East County News Service

June 8, 2023 (La Mesa)-- It's the best breakfast deal in town.  On Saturday, June 10, Heartland Firefighters of La Mesa will host a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at La Mesa Fire Station 11 (8034 Allison Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. For just $5, guests can savor pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and orange juice, as well as  receive emergency preparedness training.

The public can receive training in several areas: CPR, Basic First Aid, and Crime Prevention. There will be training “stations” for the public to receive the information.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

On Friday, May 4, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. a fundraiser at the San Diego Firehouse Museum will offer an opportunity to see the museum and to raise money for cancer patients Glenn Stewart and Paula Hamma. The Heartland Firefighters Foundation is holding a fundraiser at the museum to help these family members of the men and women who fight our wildfires and other fires in East County.

The museum, founded in 1962 and located in San Diego’s Little Italy, houses steel from the World Trade Center, firefighting equipment from the late 1800s, La Jolla’s first fire engine and more. Besides seeing the museum, the taco plates ($10) and beer ($5) offered will be a great way to contribute to monies to help Stewart and Hamma. There is no entry fee.

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2017 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Officers Association has set up a Go fund me page (https://www.gofundme.com/ieshafund ) for Iesha Booker, a homeless mother of seven who came to the aid of Officer Sioson after he was knocked unconscious by a suspect who continued to assault him, causing serious injuries.

The 34-year-old MTS bus driver, was at the KFC in El Cajon when the assault occurred.  “When everyone else at the KFC stood around shocked, Lesha quickly stepped in, using Officer Sioson’s police radio to transmit `Officer Down at the KFC!’   It was that transmission which allowed us to expedite help to Officer Sioson, quickly arrest the suspect,” says Travis Howard, president of the El Cajon Police Officers Association.

East County News Service

May 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – What’s it like to be a firefighter?  Find out on June 17th from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Heartland Fire Training Facility, 1301 North Marshall Avenue in El Cajon. “Fire Ops 101,“ a fire ground-operations orientation for civilians including elected  officials and media representatives, will include actually suiting up in firefighter protective clothing, donning self-contained breathing apparatus and actually going inside a real fire to experience firsthand the environment in which firefighters work.

East County News Service

July 24, 2016 (El Cajon) -- Heartland Fire & Rescue units were dispatched to a reported fire at Kaelin’s market in the 1400 block of East Main Street on Friday afternoon.  Fire crews arrived within four minutes to find a single story commercial building under construction with smoke inside the building. A second alarm was quickly called due to the extreme heat conditions firefighters were facing and the potential of fire spread.

East County News Service

May 23, 2016 (Lemon Grove) - On Saturday, May 28^th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Heartland Firefighters of Lemon Grove Local 2728 will be hosting their annual BBQ and Open House at Fire Station 10, 7853 Central Avenue to raise money for the MDA and local charities.

April 20, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The City of Lemon Grove, along with its fire department, Heartland Fire & Rescue, will be taking steps to clear brush from eight and a-half acres near Lawton Drive and Camino De Las Palmas in Lemon Grove. Goats will be used as part of the process in clearing heavy brush to minimize fire danger and help create defensible space for homes in this area.

ELM began delivering 150 adult and 50 juvenile goats (kids) on Monday, April 18, 2016^. The brush clearing event will last approximately 2 weeks. The goats may be visible to those traveling along the 125 freeway in the area of Lemon Grove during this weed abatement process.

January 5, 2015 (San Diego's East County) -- Heartland Fire & Rescue has releaesed this video on how to prepare for heavy rains and flooding, as additional storms are set to hit our region this week due to El Niño conditions.

By Miriam Raftery

July 7, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Last week, we reminded you that fireworks are illegal in San Diego County and cautioned you about the dangers.  Today we have some stories that make clear why shooting off your own fireworks is not a good idea. Fireworks caused fires locally and statewide including a major brush fire, as well as some serious injuries.

May 26, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The annual pancake breakfast is stacked up to be a fun time for the whole family, Sunday June 7 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the La Mesa Fire Station #11 in the city's civic campus (8034 Allison Ave, La Mesa).

By Miriam Raftery

February 26, 2015 (La Mesa)—The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce celebrated the accomplishments of local police, fire, medical response and senior volunteers at its annual “Salute to Heroes” banquet on February 18^th at the Town and Country Hotel’s Golden Ballroom. 

The event also featured installation of officers and a “Come to the Cabaret” theme complete with New York cabaret singer Devlin, pianist Chris Drury, and a cabaret cake cooked up by Grove Pastry Shop.

This year’s honorees were:

East County News Service

October 25, 2014 (La Mesa) –La Mesa Police have arrested an arson suspect linked to a fire late last night that displaced eight people from a home in the Rolando area.  Brad Bach, 58, of La Mesa has been booked into county jail for arson of an inhabited structure.  Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at $260,000, according to Heartland Fire.

July 28, 2013 (El Cajon) – Today, El Cajon Police announced the arrest of Israel Soto and Jessica Quezada for the death of their four-month-old baby. The couple’s other three children, ages 3, 2, and 1, have been taken into protective custody by Child Protective Services.

April 12, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- The cause of today's spot fires along Interstate 8 was accidental, says Heartland Fire spoksman Sonny Saghera.  Heartland responded to reports of several small fires along westbound I-8 from West Main Street in El Cajon to Severin Drive in La Meas around 1 p.m. today. 

Heartland Fire & Rescue units from La Mesa and El Cajon, assisted by engines from Cal Fire and Santee, were dispatched to contain the four individual fires approximately 100 yards apart from each other.  A structure on Murray Drive in La Mesa was briefly threatened, but fire crews aggressively attacked the flames to keep them along the freeway’s shoulder.