Retired Los Angeles Fire Department captain Jim Perry was killed today in a crash on U.S. 395 near Reno. Perry was well known to local media and was editor of the union's newspaper, Los Angeles Firefighter, for three decades. A note at the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City website says that Perry had been driving to Los Angeles for the union's holiday party, scheduled for tomorrow night. The event has been cancelled.

Perry, a 1957 graduate of Van Nuys High School, had worked in several stations and been a public information officer in the department, as well as a technical advisor to Hollywood productions.