Jim Perry, Los Angeles City Fire Department

[CAFF.com]

CAFF.com would have liked to post this earlier as it just came to our attention....CAFF.com

http://www.uflac.org/index.cfm?Section=31&PageNum=265



With profound sadness, the officers and staff of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City announce the passing of perhaps our greatest member, Jim Perry. If Local 112 lasts another thousand years, the list of Brother Perry's contributions to our cause will never be duplicated or even approached.

Jim's principles, strength, friendship and brotherhood will be forever remembered and cherished by each one of us who had the pleasure of working alongside him. He literally worked every day of his adult life to make firefighters lives better, safer and more secure. On top of that, it must be said that working men and women everywhere lost a true champion with the passing of Jim Perry.

Brother Perry was a founding father of Local 112 and he served in nearly capacity on the Executive Board at one time or another. Jim served at a time in our history when union activity on the LAFD often brought retribution and scorn, and was decidedly not the path to personal advancement. His service to the membership never wavered.

Even after retirement from his beloved LAFD, Jim stayed on with Local 112 as our newspaper editor. It was only natural: He had been after all, and still is, the only Editor that The Los Angeles Firefighter has ever had. He will be impossible to replace.

Over nearly four decades of love and devotion to our publication Jim Perry won numerous awards within the labor press community - almost too many to count. Jim was without a doubt the most decorated individual in the firefighter newspaper business in America. It is both a tragedy and an irony to think that Jim lost his life while traveling from home in Minden, Nevada down to UFLAC to put together the latest issue of his beloved Los Angeles Firefighter newspaper. Our brother was unable to physically arrive here at UFLAC to be with us again on Thursday, but he is here with us now all the same, and he will always be so.

We at UFLAC wish to express our sincere gratitude for the many calls and letters that have poured in expressing support and sympathy for our loss. In the coming days we will pass on information as it develops regarding services for our fallen brother. In the mean time, please enjoy the short biography we offer below of UFLAC's greatest member ever; Brother Jim Perry.

[LAFD]

Thanks for sharing word of the passing of this fire service legend. Jim got more accomplished for California fire fighters in 5 hours than most of us could hope to do in 5 decades. He will be missed.

Brian