The City of El Centro invites the public to attend its inaugural First Responders Wall Engravings Plaque Ceremony at 9 a.m. October 28 at First Responders Park, 1910 N. Waterman Avenue, in El Centro.
The Wall memorializes first responders who have dedicated their lives to serve and protect our communities. The Wall will be inaugurated with 11 honorees this year. Each year, the City of El Centro will open the opportunity for more residents to be added to the Wall. First Responders who qualify for the Wall are peace officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, or public safety dispatchers.
The first 11 First Responders to be honored this year are:
Leo M. Bulong, El Centro Police Department
- Police Officer from 1994 to 2015. SWAT member.
Michael R. Boston Jr., El Centro Police Department
- Was a police officer for the El Centro Police Department for 29 years and four months. He served on patrol, SWAT, investigations, motors, and school resource officer.
Christopher Petree, El Centro Fire Department
- Started as a firefighter with the El Centro Fire Department in December 1974, was promoted to Fire Engineer in 1976, Fire Captain in 1978, Fire Battalion Chief in 1985, and Fire Chief in February 2005. Retired from ECFD in February 2011.
Kenneth A. Herbert, El Centro Fire Department
- Served with the El Centro Fire Department for more than 30 years. He was Fire Chief from 2013 to 2021 before he retired.
Albert W. Newton, El Centro Fire Department
- First African American firefighter and Fire Battalion Chief in Imperial County. Served 25 years with ECFD.
Raul Ojeda, El Centro Fire Department
- Started as a firefighter/paramedic with the El Centro Fire Department in March 1999. Was promoted to Fire Engineer in 2004, to Fire Captain in 2008, to Administrative Captain in 2013, then to Battalion Chief soon after. Retired as Fire Battalion Chief/Paramedic in May 2020.
Peter J. Stanton, Imperial County Fire Department
- Worked for ICFD for more than 15 years.
Jeffery D. Caudill, Brawley Police Department
- Started with the El Centro Police Department in 1991 as a PAX volunteer and then as Reserve Police Officer. Joined the Brawley Police Department in 1997 as a police officer. He then joined the Cal State San Marcos Police in 2015, where he retired in December 2022 as a Lieutenant.
Brett C. Houser, Brawley Police Department
- Started law enforcement career with the Brawley Police Department in 2002. Was promoted to Commanded in 2008. Retired in 2021. Currently the Director of Public Corrections Academy at Imperial Valley College.
Pedro R. Navarro, Calexico Fire Department
- Joined the Calexico Fire Department as a Firefighter on Feb. 17, 1979, and retired as a Fire Captain on Dec. 29, 2016, after 37 years of service with the Calexico Fire Department.
Louie Knight, Bombay Beach Fire Department
- A volunteer firefighter and Captain from 1972 to 2022 with the Bombay Beach Fire Department.
