Our Docents are retired Los Angeles County Firefighters. They include Firefighters, Engineers, Captains, and Chiefs. If you have a question, or you want to hear wonderful stories, you will have the opportunity to learn and enjoy our crew. Your time at the Museum will be enriched as our Docents guide you through our collections. Come prepared to ask questions about any topic relating to the Fire Department, fighting fires, driving fire trucks/engines, being a Paramedic, or working on the television show EMERGENCY! You can learn about everything right here. The Docents can unlock so much history for you. If you like to learn, make sure you have plenty of time to stick around.
If you would like to contact our docents, please use the contact form. You may direct your inquiry to an individual, just put their name in the subject line.
Question for a Docent
ERNIE RAMIREZ
VICE PRESIDENT & DOCENT
- Los Angeles County Fire Dept
- Started career -1981
- Retired -2018
- 37 years
- Favorite assignment- Engine 191-A , 12 years
- Most interesting assignment Homeland Security
- Positions held
- Fire Fighter
- Paramedic
- Inspector
- Engineer,
- Captain
Donato M. Dingillo (Danny or Dingo)
DIRECTOR & DOCENT
- Joined the Fire Service in 1963 for the City of Downey Fire Department
- Joined The Los Angeles County Fire Dept. in 1968
- Promoted to:
- Fireman Specialist
- Captain
- Battalion Chief
- Assistant Fire Chief
- Retired as Assistant fire Chief/Executive Staff in 2000
DAVID RATHKE
DIRECTOR & DOCENT
- Education: Bachelor Of Science in Fire Protection Administration for Cal State Los Angeles
- Started my career with LACoFD as a Fire Dispatcher on 8/2/93, which is where I worked for over 5 years before I got picked up as a Firefighter.
- My career as an L.A. County Firefighter began on 3/29/99 in the 99th class, and graduated the Tower on 7/16/99.
- Assigned to Stations 70 and 27 on probation, Assigned to Stations 48 and 105 as a firefighter, Promoted to Engineer in 2004 where I was assigned to Station 69. Also worked at Carson Fire Prevention and Station 10, Promoted to Captain in 2016 to Station 7, went back to Station 10 as a Captain, finally to Station 120.
- Positions held at LACoFD: Fire Dispatcher I, Fire Dispatcher II, Firefighter, Engineer, Fire Inspector, Fire Captain
- Retired on March 30, 2024 as a Fire Captain
- Favorite assignment
- Station 10 was my favorite assignment because: Close to home, Great battalion, Loved the cardfile, Decent amount of call volume
GORDON DUDLEY
- Hired: Started his fire career at the camps from Nov 1974 – 1978
- Henderson Fire Department in Nevada from 1979-1981
- LACoFD 1981 – 2009
- Retired: March 31, 2009
- Favorite Assignment: Station 34 where he spent 19 years
- Positions held:
- Firefighter
- Engineer
DAVE MARTINEZ
- HIred on April 23, 1983
- Retired in March 2014
- Favorite Assignment: Station 116
- Positions Held:
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Captain
BRAD McINTYRE
- Hired: March 1970
- Retired: September 2001
- Favorite Assignment: 214
- Positions held:
- Firefighter
- Hazmat Specialist 1990-2001
BRIAN ASKARI
- Initially began in the Fire Explorer program with LACoFD in 1977.
- Started fire service employment at age eighteen with the Los Angeles Fire Department, working as and an EMT and paramedic for six years
- Hired as a firefighter with LACoFD in 1986
- Retired in 2018 after 32 years with the County of Los Angeles.
- Positions Held:
- Paramedic
- Fire Inspector
- Engineer
- Captain
- Battalion Chief.
DEVIN TRONE
- LA Co. Fire Dept 1985 – 2017 second generation firefighter 32 years
- Rose up through the ranks to Battalion Chief
- Career highlight was USAR deployment to save lives after Haiti earthquake
- Assignments were
- Paramedic
- Public Informations
- Staffing
- Fire Prevention
- USAR Task Force,
- Operations
GARY DAVIS
- Gary was in the US Army from 1963 to 1965
- Hired in 1966
- Volunteered for a new rescue program at Harbor General Hospital. That program turned out to be the first modern day Paramedic program in the nation.After becoming a paramedic there was a great demand for more paramedics to be trained. He was a preceptor to newly trained paramedics and was also detailed to Beverly Hills Fire Department for three months training their Paramedics. He then went to Redondo Beach Fire Department to do the same.
- He was a technical advisor on the “EMERGENCY!” television series from 1972-1979 along with some of the early paramedics.
- Received a Medal of Valor Award in 1985
- Was with Air Operations and was the Paramedic on the helicopter from 1991 to 1997
JOHN WELLINGTON
- City of Hermosa Beach Fire Department 2/1982 – 5/1984
- Firefighter Paramedic
- LACoFD 5/4/1984 – 3/31/2015
- Favorite assignment: 13 years Captain at Engine 14 South Central Los Angeles
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Engineer
- Captain for 21 years
JOHN TUCKER
- City of Hermosa Beach Fire Dept. 5/67 – 3/70
- Ca. Air National Guard Crash Fire Fighter 6/69 – 7/75
- LACoFD 3/1970 – 3/2003 33 years
- Positions held;
- Firefighter,
- Firefighter Paramedic
- Dispatcher, Engineer
- Fire Prevention inspector
- Captain for engine, truck
- emergency preparedness officers
- USAR,and hazmat squad
- Battalion Chief for community services and Battalion 7
RON LARRIVA
- Hired in 1989 and retired 2018
- Favorite assignment: Battalion Chief 2C
- Held ranks of
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Inspector, Engineer
- Captain
- Battalion Chief
DAN WILSON
- Graduated Inglewood High 1972
- Air Force Veteran – 4 years as a Firefighter Aug 72 until Aug 1976
- Oct 1976 to 79 a Federal Firefighter , received Associates degree in Fire Technology
- Was blessed by being hired onLACoFD Aug 1979 – Retired as Battalion Chief Oct 2011.
- 38 years of total service.
SCOTT MAHAN
- Hired in September 9, 1983
- Retired March 30, 2016
- Favorite assignment: Fire Captain Fire Station 26
- 7 years in the city of La Puente
- Held the following positions:
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Engineer
- Captain
- Battalion Chief
- Assistant Chief.
DYRCK McCLELLAN
- HIred on 5/1/1968
- Retired as a Captain on 4/30/1997
- Favorite Assignment: Station 14 when working on 214s
- Positions held:
- Firefighter for 7 years
- Fire Inspector PIO for 3 years
- Engineer for 5 years
- Captain at Wild Land Station 80 for one year
- Training Captain for 5-6 years
- Hazmat Captain for 10 years
RAYMOND GOROSPE
- US Army 1965-68. Vietnam Vet
- Hired City of Hawthorne Sept 1969-76
- Hired LACOFD Sept 1976
- Retired March 2002
- Favorite assignment, Capt at at FS 14, 12 years.
- Positions held:
- Firefighter
- Firefighter/Paramedic
- Firefighter Specialist
- Captain
BOB JONES
- Joined LACoFD on August 16, 1991
- Firefighter
- Favorite Assignment
- Station 36, the crews
SAM HERNANDEZ
- HIred on November 1, 1974
- Retired on January 23, 2009 as Captain
- Favorite Assignment: Firefighter Specialist and Captain Fire Station 16
- Positions Held:
- Firefighter
- Firefighter Paramedic
- Firefighter Specialist
- Captain
JAVIER TORRES
- Hired on March 3, 1985
- Retired on March 30, 2019
- Favorite Assignment: 191
- Positions held:
- Firefighter
- Engineer
STEVE KREAGER
- HIred on September 6, 1976
- Retired on March 31
- Favorite Assignment was Captain of Fire Station 194, Battalion 21
- Positions held:
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Engineer
- Captain
WILLIAM F. (BILL) RIDGEWAY, JR.
- HIRED: JULY 1, 1966, CLASS – 29A
- RETIRED: OCTOBER 1980 – SERVICE CONNECTED DISABILITY RETIREMENT
- FAVORITE ASSIGNMENT: E 95 A & RS 59/36 A
- PARAMEDIC PILOT PROGRAM:
- VOLUNTEERED FOR A NEW RESCUE PROGRAM (RESCUE HEART UNIT) AT HARBOR GENERAL HOSPITAL. SEPTEMBER 1969
- THE FIRST MODERN DAY PARAMEDIC PROGRAM IN THE NATION
- TRAINING NEW PARAMEDICS
- INSTRUCTOR IN TEACHING THE PARAMEDIC STYLE OF STARTING IV’S
- PUBLIC RELATIONS
- TECHNICAL ADVISOR ON THE TELEVISION SERIES “EMERGENCY”
- POSITIONS HELD:
- FIREFIGHTER
- PARAMEDIC, PM #10
- ENGINEER
- CAPTAIN
JIM DE LEON
Biography Coming Soon
PAT KELLY
- Started his fire service career with the U.S. Forest Service in 1975
- Hired LACoFD in 1983 and retired in 2014
- Favorite assignment : Air Ops
- Positions Held:
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- USAR Medic with Task Force 2
ALEX ORNELAS
- Education:
- Rio Hondo College
- Fire Science AS
- Riio Hondo Fire Academy Graduate FF1
- Camp 8 and 2
- Fire Explorer Pasadena
- West Covina Firefighter/Reserve
- Hired into LACoFD on March 7, 1988
- Retired on March 30, 2023 with 35 years in LACoFD
- Positions held while at LACoFD
- FIRE SUPPRESSION AID
- WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER
- FIRE HEAVY EQUIPMENT DRIVER
- Rank at Retirement: fire Truck Equipment Driver
- Favorite Assignment: All my assignments were great, because I worked for the Best Fire Department in the World (LACoFD)
JOHN "JJ" JONES
- College :
- AA degree for General Education
- AS degree for Fire Science
- BS degree for Physical Education
- Started LACoFD on January 16,1986
- Retired on 3/31/2016 for 30 years in the LACoFD
- Firefighter – 14 years
- Engine 57
- Truck 164
- Haz Mat 43
- Firefighter Specialist – 16 years
- Operations – Manual Revisions/Archives
- Haz Mat Instructor for LACoFD
- Homeland Security
- Engine 36
- Truck 118
- Haz Mat 43
JOHN REES PRICE
- History with Fire Service
- Joined the LACoFD June 24/1985
- Retired as a Fire Captain March 31/2021 with 38 years in the LACoFD
- Positions Held at LACoFD
- Fire Prevention Engineer
- Firefighter
- Engineer
- Captain
- Favorite Assignment
- I never had a bad assignment, but truth be told my biggest thrill was as the tillerman on T31
The view was incredible and the ride just as thrilling
- I never had a bad assignment, but truth be told my biggest thrill was as the tillerman on T31
LUIS ACEVEDO
- Education
- Bachelors of Science in Fire Protection & Engineering Cal State LA
- Fire Service History:
- Pasadena Fire (auxiliary volunteer 1983.
- Montebello Fire Explorer 1980-1982
- Joined L.A.County Fire 1983
- Retired as a Captain in 2018 – 35 years with LACoFD
- Positions held in the LACoFD
- Fire Captain
- Firefighter Specialist
- Firefighter
- Haz Mat Squad
- Fire Inspector
- Favorite Assignment
- Engine 214
- Lots of action
- Great crew
DEAN McGUIRE
- Education
- Graduated from Inglewood H.S. 1973
- Attended El Camino College
- Fire Service History
- Joined LACoFD on April 11, 1980
- Retired as Assistant Chief on March 31, 2015 with 35 years of service
- Positions held at LACoFD
- Firefighter
- Firefighter Paramedic
- Firefighter Specialist
- Captain
- Battalion Chief
- Assistant Chief
- Favorite Assignment
- FS 73 – lots of incredible, fun people to work with
- BN3A – Great crews to work with