Every year, the Safe Community Project provides an award in honor of our late treasurer and director, Dean Cathey. This year, we honored retired LAFD Chief Deputy Joseph Castro, and San Marino Fire Chief Mario Rueda. Both of these individuals have been remarkable collaborators for our organization, and we owe them both a debt of gratitude. 

These two also know each other, having worked for more than three decades together as firefighters, junior officers, battalion commanders, and eventually both as Chief Deputy officers for Emergency Operations at the LAFD. Chief Rueda now commands the San Marino Fire Department and is a key leader within the Verdugo response model. Chief Castro is retired, but along with staying healthy playing golf and handball, continues to act as an advisor to our organization (among others), and as a subject matter expert for various projects. 

Our organization is better off thanks to these two remarkable human beings.