Firefighters Honored for Rescuing 2 Teens

Nine members of the Los Angeles Fire Department were honored Friday by the City Council for risking their lives last month to save two teenage girls from drowning in the Bull Creek flood channel in North Hills.

“These young women almost lost their lives. They were very lucky,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, in honoring the men. “It really shows how dangerous our flood channels can be. . . . These gentlemen would rather not risk their lives.”

Just before 5 p.m. on Feb. 3, Fire Department officials were called to a swift-water rescue in Bull Creek. They found 13-year-old Megan Cole and 14-year-old Jennifer Simpson trapped in water that was rushing up to 20 mph.

Despite potentially hazardous conditions for a helicopter maneuver, the crew chose to attempt a rescue from the air.

With the help of pilots Glenn Smith and Paul Shakstad and crew, Capt. Keith Massey and Conrad “Butch” Marcione, Capt. Timothy Quinn was lowered to the water and grabbed Megan as she passed by.

Quinn said the key to the rescue was having the right equipment--a multiengine helicopter with four rotor blades.

“As soon as I start swinging under the helicopter and grab the victim, there are weight changes,” he said. “If we didn’t have the right equipment, that stability, we’d have a problem.”

Meanwhile upstream, Capt. John Rust, Engineer Kevin Kleinrath and Firefighters Carl Cook and Daniel Grahek made their way to Jennifer, who was holding herself just outside the water beside a bridge support.

Grahek was lowered to the girl by a lifeline and was pulled up along with her to the safety of the bridge.

While the girls’ story had a happy ending, the men agreed with Chick that they’d rather not have had to use the training on which they relied to get them through.

“A lot of what we do involves people not thinking it through, not paying attention,” Cook said. “Just give it a little thought.”