It was promoted as the California Wildfires First Responders Luncheon / Batting Practice as part of the Dodgers 15th annual Community Service Week, with events scheduled throughout the greater Los Angeles area – and Dodger Stadium – during the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour, presented by Bank of America. But no one … absolutely no one could have imagined what happened on Monday morning at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers invited 350 firefighters from Los Angeles City and County and Ventura City and County to share their love and appreciation for all that they did during the recent wildfires that ravaged Southern California late last year. And while the love and appreciation for these brave firefighters was abundant from the likes of Ross Stripling, Alex Wood Joc Pederson, Kenley Jansen, Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner on behalf of the entire Dodgers organization, the love and appreciation they received back from the firefighters was equally emotional – to the point of tears.

“This LA City firefighter came up to me and said ‘Do you mind if I start crying?'” said Naomi Rodriguez, the Dodgers vice president of external affairs and community relations. “He said that he used to sit up there under the ’53’ [of the Dodgers Ring of Honor], he used to sit up there with his father, which brought a lot of emotion to him. And then he went on to say that this is where he now brings his daughter, and for the whole season and the World Series he was here, and how much it means to him to be here today.

“Those moments, a moment like that, I realize … I’m reminded, I should say, of what kind of impact we have on our community,” Rodriguez added. “So it’s not just baseball, it’s a generational thing where he’s talking about his father and his daughter, and what it means to be here, to be on the field. ‘I cannot believe I’m on the field!’ he said. I love those moments. We’re saying thank you for serving us with all these fires and they’re thanking us. It’s unbelievable.”

But this day belonged to the firefighters, who were welcomed with open arms to partake in some batting practice, some lunch and just some down time from their demanding and dangerous jobs … and to grab an autograph or two from the Dodger players on hand to welcome them.

“Obviously very special with what they just went through,” said Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling. “Last month was incredible and obviously the community supports us and if we can come out and spend a week supporting them, that’s what we’re going to do.

“We get to come out here and interact with these guys and hopefully show them a good time after the stressful month that they’ve had and watch them take some BP. They’ll probably take better hacks than I do,” Stripling kidded [maybe]. “It’ll be a good time, it means a lot that they support us and for us to be able to reciprocate is pretty special.”

Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling receives a T-shirt from on of the 350 firefighters on hand at Dodger Stadium for batting practice on Monday afternoon. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

Another popular Dodger echoed Stripling’s sentiments.

“Man it’s awesome. I mean, to see these guys sacrifice, put their lives on the line for us, save our lives, save our homes and have a better world, it’s awesome to be around them,” said Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. “To show our appreciation, our love for them, to show how much we care about them and just thank them.”

And of course there’s the other side of that love and appreciation thing.

“I think it’s outstanding that the Dodgers give us this opportunity to come out here,” said LA County firefighter Vince Ampren, who is assigned to Station 149 in Castaic a very short distance from where the Rye fire in Santa Clarita started. “We haven’t heard which Dodger players are going to be here today so we’re really looking forward to it.”

At times it was difficult to tell who was having more fun, the firefighters or the Dodger players.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But without question, the guy who was perhaps was most appreciative of what the Dodgers are doing for the firefighting community was Ventura County Fire Department Deputy Chief Vaughn Miller, within whose jurisdiction firefighter Cory Iverson of Cal Fire was killed while battling the Thomas fire.

“It’s truly a wonderful escape from what we’ve experienced over the last month and a half,” Chief Miller said. “Definitely, we’ve been shoulder to shoulder with our citizens that have just endured an incredible situation, it does wear on our personnel. So just for the Dodgers organization just to give us a little time on the field where many of us have dreamt to be, it’s fantastic.”

When condolences were expressed to Chief Miller for his loss, it was obvious that he and the entire firefighting family are still devastated over the loss of a brother firefighter.

“Thanks for your sympathy. The death of Cory Iverson affects us all,” Miller said. “There are folks here today who were on the front lines with him when he died. And so this is just a wonderful event that will get us away from our work just for a day and we’re grateful.”

Well done Dodgers.

…and thank you, firefighters. Just thank you.