ensure they are received for important events and training. The members are very instrumental in guiding employees through the purchasing process. Their attention to detail in catching mistakes has improved efficiency and turnaround time.”
Fire Chief’s Award of Excellence
Presented by Chief Kristin Crowley
Carr Oduro
“Carr started with the LAFD in 2016 as a Sr. Systems Analyst I. Her responsibilities include Applications Project management for NFIRS, FIMS and Build LA, to name a few. She has also worked on the Complaint Tracking System Replacement. In her LAFD tenure she has also been Acting Sr. Systems Analyst II for two years.
“She has taken initiative with various contract amendments and ensures the programs being managed are assigned appropriately. When LAFD transferred from Sansio to ImageTrend, Carr’s professionalism assisted the LAFD in having a smooth transition without any gaps in the data, and she completed the project successfully. Her attention to detail ensured that the department received everything outlined in the contract agreement, while keeping both the vendor and the department on good terms.
“Her words of wisdom: ‘The storm isn’t affecting too badly, thank God.’”
Employee of the Year/Clerical
Presented by Chief Kristin Crowley
Carol Ruacho, Club Member
“Carol began her career with the LAFD as an Administrative Clerk in May 2019. She is assigned to the Supply and Maintenance Division.
“Carol creates, processes and modifies contract purchase orders and requisitions while maintaining the filing and tracking of work orders. She is in close contact with vendors and requestors. In the past year, her unit has also been given the responsibility of purchasing auto parts for the Department.
“She feels great pride in applying her skills and knowledge as a purchaser and to ensure the end user receives their orders in a timely fashion.
“She is humble in receiving this award, as she is doing her job in helping others. Her favorite quote is, ‘We are not what we know, but what we are willing to learn.’”
Longevity Award
Presented by Chief Deputy Orin L. Saunders
Carlos Moreno
“Carlos is an Auto Painter in the Training and Support Bureau, Supply and Maintenance Division. He works in the Auto Body Shop. He started with the LAFD in 1988. With more than 35 years of service, he has become a go-to person for Field members and Shop members. He consistently goes above and beyond.”
Certificates of Special Recognition
Presented by Chief Deputy Orin L. Saunders
Yvonne Reyes, Club Member
“Yvonne is a Management Analyst in the Emergency Operations West Bureau. She developed a monthly administrative performance matrix report for the Central Bureau that created a one-stop shop for the Bureau Commander and members who provide input to these reports.”
Gregory Brown
“Gregory is an Equipment Repair Supervisor in the Training and Support Bureau Supply and Maintenance Div. Triple Shop. His experience in various shops has given him the ability to be able to troubleshoot various types of jobs efficiently. He knows his inventory in detail that allows him to efficiently navigate his workload. His mentorship is invaluable to the employees he supervises.”
Other pictures from the event:
