During a special news conference to commemorate Pasadena officers, Police Chief Gene Harris praised his team’s commitment to saving lives in the Eaton fire.
Bodycam footage from Jan. 7 captured police officers helping multiple Altadena residents, some of them elderly, get out of their homes and into safety away from the deadly Eaton Fire.
“Probably one of the worst nights I have had in my 24 years in law enforcement,” said Officer Gustavo Martinez. “It’s hard for me to watch that stuff because I don’t think I’ve processed it yet.”
A photo featuring Officers Bombardier, Banuelos and Woolford went viral, after the image showed the officers saving two women, one being 101 years old, trapped inside their home surrounded by flames.
“[If] we didn’t get them out, something bad was going to happen,” Banuelos said.
On the night of the fire, at least 70% of Harris’ officers were assisting in the impacted area, according to Harris.
“If it wasn’t for the lifesaving efforts of the Pasadena first responders and the people that support them, dispatch and other elements in the police department we would have more dead folks that were in positions that couldn’t help themselves,” Harris said.
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