San Ramon Valley Fire Chief to Judge 'Blazing Hot Firefighter Competition'

By Susan C. Schena 

Palo Alto firefighter and paramedic Sean Lanthier is competing Saturday in the third annual Blazing Hot Firefighter Competition charity event at theButterfly Restaurant at Pier 33 in San Francisco.

Lanthier, representing the Palo Alto Fire Department and SF Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, will be on a team tasked with creating the "Bay Area's Best Slider," up against other regional firefighters and chefs.

Sponsored by Civil Service Employees Insurance Group, the event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will donate more than $20,000 to local firefighter charities. first prize is $5,000.

Liam Mayclem, host of KPIX-TV’s Eye on the Bay and KCBS Radio’s Foodie Chap will emcee for the third year. 

The event is open to the public, and donations may be made at the door. 

Competing, along with Lanthier, are: Danny Garcia - San Francisco Fire Department; returning champion James Brunson - Vallejo Fire Department Solano Napa Firefighters Foundation; and William Douglas - Oakland Fire Department.  

Participating celebrity chefs are: Rob Lam, Butterfly Restaurant; Gaston Alfaro, Half Moon Brewing Company; David Lawrence,1300 on Fillmore ; Kathy Fang, Fang Restaurant.

Chefs and community leader judges are: Paige Meyer, Fire Chief of the San Ramon Valley Fire Department; Harry Crusberg Jr., owner of Firefighter Insurance Services (FIS); Tamara Palmer, Zagat; Hoss Zare, owner of Flytrap. 

“Firefighters willingly put themselves in harm’s way every day,” Meyer said. “The support we receive from our community and from everybody involved in charitable events like this is something that we all appreciate.” 

For more information, visit the event website www.cseinsurance.com/firefighterevent.