LAFD Fire Station 86 Crew Honored for Saving 3-Year-Old Drowning Victim
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
LAFD Spokesperson: Jennifer Middleton
An indoor group photo from an LAFD ceremony featuring seven uniformed personnel standing alongside a civilian family of four. The family, positioned near the center, includes a mother in a light blue blazer, a father in a white button-down shirt, a young girl named Keira in a pink dress, and her young brother in a plaid shirt. Six of the LAFD members wear dark operational uniforms, with several holding blue commendation folders, while a high-ranking official on the far right wears a formal black dress uniform with gold rank insignia. Three flags—the United States, California, and an LAFD department flag—stand behind the group next to a circular wall emblem.
Photo Credits:
LAFD/PID Stephanie BishopSTUDIO CITY, CA - When the emergency dispatch went out on May 9, 2026, the crew of Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Station 86 responded with standard protocols, knowing only that a child had been pulled from a swimming pool. Within four minutes, first responders were on the scene.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a three year old girl named Keira lying beside the pool. She had no pulse and was not breathing.
LAFD crews train rigorously for everything from structure fires to swift water rescues. However, few incidents test a team's skill and resolve like a pediatric cardiac arrest. In high pressure situations involving children, panic can easily spread, but so can a sense of deliberate calm.
Without hesitation, the members of Station 86 took immediate control of the emergency scene. Within five minutes of the initial 911 dispatch, paramedics initiated advanced resuscitative care, seamlessly combining continuous CPR with critical airway management. After four minutes of precise clinical treatment, the team achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and the patient's heart was beating on its own again.
Keira's vital signs steadily improved throughout transport to a local emergency room. Upon arrival, the receiving emergency physician expressed strong optimism for her full medical recovery.
Department officials emphasized that the positive outcome was a direct result of rapid mobilization, exceptional clinical skill, and steady tactical leadership under extreme operational pressure.
On October 20, 2026, the responding crew was formally recognized for their lifesaving actions during an official department ceremony. Joining department leadership to present the honors was Keira, the young girl they saved, along with her parents.
"Nothing weighs on a firefighter like a call involving a child," an LAFD official said during the presentation. "What this crew accomplished under that level of pressure represents the very best of our department. Seeing Keira here today with her family reminds all of us why we do this work."
Recognized Personnel of Fire Station 86:
- Captain Justin Randolph
- Engineer Shawn Phillips
- Engineer Daniel Harris
- Firefighter/Paramedic Scott Luft
- Firefighter/Paramedic Curtis Faulkner
- Firefighter/Paramedic Preston Vowels
- Firefighter/Dispatcher Alfred Camacho
