All,
Battalion Chief / Firefighter Tony Garrison, 52, who served with both the Fairview Fire Department and Garren Creek Fire Departments, tragically died in the Line of Duty while heroically attempting to make a rescue during the response to Hurricane Helene. A second landslide occurred while he was searching, taking his life. Our condolences to all those affected. Rest In Peace.
On Wednesday morning, a procession of hand crew vehicles including personnel from the Santiago Hand Crew followed their injured colleague Andrew Brown as he was transported from Mission Hospital to John Wayne Airport. Brown, who suffered a spinal injury, later transitioned to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., a center that specializes in neurorehabilitation.
OCFA hand crew member Andrew Brown, who suffered a spinal injury, would transition to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, a center that specializes in neurorehabilitation.
Another injured firefighter, whose identity was not released in an OCFA statement, transitioned Wednesday afternoon from Orange County Global Medical Center to Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center in Downey. Details on that crew member’s injuries were not disclosed.
Two other firefighters remained hospitalized, one at Mission Hospital and one at OC Global.
Capt. Greg Davies, who joined the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department in 2009, was able to leave the hospital, according to the SDFD. Davies has been a member of CA-TF8 since 2017 and is the planning team manager.
Two others who were injured are SDFD Battalion Chief Aide Barbat and Capt. Jesse Schultz. They are being treated at Shreveport LSU Hospital and could have a long journey ahead.
San Diego Fire Chief Robert Logan says he and others flew out to Louisiana immediately after hearing about the crash.
The San Diego firefighters involved in the crash were members of the department’s USAR California Task Force 8 and were part of a 48-person team headed to North Carolina in an F-350 truck to assist in relief efforts. The three injured were one battalion chief and two captains.
They were flown by air ambulance to Louisiana State University Hospital in Shreveport. All of their conditions ranged from moderate to critical after the crash.
