Services Set Saturday for 3 Firefighters Killed in Crash

A memorial service for the three Los Angeles firefighters who were killed this week in a helicopter crash will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. The public is welcome to attend.

The day’s commemorative events will begin at 8 a.m. at Fire Stations 81 and 90 in the San Fernando Valley, where the firefighters were stationed. There will be a lowering of the flags, 10 bells will be sounded--a Fire Department tradition for firefighter funerals--and taps will be played.

Michael McComb, 48, of Crestline was stationed at Fire Station 90 at 7921 Woodley Ave. in Van Nuys.

Michael Butler, 33, of Santa Clarita and Eric Reiner, 33, of Carson were stationed at Fire Station 81 at 14123 Nordhoff St. in Arleta.

After the services at the fire stations, the bodies of the three firefighters will be escorted by members of their battalions, in fire engines and firetrucks, to downtown Los Angeles.

At 9 a.m. in Los Angeles, a “walking procession” to the Sports Arena will begin at Exposition Boulevard and Figueroa Street. The public is welcome to participate.

A motorized procession, composed of dozens of fire engines and trucks from numerous Southern California fire departments, will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Frank Hotchkin Training Center at 1700 Stadium Way.

The two processions will meet with the firefighters from the Valley fire stations at 9:30 a.m., at Figueroa Street and Jefferson Boulevard. They will proceed together to the Sports Arena. They are expected to arrive at 10 a.m.

The memorial service is expected to conclude at 12:30 p.m.

Details were pending for the funeral service for 11-year-old Norma Vides, who also was killed in Monday’s crash.