"I'm Gonna Die Here" (The Vallarta Fire)

LAFD Captain Enrique Graciano is a 20 year veteran firefighter, who also has 3 years as an LAPD officer under his belt. He tells us about the scariest night of his life. In September of 2003 he was a young firefighter on Truck 88, assigned to interior truck operations in a supermarket fire with flames and heavy smoke in the rear of the building. In a matter of minutes, conditions severely deteriorate, and when the order is given to pull out, he gets separated from his company, and is unable to find his way out. With time & air running out & the smoke and heat getting worse, Enrique realizes he may not make it out alive. He tells us in detail how the whole incident unfolds. How you can follow orders and procedures perfectly and still find yourself lost and trapped in a fire. We also talk about aggression vs caution, when and how to call for help in a fire, & what happens when that call goes out. We also talk about the importance of experience and knowing your crew, as Graciano's own guys from Truck 88 found him. We also talk about life in the "squirrel cage" at LAFD Fire Station 88, the biggest in the city. What's it like to have your life flash before your eyes? Or to barely escape a fully involved supermarket fire that still had customers shopping inside when you showed up? This is the definition of a close call with death.