Event: July 27, 2022 11:30am
Firestorm Memorial Garden (next to Bentley School, 1 Hiller Drive)
We are In the midst of another Fire prone season complicated by drought. North Hills Community Assn. will be having a bench dedicated to the memory of a local hero who perished in the 1991 Oakland Firestorm. The OPD union raised money to have a marble bench inscribed with his name and the date he perished in the 1991 Oakland Firestorm.
We want to recognize this hero, OPD Officer Grubensky who lost his life while trying to evacuate community members during the initial hours of the Oakland Firestorm in 1991. Interestingly Howard Matis was saved and evacuated by Grubensky driving him away from his home that was being engulfed by fire. Grubensky (as Howard tells it, turned around and went back to find others but never came back. Mr Matis will say a few words as well as OPD Chief Armstrong and perhaps Marge Haskill former Council Member.
Hopefully Dan Kalb District 1 Council Member can attend.
Last year we dedicated another bench in the garden to OFD Battalion Chief James Reily who also lost his life during the fire the same day.