Meet The Real-Life Heroes of LA Fire & Rescue
Pictured: Captain Eric Tumbarello of Station 37 in Palmdale.
Everyday, from city to city, the real-life heroes of the Los Angeles County Fire Department risk their lives to ensure the safety of millions of LA residents. Now, you can watch these harrowing events on LA Fire & Rescue, our newest series that gives a real look into the lives of firefighters, paramedics, lifeguards, and more. Join us for a peek inside each of the houses you’ll meet on the show, and get acquainted with the key players who perform heroic acts day in and day out. Meet the real life heroes of the LACoFD featured on the show below, and don’t miss the premiere of LA Fire & Rescue on Wednesday, June 21 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
Pictured: A fire truck from Station 37 in Palmdale.
Station 37 in Palmdale
Starting with the northernmost firehouse — introducing Station 37 in Palmdale. Captains Stan Maloof and Eric Tumbarello lead the dynamic crew behind the county’s most historic firehouse, as they both work to balance their family lives with their responsibilities at the firehouse. Of course, their family stories can’t help but at least partially play out at the firehouse, giving us a personal look into their lives.
Station 125 in Calabasas
Heading west towards the coast, you’ll find this trailblazing firefighting team. Resident Captain Sheila Kelliher is the 15th woman ever hired by LACoFD, and works with her team to set a precedent for more female hires to come.
Pictured: Captain Mike Carolan of Station 8 in West Hollywood.
Station 101 in Claremont
Further southeast is Station 101, where you’ll meet firefighter and paramedic Siene Freeman, a wife and mother of two who never gave up on her lifelong dream of working in this field. Herself and the rest of her team all try to find the balance between work and a personal life, all while pushing themselves to achieve excellence in their careers.
Station 8 in West Hollywood
Back out west in WeHo, Station 8 is helmed by Captains Mike Carolan and Roy Ortiz, were both born into firefighter families and are carrying on that legacy. Together, they lead their teams in the spirit of service and brotherhood, including a particularly emotional instance where they rally together to support fellow firefighter and cancer survivor, Dave Castellanos.
Pictured: Paramedic Paco Lomeli of Station 16 in Watts.
Station 172 in Inglewood
Priding themselves on being one of the most diverse stations in the county, Inglewood’s Station 172 brings their love of their profession and their positive energy to the show. This station is led by Captains Chris Davis and Kevin Grayson, both proud veterans who fell in love with firefighting after serving in the Marines and Army respectively.
Station 16 in Watts
Tenured Captain Dan Olivas leads Watts’ Station 16 as the father figure to his squad, and the real father to some: his son, firefighter and paramedic Jeff Olivas, is part of the department. It’s here that we also meet childhood friends turned colleagues engineer Tony Huynh and firefighter and paramedic Paco Lomeli and south LA native firefighter Erik Gunn, who all serve the Watts community with pride. Chicago Fire star David Eigenberg recently surprised Station 16 to show his appreciation for their life-saving work.
Pictured: Engineer Tony Huynh of Station 16 in Watts.
Station 41 in Compton
In our southernmost house, Captain Scott Woods is in charge at Station 41, which is one of the busiest fire stations in LA. Though he has his hands full, he always gets the job done, and serves as an inspiration and mentor to the younger firefighters, including rookie firefighter Erin Scuoler and firefighter and paramedic Alex Castorena.
Pictured: Captain Johnny Gray III of Air Operations.
Air Operations
Air Operations covers the entirety of LA county, and the hardworking heads of it all are Captains Johnny Gray III and Dave Baumann — aka the “Angels in the Sky.” These brave and experienced pros are accustomed to high-stakes distress calls, as their unit responds to the most urgent patients and difficult-to-reach locations.
Pictured: Captain Dave Baumann of Air Operations.
Lifeguard Division
The LA County Lifeguard Division is the largest professional lifeguard service in the world, though the people who run it are a tight-knit and dedicated group. Here you’ll meet Captains John Zimpelman and Kyle Powers, who both traded riding the surf for saving lives when they parlayed their love of water sports into lifeguarding careers.
Watch the premiere of LA Fire & Rescue on Wednesday, June 21 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.
