LOS ANGELES -- In what is believed to be a first for a firefighter credit union, the $790 million Los Angeles Firemen's Credit Union announced last week it has set up a separate charity foundation devoted to helping support firefighter families "in times of crisis," fund training, and provide equipment to needy departments across the state.

Formation of the foundation comes amidst the pressing needs of firefighter members, their families and departments across the state called into action to fight the San Diego and Malibu fires.

"Finally, we have a way of directing funds to California firefighters and the departments they serve on a consistent, organized basis," explained Pat Engel, battalion chief of Los Angeles City Fire Department and a director of the LAFCU board.

The "Fire Family Foundation," said Engel, will provide what no other entity in California does, a framework for the public to support firefighters and their families "in times of need and provide equipment to small or underfunded departments." The foundation will also help channel funds into firefighter-oriented charities.

The foundation is being structured so that 100% of donations will pass through to beneficiaries, said Michael Mastro, president/CEO of the CU, which has 24,000 professional members across the state.

"Firefighters go into life or death situations as a daily routine and become a family and so it is our mission to support our family as a core business," said Mastro noting that during the last three weeks "our firemen fought some of the most incredibly challenging and complex fires in history."

Mastro said the CU as a cooperative is "a family unit that supports one another" and so the CU must also support those charities as it did with special accounts for the families of fallen firefighters killed in 9/11.

"Fire Family Foundation formalizes these efforts as a permanent support system to our California firefighters," said Mastro.

The public, he continued, may be aware of firefighter families that need help or of underfunded departments "but there has not been an organized way for the public to donate to these needs. As an established nonprofit, Fire Family Foundation can turn individual efforts into ongoing support."

Mastro said the nation's "emphasis on terrorism and what that means in training" has put new strains on California departments, some of which find themselves "without enough ladders, breathing apparatuses or vital equipment."

--jrubenscut@aol.com

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L.A. Firefighters CU Forms Charity Foundation Focused on Firefighter Needs

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