City Manager Tom Hatch presented firefighter paramedic Giovanni La Placa with the April City Manager’s Leadership Award at the monthly Meet and Greet event.

“Like his colleagues on our Fire & Rescue team, I very much appreciate Giovanni’s passion for having a well-trained EMS team,” Hatch said. “On top of that, his dedication to service, volunteerism and family outside of his job is very admirable. I’m happy to present him with this Leadership Award.”

La Placa began his career with the City of Costa Mesa in 2006 as a firefighter paramedic and he currently holds the position of chair of the EMS Committee. He attends the Orange County Fire Chiefs EMS meetings and Community Paramedic Advisory Committee meetings representing the organization. Since his arrival here, he has been committed to the organization and was a part of the strategic planning committee and was a paramedic evaluator during the last recruitment process.

La Placa has a passion for teaching and has obtained his American Heart Association BLS/ACLS and PALS instructor certification, teaching CPR, first aid, ACLS and PALS to current employees and Costa Mesa Fire Explorers. He’s very adept at patient care and was recognized for a great save in 2014 by the Orange County base hospital coordinators.

La Placa’s emergency medicine path started at the age of 14 when he began volunteering as an explorer for the City of Monrovia Fire Department and he later graduated from the Rio Hondo Fire Academy in 2002.  He continued his education and became a paramedic, graduating from UCLA-Daniel Freemen in 2004 and went on to work as a paramedic in San Diego County and a reserve firefighter for the City of Poway.

La Placa holds two degrees from Mt. San Antonio College in Fire Technology and Emergency Medical Services. He holds multiple professional certifications and continues to strive to grow professional daily. When his not at work, he volunteers at church and at the Orange County Children’s Theater making sure he is a part of his family and daughters lives.  He is also a successful business owner and recently finished his first sprint triathlon last year.

In addition to honoring La Placa, City Manager Hatch also recognized several new and newly promoted employees.

The new employees included from the City Manager’s Department Stacy Bennett an Office Specialist who works in the City Clerk’s Office, Heidi Jacinto, a Code Enforcement Officer in the Economic and Development Services Department, Miranda Gonzalez, a Recreation Leader III in the Parks & Community Services Department and Aura Wardle, a new Communications Officer in the Police Department.

Recognized for their promotions were Andrea Granadoes, an Office Specialist in the Fire Department and David Nguyen, an Office Specialist II in the City Clerk’s office.