Honoring First Responders When They Mourn Losses of Fallen

(Southern California) - Canyon area wildfires rage on, precision technical rescues are performed high above the Pacific Ocean’s coastline and lives are rescued from overturned crashed vehicles along Southern California’s roadways. Our first responders are there to answer our calls.

However, in less than a month, California’s fire service family has suffered two harrowing Line of Duty deaths of its firefighters: the first on Monday June 25th when Long Beach Fire Department Captain David R. Rosa, 45, of San Juan Capistrano, was shot and killed after his crew responded to a call at a senior living facility in Long Beach; the second on July 14th, when Cal Fire’s Heavy Equipment Operator Braden Varney, 36, of Mariposa County, was killed while battling a wildfire near Yosemite.

Rosa, a beloved fire captain who popularly served as Little League President in his San Juan Capistrano. Varney, a young married father of two children under six years of age was described in his town as “father and a husband, a hard-working local boy who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a talented bulldozer operator.”

LONG BEACH FIRE CAPTAIN’S DEATH A ‘GAME CHANGER’ IN THE PROFESSION SOME SAY

Lynley Rosa wrote her adoring fire captain husband one last love letter that was published in his memorial booklet and distributed at his Line of Duty Death funeral July 3rd at the Convention Center in Long Beach. Lynley’s words will forever remain seared into the hearts and minds of everyone who reads her letter. Penned when she was at the depths of grief and surely inconsolable pain, she was able to gracefully put into words a precious tribute to Rosa that perfectly captured the very real and very special love that the two shared…

Baby…where are you? We had so many plans.

God, why? I know Your ways are perfect, but You know he’s our world.

He’s my everything. And the boys. Honey, they love you so much. We all had so much life left to share, together, with you. You’ve been my love for so long. We always said that we were both stuck for life and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

I remember during our first year together, it was a little rough, and you held me and said, “No matter what we go through, when I chose you, I chose you for life, and you will never get rid of me.” In turn, about once a week I would hug you and say, “Your’re the ONLY man for me. I’m ruined for life because once you have the best nothing else is good enough!” This all seems so unreal. I keep waiting for it to end, for you to walk into the house and call out, “Honey, I’m home!” I haven’t even begun to process the actual event. The way this all went down.

The family is here, the fire family has wrapped us up in a safe cocoon and somehow the world knows about us now but all I want to do is go back in time, not have you walk into that hallway, looking to help, and unaware of what was coming. But baby, I know that’s not what you would do, even if you had a choice, you would have taken the bullet again to protect us all. You were so dedicated to your “boys,” this job was the core of who you were. You were always thinking about us all, always finding a way to help, a way to give.

I’m getting letters from people I haven’t even met who pour out their hearts expressing how you encouraged them, changed their lives, and impacted their families. You were so much bigger than you knew. Bigger than we all knew. I know the response of the nation would just blow you away. You wouldn’t want the attention.

This must be God’s sense of humor, to allow you to be honored because you honored so many yourself. It reminds me of the verse that says, the last shall be first…You were so humble babe.
With all the sharing I’m getting a small glimpse of what really went on during those hours you were away. You would share with us the funny things, the camaraderie, the close calls, the shenanigans, and on the rare occasions the frustrations. You kept the dark things, the grit that comes with serving so many people in a city from us. That’s just who you were. You were our protector. You were our love. You were our world. Now we give you to our Father in Heaven.

Baby, I’ll miss you so much. I’ll never forget, and I cherish how well you loved me. How well you loved our boys. I’ll see you again my love, until then, always know that you’ll forever be my man, and you leave with me our two boys. The three of you are the greatest gifts I have ever received. I’ll continue to serve the Lord and raise our family in the faith that has meant so much to us all. – L

Rosa left behind so many, including his immediate family, wife Lynley, sons Alec and David Rosa, his parents Paul and JeanRosa, his sister Julia Hensley…and of course his dog Molly, his family wrote.

FALLEN BROTHER ROSA REMEMBERERD BY FORMER LONG BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDIC PARTNER, NOW WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY

The fire service is a brotherhood. Sealed bonds created in Academy Training programs, the fire house, the fireground. Brothers in a cause.

OCFA Firefighter Paramedic John Kafoury worked with Rosa as part of a tight-knit Long Beach Fire Department paramedic unit a little over a decade ago before Kafoury’s move to Orange County. Kafoury, along with thousands of fellow firefighters, continue to mourn Rosa’s loss. Table talk is heavy. The circumstances surrounding Rosa’s death a game changer for firefighters everywhere many have said.

“I received the news from my [OCFA] Captain and I remember it felt like a family member had died,” Kafoury said. “I just thought of his wife and children.”

“His passing is just something you can’t make sense of,” Kafoury said sadly.
Similar to Rosa’s formal funeral, when anyone speaks in remembrance of Rosa, the deep feelings of loss and grief somehow take a turn to more lighthearted memories of a truly-good natured man that made everyone smile.

“It was never going to be a boring day with Dave,” Kafoury reminisced. “Not everyone goes the extra mile like Dave did. He is a very special guy.”

“Thinking of him now, it’s like I was never gone,” Kafoury said. “Our bond of friendship was forever.”

CAL FIRE’S VARNEY REMEMBERED: THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE. RIP BROTHER VARNEY

“An update to the tragic loss of CalFire Heavy Equipment Operator, Braden Varney on Saturday, July 14,” posted community organization https://www.facebook.com/TheFallenHeroes.org/ on Sunday, July 15th. “Braden Varney was a father and a husband, a hard-working local boy who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a talented bulldozer operator, community members said.”

“His tragic death at the age of 36 rocked the Mariposa community on Saturday. Varney died battling a raging wildfire that chewed up brush and trees over the steep hills of the Sierra National Forest and shut down a key road to Yosemite National Park.”

“California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief Nancy Koerperich said Saturday that Varney was cutting a “fire break” with his vehicle to prevent the blaze from spreading when he was killed.”

“He was found with his bulldozer along the sloping terrain near El Portal in Mariposa County, CalFire Division Chief Nancy Koerperich said, describing Varney as an active member of the Mariposa community.”

“Please hold his family in your prayers. Thank you for a job well done. RIP Brother Varney.”

TAKING CARE OF CALIFORNIA’S FIRST RESPONDERS, WAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE BACK TO FIRE, POLICE FAMILIES OF FALLEN, SICK OR INJURED WHILE IN THE LINE OF SERVICE

The Fallen Heroes is community organization set up to “Serve Those Who Served.” It is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization committed to honoring and supporting the families of those law enforcement and fire service personnel who, in the performance of their duties, paid the ultimate sacrifice for the California Communities they served.

“We are dedicated to acknowledging the final heroic acts of those men and women who served their respective communities so bravely and selflessly, to pay tribute to their memories as true heroes, and to provide support to those children, families and agencies who have been affected by a sudden loss in the line of duty,” says www.thefallenheroes.org. “Supporting peace officers and firefighters together, under one umbrella, is a comprehensive approach allowing this nonprofit to live up to its motto, “Serving Those Who Served.”

Both families of Firefighters Braden Varney and David Rosa are registered with www.thefallenheroes.org. The following information from The Fallen Heroes site provides ways to easily donate to the families of these two Fallen Heroes, which is an Honor.

BRADEN VARNEY http://thefallenheroes.org/?portfolio=braden-varney

CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator, Braden Varney, 36, died on July 14th while battling the Ferguson Fire in the Sierra National Forest. Varney was cutting a “fire break” with his bulldozer along the sloping terrain to prevent the blaze from spreading when he was killed.

Varney was from the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit. He was a second generation CAL FIRE employee and 10-year veteran of CAL FIRE.

He is survived by his wife, Jessica, five-year-old daughter, Malhea and three-year-old son, Nolan.


DAVID ROSA http://thefallenheroes.org/?portfolio=dave-rosa

Captain Dave Rosa, 45, a 17-year veteran with the Long Beach Fire Department was shot and killed on June 25th while responding to a fire alarm at 600 E. 4th St. at around 3:49 a.m., a retirement home called Covenant Manor was listed under that address.

Officials arrived at the multi-story building and discovered windows were blown out and a sprinkler was activated. The firefighters found and extinguished the fire at 3:59 a.m., but they continued to assess the area due to reports of an explosion and the smell of gasoline.

At around 4:08 a.m., Rosa and another firefighter were shot, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. The second firefighter was taken to St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach and was discharged. Rosa was pronounced deceased at St. Mary Medical Center.

Rosa, who served as Fire Captain for the past 6 ½ years, left behind a wife and two children.

ORANGE COUNTY’S REGIONAL FIRE SERVICE AGENCY ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY TAKES CARE OF FIREFIGHTERS, FIRE FAMILIES THROUGH THE OCFA BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION

“The OCFA Benevolent Association was established in the 1980’s to “Take Care of Our Own”,
said one of the OCFA Benevolent Director’s of 20-years, OCFA Captain Paramedic Steve Concialdi. “It is a non-profit organization and provides assistance to OCFA employees in times of need. No matter if the injury or illness takes place on or off duty, the OCFA Benevolent Association is there to help its members. In addition, we support the OCFA Honor Guard and the OCFA Pipes and Drums Band. The OCFA Benevolent Association also donates to the families of fire service personnel who work for other departments during tragedies like these.”

Concialdi has been involved with many OCFA funerals as one of the agency’s Public Information Officer’s and photographers. He is a veteran firefighter with over 29 years of service to Orange County citizens.

Concialdi served as one of the photographers for OCFA funerals for Firefighter Allen Donelan (35),
Fire Captain Tom Wall (44) and Firefighter/Paramedic Jimmy Owen (56) and was the Public Information Officer during the funerals for Fire Apparatus Engineer Greg Hennessey (49) and OCFA Chaplain Warren Johnson.

“Fire service funerals are extremely moving because we are honoring and remembering “One of Our Own” and we realize how dangerous our profession is and how quickly our lives could end,” Concialdi said. “Fire service and law enforcement members are very close knit and we are all a part of a large family. When we lose one of our own, not only do we grieve for our lost brother or sister, but we do our best to take care of the person’s family.”

“Fire department funerals are full of tradition, tears, inspiring stories of goodness and heroism, laughs and plenty of hugs and support for everyone,” Concialdi said.

“Our hearts break for the Rosa and Varney Families and the Long Beach and Cal Fire Service families following these tragic deaths,” Concialdi said.

SUPPORTING ORANGE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS YEAR-ROUND WITH OCFA’S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION

One immediate way to help local firefighters and their families is to donate to the Orange County Fire Authority Benevolent Association.

“The Orange County Fire Authority Firefighter’s Benevolent Association is organized for the purpose of providing physical, financial, and emotional support to our members and their families during times of need. Our support is provided by an all-volunteer Board of Directors in a non-political and non-denominational manner. Our desire is to “take care of our own”, and do the right things for the right reasons.” – www.ocfabenevolent.org

There are many ways Orange County residents can donate to the Benevolent Association:

1. Write a check and mail to:
OCFA Benevolent Association
1 Fire Authority Road, Irvine, CA 92602

2. Visit the Benevolent Association’s website and donate online:
www.ocfabenevolent.org

3. Visit the OC Fire Store located at OCFA Headquarters,

Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
1 Fire Authority Road
Bldg. AE163
Irvine, CA 92602

Phone (714) 573-6245

4. Contact the Benevolent Association at:

Phone (714) 573-6240
office@ocfabenevolent.org

The following is from www.ocfabenevolent.org:

The OCFA Benevolent Association was formed in 1985 when a small group of firefighters began formulating a plan to have a formal organization to help our members in need. These founding members contacted many different organizations to learn how they were organized, funded and managed. Based on their research, this group presented their idea at our fire stations to garner support. After enlisting the help of a CPA and an Attorney, the group was able to obtain Incorporation with the State of California, and a Not-for-profit status with the IRS in 1986. Soon after, the first Board of Directors were elected, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were drafted and bank accounts set up. Since those meager beginnings, our Association has grown and matured in a big way. We have come from a single checking account, with three pages of By-Laws, and all of our records stored in a cardboard box, to an organization with membership over 1200 people, multiple accounts, a full-time office staff, By-Laws of nearly forty pages, and multiple benefits and services.

Our Association fulfills this mission by utilizing an all-volunteer Board of Directors which allows us to focus the dues payments from our members directly to benefits and services. Additionally, the Association has always utilized a conservative and prudent investment plan, in which we have put unused funds into very solid investment holdings.

Our Association provides numerous benefits to its members, such as, hardship loans and grants, remembrance flowers and cards, funeral assistance, death benefits, scholarships, family events, retirement dinner programs, and supplemental insurance programs.

The Association gladly accepts donations from the public and through corporate sponsorships. To donate to the Association, please click on the tab: “Making a Donation” available home page of this site.

Another way that the Association funds its programs and benefits is through the fundraising profits of the Orange County Fire Store. Under lease agreement with the OCFA, our Association operates a full retail store at the RFOTC Headquarters of the OCFA. This store is available and open to the members of the OCFA, as well as the general public and offers apparel, gifts, and other accessories. You can also shop online at the store by visiting our website: www.ocfirestore.com.

Thank you for visiting our site and learning about us. We encourage you to contact us if you are interested in learning more about the Association. You can also visit our office and store in person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

- (Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue) http://www.costamesaca.gov/city-hall/city-departments/fire-rescue
- (Anaheim Fire & Rescue) https://www.anaheim.net/613/Fire-Rescue
- (Newport Beach Fire Department) http://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/fire-department
- (Long Beach Fire Department) http://www.longbeach.gov/fire/
- (Los Angeles Fire Department) https://www.lafd.org/
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