In Memory of Jonathan Flager
On Jan. 6, 47-year-old firefighter Jonathan Flagler died while working to extinguish a fire in a Rancho Palos Verdes home, located in the 30700 block of Tarapaca Road. Flagler, who was among the crew from Fire Station 83 of the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACOFD), responded to the fire alert at around 3 a.m. When the firefighters arrived at the scene, flames were found in one bedroom and in the attic of the one-story home. At this time, it is believed that no residents of the home were injured over the course of the fire. However, as the firefighters entered the structure, it became more engulfed with flames. Soon after, Flagler issued a mayday alert–a button on his portable radio that alerts 911–and was taken to Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center in Torrance, where he later passed away. Flagler is survived by his spouse, Jenny Johnson Flagler, and their two sons Jack (15) and Brody (13) (K-Television Los Angeles 5). Senior Marissa Ho, whose father was in the same battalion as Flagler, feels sympathy toward Flagler’s kids.
“Losing your parents or anyone in your family at a young age is very hard,” Ho said. “I cannot personally connect with [the loss that Flagler’s kids experienced,] but I know what it is like to have your dad be gone for a long time and not knowing if he is going to come back from a fire.”
Around 140 firefighters die while on duty per year. Firefighters also have to devote a large portion of their time to their career, which often negatively impacts firefighters’ spouses and children (People News). Sophomore Brindha Srivatsav holds in great regard family members of firefighters and the stress they feel on a daily basis.
“I think that it is often overlooked how family members of firefighters and first responders feel about their family being at risk of danger every day,” Srivatsav said. “It is genuinely scary that somebody’s family members could possibly be harmfully affected by their jobs [at any time].”
Following this incident, tributes were held throughout Southern California in honor of Flagler. On Jan. 8, firefighters from Fire Station 13 stood on top of their engines overlooking the stretch of the 5 Freeway. Additionally, hundreds of firefighters, friends and family members attended a candlelight vigil at the Ole Hanson Beach Club in San Clemente, California on Jan. 10. Following this, an official memorial service occurred on Jan. 21, where more of Flagler’s close friends and family members gathered at Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos, California to honor his memory. At the memorial service, LACOFD honor guard presented his family with the American flag and presented the “Ringing of the Bell” ceremony. This ceremony included three sets of five tolls, and its ringing both signified Flagler’s death and commemorated his service to the LACOFD (Daily Breeze). Along with this, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced via Twitter that all Capitol flags were to be flown at half-staff until the end of the day the memorial service took place to honor Flagler (Columbia Broadcasting System News). Following this incident, both Los Angeles (LA) County Fire arson investigators and LA County’s sheriff homicide investigators reported that the origin of the fire was not criminal in nature at this time. Sophomore Rylee Izumo heard about Flagler’s death and admires the way he was honored by his department.
“I think it is important that we honor Flagler with the many tributes that have been going on,” Izumo said. “In fact, I think it is important that we honor all the first responders and health care workers that risk their lives for our community every day.”
Post Pasteup 2 Caitlyn Lee
On Jan. 6, 47-year-old firefighter Jonathan Flagler died while working to extinguish a fire in a Rancho Palos Verdes home, located in the 30700 block of Tarapaca Road. Flagler, who was among the crew from Fire Station 83 of the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACOFD), responded to the fire alert at around 3 a.m. When the firefighters arrived at the scene, flames were found in one bedroom and in the attic of the one-story home. At this time, it is believed that no residents of the home were injured over the course of the fire. However, as the firefighters entered the structure, it became more engulfed with flames. Soon after, Flagler issued a mayday alert–a button on his portable radio that alerts 911–and was taken to Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center in Torrance, where he later passed away. Flagler is survived by his spouse, Jenny Johnson Flagler, and their two sons Jack (15) and Brody (13) (K-Television Los Angeles 5). Senior Marissa Ho, whose father was in the same battalion as Flagler, feels sympathy toward Flagler’s kids.
“Losing your parents or anyone in your family at a young age is very hard,” Ho said. “I cannot personally connect with [the loss that Flagler’s kids experienced,] but I know what it is like to have your dad be gone for a long time and not knowing if he is going to come back from a fire.”
Around 140 firefighters die while on duty per year. Firefighters also have to devote a large portion of their time to their career, which often negatively impacts firefighters’ spouses and children (People News). Sophomore Brindha Srivatsav holds in great regard family members of firefighters and the stress they feel on a daily basis.
“I think that it is often overlooked how family members of firefighters and first responders feel about their family being at risk of danger every day,” Srivatsav said. “It is genuinely scary that somebody’s family members could possibly be harmfully affected by their jobs [at any time].”
Following this incident, tributes were held throughout Southern California in honor of Flagler. On Jan. 8, firefighters from Fire Station 13 stood on top of their engines overlooking the stretch of the 5 Freeway. Additionally, hundreds of firefighters, friends and family members attended a candlelight vigil at the Ole Hanson Beach Club in San Clemente, California on Jan. 10. Preceding this, an official memorial service occurred on Jan. 21, where more of Flagler’s close friends and family members gathered at Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos, California to honor his memory. At the memorial service, LACOFD honor guard presented his family with the American flag and presented the “Ringing of the Bell” ceremony. The “Ringing of the Bell” ceremony included three sets of five tolls, and its ringing both signified Flagler’s death and commemorated his service to the LACOFD (Daily Breeze). Along with this, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced via Twitter that all Capitol flags were to be flown at half-staff until the end of the day the memorial service took place to honor Flagler (Columbia Broadcasting System News). Following this incident, both Los Angeles (LA) County Fire arson investigators and LA County’s sheriff homicide investigators reported that the origin of the fire was not criminal in nature at this time. Sophomore Rylee Izumo heard about Flagler’s death and admires the way he was honored by his department.
“I think it is important that we honor Flagler with the many tributes that have been going on,” Izumo said. “In fact, I think it is important that we honor all the first responders and health care workers that risk their lives for our community every day.”
