Lodi firefighters and police make plans for Pink October

At Wednesday evening’s Lodi City Council meeting, the Lodi Fire Department announced plans to spend “Pink October” raising funds to fight breast cancer.

The department and council members also teamed up to declare next month Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Your continued support throughout our endeavor in Pink October means a lot to us,” Lodi Fire Engineer Dave Rabara told the council and the packed crowd at Carnegie Forum.

Every October for several years now, the Lodi Fire Department has worn and sold specially designed pink Tshirts, both at the Lodi Street Faire — which will be held on Oct. 7 — and throughout the month.

The department has sold tens of thousands of T-shirts over the years, Rabara said, presenting all of the proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“We’re proud to be a part of it,” he said.

Not to be outdone, the Lodi Police Department announced their #PinkPatchProject to the council and audience. Like the firefighters, the police wear their hearts on their sleeves in October, in their case with a pink Lodi Police Department patch.

“Each year, we wear these patches for the entire month of October to raise breast cancer awareness,” Capt. Sierra Brucia said, as Lt. Larry Manetti modeled his patch for the council.

The department sells the patches, with proceeds going to support Cancer Kids of San Joaquin County.

The two presentations were among several that opened Wednesday’s council meeting.

The Lodi City Council and Lodi Fire Department presented resident Dustin Shock with a certificate of recognition for rescuing local boaters who had fallen from a capsized kayak into Lodi Lake on July 12.

“We were dispatched in the evening to reports of a kayak overturned and many people in the water,” Fire Chief Gene Stoddardt said.

While the fire department rushed to the scene in under four minutes, by the time they arrived, Shock had gotten everyone out of the water.

“It’s just another day on the water for me, to be honest. If anyone needs help, look for me,” Shock said, earning laughter and applause from his audience.

Mayor Alan Nakanishi presented a certificate of appreciation to Clark Pest Control, which donated 85 signs valued at $1,200 to Lodi’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, to be used in the city’s parks.

And Fire Marshal Brad Doell accepted a proclamation declaring Oct. 7 to 13 to be Fire Prevention Week.

“An overwhelming majority of fire fatalities happen in residences,” Doell said.

He urged Lodians to ensure their smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries, obtain and learn to use fire extinguishers, and come up with at least two ways to escape from a fire in every room in their homes.