1) Newly promoted Santa Monica Fire Captains (left to right) Matt Norris, Mathew Galvan and Judah Mitchell, swear-in during Santa Monica Fire Department's Inaugural  Promotion and Recognition Ceremony at Santa Monica City Hall on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. 2) Pam Skorstad pins her husband, Fire Engineer John Skorstad with his new SMFD badge as their daughters Samantha, 10, and Kristian 8, look on. 3) Santa Monica Fire Chief Jim Hone presents Captain Jerry Parker with the '2009 Fire Department Employee of the Year' award during the Inaugural Promotion and Recognition Ceremony.

Firefighter Code of Ethics

I will uphold the standards of my profession, continually search for new and improved methods and share my knowledge and skills with my contemporaries and descendants.

I will never allow personal feelings, nor danger to self, deter me from my responsibilities as a firefighter.

I will at all times, respect the property and rights of all men and women, the laws of my community and my country, and the chosen way of life of my fellow citizens.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the fire service. I will constantly strive to achieve the objectives and ideals, dedicating myself to my chosen profession--saving of life, fire prevention and fire suppression.

As a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, I accept this self-imposed and self-enforced obligation as my responsibility."

(left to right) Brooks Whitten, 12, Savannah Stout, 14, and Haley Mathis, 14, cheerleeders from Roach Middle School, ride on the Scrambler at Pacific Park on Friday, March 20, 2009.

(1,2) Michael Donaldson, author of 'Negotiating for Dummies' and 'Fearless Negotiating' leads a workshop during Santa Monica Visitors Center's "Selling Santa Monica" at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel on Monday, March 30, 2009. (3) Nat Trives, Santa Monica Visitors Center Board Member, negotiates with Lauren Rogers, SMVCB Sales and Service manager during "Selling Santa Monica." (4) Ho Nguyen, Director of Operations at the Santa Monica Historical Society Museum, shows vintage photos of Santa Monica during the Santa Monica Visitors center's "Selling Santa Monica" at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel on Monday, March 30, 2009.

Michael Donaldson travels extensively to annual meetings, universities, and corporate headquarters throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe to give keynotes and lead workshops on the topic of negotiating. His expertise, developed over a lifetime of experience and learning, makes him a highly sought after speaker. Michael’s expansive knowledge of negotiating coupled with his energetic and engaging style delivers powerful results to each seminar attendee. He has spoken to fortune 500 companies such as Standard and Poor, Inc, MWH Global, Inc, McGraw-Hill and City of Los Angeles.

http://santamonica.com/

(1) Jay McGraw, Executive Producer of the hit TV show “The Doctors” speaks after receiving the Santa Monica Red Cross 2009 Spirit Award during the 3rd Annual Red Tie Affair at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel on Saturday, March 28, 2009. (2) McGraw with his cast and crew pose for a portrait after receiving 2009 Spirit Award. (3) McGraw holds his Spirit Award. (4) Santa Monica City Councilman Bobby Shriver (left) and Carlos Crocker (right) present Russ Kino, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director of Emergency Services of Saint John's Health Center, with the Rick Crocker Spirit of Volunteerism Award. The award was named for Santa Monica Red Cross volunteer and Santa Monica Police Officer, Ricardo A Crocker who was killed in Al-Anbar province, Iraq, on May 25, 2005, while on active duty as aUnited States Marine Corps Reservist. (5,6) Santa Monica Firefighters carry Lisa Masterson, OB/GYN and Co-Host of 'The Doctor' after wining the Firehouse tour and Lunch for four during the live auction. (7) World Champion Big Board Surfer, Garrett “GMac” MacNamara, 41, who hails from Hawaii, and Warren Metcalfe, 24, an internationally ranked professional surfer and model, auction of a "9:Fish" Barracuda model surfboard with a private surfing lesson during the live auction. (8,9) Dr Robert M. Rey, MD, who stars in the reality show 'Dr. 90210' on the E! Entertainment Channel, and his wife Hayley pet SMPD Officer Roberto Villegas' K-9 Partner, Nero, a 6 year-old Belgian Malinois, after wining the K-9 Ride along during the live auction.

http://www.redcrossofsantamonica.org

Santa Monica Firefighters walk down a candle -lit hallway at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel during World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) 'Earth Hour 2009,' on Saturday, March 28, 2009. Earth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities were invited to turn out their lights for one hour (Earth Hour) on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when 2 million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people, including several Fairmont hotels around the globe, participated. In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach out to 1 billion people in 1,000 cities.

(1) Actors form the Ruskin Group, Chris Teterton and Christine Swaniky, perform a "Café Play" during the third annual Santa Monica Airport Art Walk on March 28, 2009. (2) SMC Teacher Assistant (TA) Derrick Isono, 54, removes his sculpture from the Raku Kiln. (3) John Destler, 77, works on his vessel at SMC during the Artwalk. (4) Visitors admire SMC student's ceramic art pieces. The Santa Monica Airport Art Walk was presented by Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Santa Monica Airport and Santa Monica College.

Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) blooms along the Santa Monica Beach Boardwalk on Friday, March 27, 2009. Pride of Madeira is a large evergreen shrub-like woody perennial with small white or purple blossoms in dense 20" long cone shaped clusters; this plant flowers through spring and ends by the start of summer. Pride of Madeira is from the borage family (boraginaceae) that grows up to eight feet in full sun.

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Guest conductor Dr. Tony Mazzaferro, who was born and raised in San Francisco and is completing his eleventh year as Principal Conductor of the Claremont Winds, leads Middle and High School student musicians during the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's 60th Annual 'Stairway of the Stars' concert at the Santa Monica Convention Center on Thursday, March 25, 2009. The event spotlights the talents of the district's music students, teachers, and music curriculum.Twenty-six bands, orchestras, and choirs dazzled the audience. The ensembles that performed are the All-District Elementary Honor Orchestra, Choir, and Band; High School Jazz Ensemble; as well as the Middle and High School orchestras, choirs, and bands. Some of the musical selections included: “Pineapple Poll,” “He’ll Make a Way,” and “Cruisin’ For a Bluesin.”sin”.

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