Alameda County Firefighters Local 55 is saddened to announce a line of duty death. Alameda County firefighter Luster Knight died of job-related cancer on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. He was 59.
The Governor signed legislation to boost California's wildfire prevention and firefighting capabilities, including measures that update existing fuel management laws, promote healthier forests and make it easier to access firefighting equipment and private donations.
Under gray skies, drums and bagpipes played Thursday for retired Alameda County firefighter Luster Knight, whose flagged-draped casket was lowered from a fire engine by pallbearers as nearly 200 firefighters in dress uniforms snapped to attention and saluted.
San Diego's firefighters won an important victory Tuesday, when they helped oust one of the most hostile anti-retirement politicians in California. With room to spare, voters in San Diego threw out City Attorney Michael Aguirre, who has waged a single-minded legal war against the retirement security of San Diego City Firefighters Local 145. His replacement -- local judge Jan Goldsmith -- has pledged to take the politics out of the City Attorney's office and be "a watchdog, not an attack dog."
When the Turlock Holiday Parade was in danger of being canceled due to lack of sponsorship money, the Turlock Fire Fighters Association Local 2434 stepped in with a significant cash contribution, becoming the primary sponsor for this 25-year community holiday tradition.