OCFA Firefighter Dad Makes His 7-year old Daughter Proud to be a "FIRE KID"; America Thanks All Firefighters

(LADERA RANCH) – On Saturday, September 2nd at 3:30 p.m., Orange County Fire Authority firefighters from around the Ranch joined forces with firefighters from Newport Beach and Laguna Beach in a swift initial ground attack of 80 firefighters on a wildfire burning adjacent to the 73 Toll Road in Newport Coast – that accompanied by air attack techniques from helicopter water drops above, had the fire under control by 5:15 p.m. with no further threat of it jumping a containment line, according to authorities.

The heavy response and resulting rapid containment of such a fire shows the decades long commitment local, State and Federal agencies have given wildfires in California given our State has a year-long fire season, and resources simply reduce depending on the weather and season – but the reality of another wildfire always looms.

In fact, the location of the Newport Coast Wildfire on September 2nd holds a geographical footprint in history books as being part of one of the worst fires losses in U.S. history – the Laguna Beach Fire of October 27, 1993.

“THIS WAS NOT GOOD…NOT GOOD AT ALL” – OCTOBER 1993, LAGUNA BEACH FIRE

Blogger and then Laguna Beach resident Steve Turnbull wrote about “The Great Laguna Beach Fire of 1993” on his website,http://www.light-headed.com/as... beautiful homes, and 17,000 acres of Laguna Beach burned in one day of fear, panic, bravery and tears,” Turnbull writes on his site.

“Many stories from this disaster are far more sad and harrowing then ours, but hopefully this small personal snapshot of the exact moment fear and dread arrived for [my wife] Karen [Turnbull] and I, [and] will give you a feeling of what our entire town felt on that frightening and sad day.”

“While it was a time of tears and great shock at our loss, it was also a time of thankfulness and gratitude for the firefighting crews who had fought so desperately for us all, and a time of compassion and caring for our neighbors, our children and ourselves,” Turnbull wrote. “The entire town - in a way rarely seen nowadays - pitched in to help each other in any way we could. This was the only way we knew how to heal ourselves.”

“IT SPREAD WHEN EMBERS JUMPED A FIREBREAK” - LAGUNA BEACH FIRE OF 1993 IS 15TH LARGEST FIRE LOSSES IN U.S. HISTORY, ACCORDING TO SITE

According to https://www.portlandoregon.gov/fire/article/324099, the 1993 Laguna Beach fire caused $528 million dollars in damage – and began as vegetation fire in Laguna Canyon, very similar to the call of the September 2nd Newport Coast vegetation fire just north of Laguna Canyon.

The site reads:

“It spread when embers jumped a firebreak into Laguna Beach and Emerald Bay. The speed of the fire was phenomenal. The top half of Emerald Canyon burned at a rate of 100 acres per minute. Fire flashed across Laguna Canyon Road in six places, leaping up the slope with 200- feet flames. Fire burned 1.25 miles of brush in 17 minutes to reach Canyon Acres.”

NEWPORT COAST WILDFIRE CONTAINMENT IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS, POINTS TO DECADES OF STUDYING WILDLAND FIRES, ADDED RESOURCES, AND HIGHLY TRAINED FIREFIGHTERS/ FIRST RESPONDERS FROM VARIOUS ORANGE COUNTY AGENCIES

The location of the Newport Coast Wildfire lay in a six-mile canyon in the rugged San Joaquin Hills, just south of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor California State Route 73.

The San Joaquin Hills are a low mountain range located in coastal Orange County, California, that extend in a northwest-southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach at the southern edge of the Los Angeles Basin, and extending southeast to San Juan Capistrano. A fault line, the San Joaquin Hills blind thrust, lies eight miles below the hills. Scientists have suggested that the San Joaquin Hills have been formed by uplift from this fault, according to Wikipedia.

One of OCFA’s Public Information Officers, Captain Steve Concialdi, Tweeted updates throughout the nearly two-hour incident informing the public on the latest information from the frontlines of the incident command center located near the heart of the wildfire.

- OCFA_PIO: Newport Coast - At approx. 3:30 p.m., OCFA, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach Fire are working a small vegetation fire on the 73 Toll Road.

- OCFA_PIO: Newport Coast – Approx 70 FFs are keeping this vegetation fire in check. CHP has shutdown the SB 73 Toll Lanes. No injuries.

- OCFA_PIO: Newport Coast Area – The veg fire is under control around 5 p.m. Approx 80 FFs & no injuries. Acreage & cause to be determined later.

- OCFA_PIO: Newport Coast – Fire under control at 5:15 p.m. No injuries. Firefighters will remain for hours mopping up. SB 73 Toll Road Lanes open.

No firefighter or civilian injuries occurred during the Newport Coast Fire, according to authorities.

Fires raged around Southern California Labor Day weekend and by Sunday, September 3rd, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a State of Emergency in Los Angeles County due to the effects of the La Tuna Fire. This fire played a significant backdrop to the events unfolding during the Newport Coast Wildfire and everyone was on high alert.

The CHP closed a stretch of the 73 Toll Road near Newport Coast Drive September 2nd as firefighters battled the blaze in Newport Canyon.

Residents in Newport Coast went about their Labor Day weekend rituals despite the smoke and threats of flames.

“We had just gotten home from the pool as it was an extremely hot day here even for Newport Coast,” said longtime resident Rebecca Lubavin. “We actually found out about the fire through the Nextdoor App. So we looked outside and saw the smoke coming up over Ridge Park Road.”

"I figured, “When I see the flames, then I will be worried,”” Lubavin said. “I am so confident in our firefighter’s ability to put out the fires that I really was not worried.”

"I knew the firefighters were handling the situation, and if it became an issue, they would notify us,” Lubavin said. “They did their jobs beautifully and we were able to go about our Labor Day weekend with full confidence that we would be safe.”

FAMILIES WAITING FOR FIREFIGHTERS BACK ON THE RANCH DURING NEWPORT COAST FIRE

Meanwhile, loved ones awaited news back at home in Ladera Ranch about their firefighter’s safety.

Brooke Heddlesten, a 7-year old Ladera Ranch 2nd grader, was able to spend a few very special moments with her Dad -- OCFA Firefighter Mike Heddlesten, at his fire station earlier in the day on Saturday, Sept. 2nd. Heddlesten, a firefighter of 23-years, comes from a family of firefighters. His uncle was Salt Lake City Utah’s Fire Chief Keith Heddlesten who was appointed Fire Chief on September 1, 1965.

Heddlesten’s wife Megan Heddlesten brought Brooke by the fire station on Sept. 2nd so she and her Daddy could work on their monthly Home Depot Kids Workshop project (that day a back-to-school "pencil box") that they normally take part in at an in-store event hosted by a participating Home Depot location.

Brooke and Megan left the fire station around 2 p.m. – which was about an hour and a half before the call came in for the Newport Coast Wildfire. Megan hoped the crew would not have any significant calls for the remainder of the day given the extreme heat wave.

"As a firefighter family, we always worry when they are called away on a fire, long or short, because anything can go wrong,” said Megan Heddlesten. “We say Prayers and send good thoughts and always hope for the best outcome for everyone involved.”

"Ultimately, I find comfort in knowing that OCFA firefighters, and all Orange County firefighters, are very well trained and that they have each other’s backs,” Megan said. “I know how well Mike works with his crew and how they depend on each other. They are a team and these guys love what they do.”

“They serve. They help others. We at home are so proud of all of them,” Megan said.

"Our seven year old daughter, Brooke, gets so excited whenever she sees a fire truck,” Megan said. “Not because she thinks it’s her Daddy, sometimes it is, but because she is a proud "Fire Kid,"" Megan said. "She loves to hear stories of rescues and especially when her Daddy talks about little kids he helped on his last shift.”

"She beams when she tells people, “My Daddy is a Firefighter!” Megan said.

"One minute we can be doing a project, and firefighters are spending time with their kid, and the next they are called away,” Megan said.

"Our families support us because we have a job to do and they know we are helping the community in every way that we can,” Concialdi said. “When you marry a firefighter, you are marrying into the fire service family. We depend on the support we have at home so that we can do the jobs we have to do on the front lines – and we thank our loved ones for this support.”

On Sunday, September 3rd, the day after the Newport Canyon Wildfire, one photo surfaced that showed a lone firefighter holding the line while donning his bright yellow turnout gear, also known as “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)”, which for firefighters means protective clothing, helmets, goggles and other garments designed to protect the wearer from injury, including physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards and airborne matter, according to online sources.

His yellow helmet read: “HEDDLESTEN”

Surely, little Brooke will be proud of her Daddy for once again being part of a profession that works together, depends on one another, and relies heavily on the support at home – so that they can face the flames and keep the public safe.

Thank you to all California Firefighters and First Responders -- and beyond.

You are all very much appreciated.

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