VIDEO: This Firefighter Appreciation Month, one of the heroes of the Eaton Fire received some much-deserved recognition. Pasadena Fire engineer Chien Yu fought to save homes while his own home sat in the path of that blaze. “I’ve been with the department for over 19 years,” Yu said. “I had met a friend whose brother was a firefighter, so meeting him made being a firefighter attainable.” This week, he was honored with the “Heroism in Service Award” during the Chinese American Museum’s 29th annual Historymakers Award Gala.
“Being a firefighter, we kind of help people on their worst days. We kind of encompass doing everything,” Yu said. “Most of our calls are medical calls and sometimes fires.” On Jan. 7, Yu and his family were notified that they needed to evacuate their home. “When we got the evacuation notice, my wife evacuated with the kids, and I reported into work and worked all night,” Yu said. Around noon the next day, Yu was taken off the line and picked up by volunteers. “I asked them to drive by my house,” Yu said. “That’s when I found out I lost my home.” Yu recalled the lessons of former firefighters that have taught him to give his all to the community.
