[siren blaring] johnny devenanzio: this is me being able to get a second shot at something that i loved as a kid, and that is becoming a firefighter. i don't think it's any more essential than that. [theme music] when it comes to emergencies like california wildfires, floods in the south, or even tornadoes on the great plains,

firefighters have always been on the front lines. and with the global pandemic at hand, first responders are more necessary now than ever. but what does it mean to be an essential worker? [siren blaring] today i'm meeting with fire chief adam loeser of the fullerton fire department. with 20 years of service under his belt, i'm sure to learn a few things. firefighters obviously have always been considered first responders. what's the distinction between first responders, essential workers? first responders i would still consider your firefighters, your emts. but with covid and the broadening of essential workers, this is our super bowl. this is what we train for. johnny devenanzio: what would be considered a covid call? adam loeser: covid call would consist of a patient calling our dispatch center and stating they are having symptoms of covid. and then we have four person on each of our fire engines. when they respond to a covid patient we only have one person going to touch base with the patient to find out what's going on.

that way we limit the exposure to the rest of the crew. we do everything. we do the medical aids, the rescues, the hazardous material, the-- cats in tree. cats in trees. as crazy as that sounds, we still go on those. johnny devenanzio: really? we have cans of cat food in the rigs-- johnny devenanzio: [laughter] --put the can of cat food down. so you have to be prepared for everything. - we do. - i want to get my hands dirty. let's get suited and booted. suit 'em up boys. [rock music] johnny devenanzio: what am i going to be doing today? we're going to simulate a residential structure. cut open a roof-- - awesome. adam loeser: --climb up our aerial ladder-- badass. adam loeser: --and extinguish a car fire. johnny devenanzio: hell yes. hopefully we get you all through that without taking you to the hospital. if i perform all of my duties flawlessly today, can i get my hands on one of them shiny badges. adam loeser: can't give you one of these shiny badges but i do have something that i think-- johnny devenanzio: pah. adam loeser: --would be good. it's our junior firefighter sticker-- even better. adam loeser: --which is a badge of honor. if you perform today, this will be yours. [rock music] all right, so we need to retire that red helmet and make sure you're staying safe. and we have a helmet for you here. johnny devenanzio: look at that.

like a glove. announcer: fork and truck six, report of a residential structure fire. is that us? let's go boys. and now that i'm suited, booted, and my heart is racing, it's time to put out some flames. or maybe not. meah. is there an easier way to get up here? you guys couldn't have brought the ladder out and-- no, you got to work for it. ok. [laughing] firefighter: so he's going to start by sounding the roof, making sure the roof is solid. johnny devenanzio: ok. because he's detecting any danger ahead of us. firefighter: correct. you're going to use an ax. that ventilation hole acts as a chimney and takes all those superheated gases from the fire underneath, puts it up into the atmosphere. johnny devenanzio: so the purpose of the hole isn't for entry. it's a way for the fire and the heat to ventilate to escape. firefighter: exactly. you guys all right down there? make no mistake. there's a reason why firefighters are known as america's bravest. johnny devenanzio: part of that bravery is staying in top shape at all times, physically and mentally. firefighters rarely know what the next call of duty will be.

and oftentimes, the circumstances are not for the faint of heart. we are going to be climbing a ladder up into this three story building. [bleep] about to get real. firefighter: all right boys, raise the ladder. johnny devenanzio: what's the goal here? what am i doing? firefighter: you're going to climb up the aerial ladder, which is extended to about 40 feet into the second story window. get off of the ladder into that second story. take two hose bundles down the stairs to the bottom. johnny devenanzio: come on. the margin of error is razor thin and the amount of different obstacles and danger zones and pitfalls are countless. this is essentially what i would like to call a baptism by fire. but just when i thought it was time for celebration-- announcer: [inaudible] come in [inaudible],, respond to a vehicle fire. [sirens blaring] johnny devenanzio: this, hands down, is right up there as difficult as anything i've ever done. hats off to the men and women. there's a reason why they are america's finest, america's bravest, and it's because of what you just saw here.

while firefighters obviously are known for doing very rigorous tasks like this, i think now they've found a newfound calling during this whole pandemic, which is to be on the front lines of not to fire, not just saving people from burning building, but from saving people from an epidemic that has scorched this entire country. the entire globe. [funk music] chief, i just want to thank you for having me today. hey man, you passed the rigors of the beginning parts of being a firefighter. - all right. and now as cool as this is, you what i really want. adam loeser: your junior fullerton fire department badge. only took me 20 years. adam loeser: christen you with that. look, ma. adam loeser: congratulations. i'm a junior firefighter. [yelling] [laughter] [cheering] [theme music]

(soft music) hey dad, i'm about to leave. don't forget your hat . good morning. how can i help? i need help connecting with my students. behind every last minute save, ok, that works. and holiday surprise, thank you! a customer service rep is working unseen, making it happen. and at genesys, we're proud to help them help you everyday.

johnny devenanzio: so who do we have here? john grobman: this is brandy, and brandy

is an essential worker. johnny devenanzio: what kind of services does brandy provide? john grobman: well let's just start with the basics. [barking] sit. [upbeat music] johnny devenanzio: in my search for essential workers, it turns out that even service animals like brandy can get their start at yet another essential business like animal shelters. michelle sathe: hey johnny. welcome to best friends. well thanks for having me. at best friends, sheltering in place means a whole lot more to the people and animals affected by the pandemic. michelle sathe: best friends animal society is a national animal welfare organization and our goal is to make america no kill by 2025. and here in los angeles we partner with la animal services and we pull pets from their six city shelters. and they come here and go up for foster adoption. how have things changed now as opposed to pre-pandemic? michelle sathe: for shelter pets, covid's actually had been something of a silver lining. for example, when covid struck in mid-march, within about three to four weeks we had about 50% to 60% of our pets go into foster. johnny devenanzio: wow. pets, like these huggable, furry kittens.

[meowing] michelle sathe: these kittens won't be ready for adoption until they hit the two pound mark, at which point they can be adopted. what we want to do is get them to that two pound mark. johnny devenanzio: oh, was that a sneeze? was that a sneeze? and lovable dogs like einstein. look at this handsome little boy. michelle sathe: is he not the cutest little man? johnny devenanzio: yeah. so what roles do the essential workers play here at the shelter? michelle sathe: they're cleaning kennels, walking dogs, making sure everybody's healthy and happy. our workers are essential because pets are essential to our well-being and our happiness, and without our essential workers we wouldn't be able to care for these pets. we have alliances with certain groups that takes the training even further. there's a group called paws for life, for example. what is paws for life? meet service dog brandy. not only does she come from a shelter herself, but has gone on to become an essential worker and lifelong companion. and with the help of paws for life canine rescue, top trainers like john grobman give dogs and humans

a second shot at life. paws for life canine rescue is an organization that rescues dogs from overpopulated shelters throughout california, sends those dogs to one of our three prison programs where the dogs are trained by our incarcerated trainers. these are for prison inmates? yeah, these are inmates sentenced anywhere from 10, 20, 30 years in prison to life without the possibility of parole. [somber music] we have approximately 165 men in three different california prisons that are training our dogs for us. by us bringing those dogs into the prison system, it's a win-win. for people that are incarcerated it gives them an opportunity to make amends back into the community. and for the dogs, it gives them their second chance in life. johnny devenanzio: and for brandy, that second chance came in the form of becoming an essential addition to her new family. john grobman: brandy was placed with a young lady who was shot in the abdomen during the saugus school shooting and she's a working essential dog for her. johnny devenanzio: i don't think it gets any more essential than that. john grobman: one of the things that she does

is she retrieves medication. brandy, get meds. johnny devenanzio: you've got to be kidding me. john grobman: good girl. brandy, go find johnny. johnny devenanzio: there she is. there she is. john grobman: yes, good girl. johnny devenanzio: how did you get involved in this program? john grobman: my journey into the california prison system began with being found guilty under the california three strikes law. i was given six life sentences consecutive to 40 years for nonviolent crimes. the day i was sentenced was one of the most devastating moments of my life. one of the commitments that i made to myself was that i wanted to change the footprint that i was leaving on earth. i started seeing things about myself that i actually liked. i wanted to help people and be of service to others. and it doesn't matter what the-- i'm gonna get emotional, you know. it doesn't matter what the system says about you. i'm a good human being. [uplifting music] ultimately, i became the first person in california to receive a recall of commitment. based on my exceptional conduct my case

was sent back to the sentencing court and the court had the opportunity to look at the person i had become and how i had transformed, and ultimately they took back all my life sentences and released me without parole or probation. i immediately went back to work inside the prison and provide opportunities for other men to come home to their families. i go in and i do training seminars with the guys, and-- johnny devenanzio: so you're like the cesar millan of san quentin. [laughing] no. well-- but i love that. do you think you would actually be able to train me? absolutely. why don't we give it a shot? [upbeat music] johnny devenanzio: so this is like yard time? this is yard time for the dog, yeah. what i'm going to have you do is lure her by taking that treat, holding it in front of her-- johnny devenanzio: a carrot and a stick. yeah. carrot and stick. yeah. and then you can just tell her, let's go, and bring her down the ramp. now i want you to try it again without holding out the treat. i want you to just say ramp. johnny devenanzio: brandy, ramp. wow. you're better behaved than most people, you know that? john grobman: that was fantastic. johnny devenanzio: what a good girl. john grobman: you're on your way to becoming a professional dog trainer. johnny devenanzio: all right. ah, there you go. wait. sit atta girl.

i understand now why trainers like yourself and these amazing animals like brandy are indeed essential workers. thank you johnny. i appreciate the opportunity to come share the work we're doing. i did learn one more command for brandy here. brandy, lay on. give me a kiss. oh. aren't you the sweetest ever?

narrator: these high school boys and girls are having a hop time at the local soda fountain, innocent of a new and deadly menace lurking behind closed doors. marijuana, the burning weed with its roots in hell. - returning? - yep. all right. johnny devenanzio: the cannabis purchasing experience has changed exponentially. that's right. the days of taboo talk around cannabis are gone. and to be blunt, i was surprised to learn the cannabis industry

was classified as essential during california's effective lockdown. to discover more i headed on down to sweet flower dispensaries to receive some higher education. [upbeat music] during the beginning of the pandemic, paint us a picture of what it was like here at the dispensary. lauren banuelos: so within minutes of the mayor announcing that la was going on lockdown, our orders skyrocketed. we went from doing three deliveries a day to 45 deliveries within 20 minutes. johnny devenanzio: it went from being frowned upon in society to now being deemed by the government as an essential business. i think that's pretty incredible. lauren banuelos: it's really validating for us to know that we've been deemed essential. cannabis has been such a hot topic and controversial to so many, and still very much illegal in other states. so i hope that california showing that's essential is a move in the right direction for our country. johnny devenanzio: interestingly enough, during the 2020 election, new jersey, arizona, south dakota, and montana became the newest states to legalize recreational marijuana.

and during the lockdown, lots of people went from being very busy to having plenty of recreational time on their hands. lauren banuelos: for those who work in la, who are always go, go, go, it has been a culture shock for them. and so anxiety is a number one thing that comes in with new customers. trouble sleeping is a big issue as well. johnny devenanzio: and this place looks like an apple store. are you trying to change the image that cannabis has towards, possibly, the broader society? absolutely. there is a stigma with cannabis. and there really shouldn't be. it is this beautiful plant that can provide a medicine for everyone and we want it to feel very welcoming. johnny devenanzio: cannabis, like any other medicine, comes in all shapes, sizes, and strengths, catering to the wide range of needs of the customer. what is cannabis? is it just weed? so the stigma behind cannabis that, you know, it's just weed or it's just this one thing is something that, as a whole, we all need to branch out of. cannabis is going to be an arraignment of different things. it can be used to treat anxiety, musculature pain, to helping someone battle cancer. so if you come in, i'll ask you what ailments you might be

facing, exactly why you're in the store, and what you want the experience to be. summed up into one question would be, how do you want to feel? my shoulders where i received most of the pain. cannabis helps a lot with that pain because it helps take away the inflammation and it helps take away the tension. it can be used in five different categories. to smoke, as a topical, also a tincture, to vaporize it. we actually have cannabis-infused sriracha. ooh. so for those who like a little heat to their food. johnny devenanzio: now we're talking. timothy patterson: you could use it as an edible. i prefer edibles like gummys or chocolate or anything like that. after i take an edible, especially me having crohn's myself, i definitely feel better and relief. johnny devenanzio: this is, like, almost like a pharmacy counter. like, i'm looking at a bunch of varietals of not just cannabis, but medicine, essentially. lauren banuelos: we're followi all testing protocols that everything has had a record. that there's no pesticides or any other harmful chemicals in our product. so a brand that we actually just brought on that we're really proud of, ball family farms. it's black owned, and there aren't

a lot of black-owned brands in the cannabis community. johnny devenanzio: after spending a day here, it's really changed the overall perspective that even someone like me has on cannabis and its potential effects that it could have for good. - welcome to sweet flower. it's your first time or returning? returning. johnny devenanzio: what are you in the market for today, my friend? some flower. johnny devenanzio: this one is a sativa. uplifting, energizing focus. jordan watson: and how many would you like today, david? two. jordan watson: two of those guys. all right. johnny devenanzio: look dank, right? that's the real sticky icky icky. after learning about the different mental and physical side effects that covid has had on society and all the medicinal benefits that dispensaries offer, i completely understand now why these are an essential business. - ( phone ringing )es offers - big button,alized phones... and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. visit right now or call

during business hours.

and accessoriesphones for your mobile phone. like this device to increase volume on your cell phone. - ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program visit right now or call during business hours. we've got some spaghetti with meatballs, some turkey carnitas, sockeye salmon with brown rice. man, i'll tell you what. it's good to know that people that are eating from this food pantry are eating very well. who's getting the brisket? from small to large families, homeless individuals, to even our four legged household members, the west valley food pantry has been serving underserved communities since long before the pandemic. debbie decker: it was founded 35 years ago. there was a recession in 1985, and after its founding, other civic groups found out about it and wanted to be a part. johnny devenanzio: and to help me do my part, debbie is showing me what her lifetime of volunteering

is all about. turns out, many hands make light work. debbie decker: come on, johnny, you're taking too long. johnny devenanzio: all right, all right. this is early for me, all right? i'm usually still asleep at this time. [mellow music] take me through what goes on a day at the food pantry. debbie decker: the staff starts arriving at 7 o'clock in the morning. and they set up tents and they set up tables in order to prepare for the deliveries that are coming in. so it's all fresh produce that's been donated from 10 local grocery stores. johnny devenanzio: wow. [upbeat music] so what's this space here, debbie? back in bc, before covid, we used to serve all of our clients in here. but now it's actually a staging area where meghan and roya go through and they have volunteers and they're sorting, bagging. they're getting it ready to go into the cars. johnny devenanzio: six bagel's. does it matter which one? - [inaudible] - or just an assortment? whoops. who pays for all this? debbie decker: foundations. we write for grants.

but mostly, i have to tell you, it's the neighborhood. people write us checks for $10, for $100, for $1,000. they all mount up and i'm buying anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 worth of groceries a week. and there's peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, and there's tuna fish. johnny devenanzio: and you said these are for families or individuals? debbie decker: if there's three or less in a car, they get one allotment of food. depending on the number of people in their family, that's how we appropriate the food. johnny devenanzio: got it. debbie decker: so that family of 14 that would get that brisket, they're going to probably get a few of these bags. johnny devenanzio: and whatever isn't donated, the pantry supplements by purchasing additional items with the donations received from people like you and i. debbie decker: we are working with one of the major grocery stores in our neighborhood, smart and final, and they give us a discount. and their foundation also donates food to us. johnny devenanzio: wow. so you have deliveries that come in-- debbie decker: mmhmm johnny devenanzio: --you have deliveries going out. debbie decker: deliveries going out. johnny devenanzio: you have people sorting

the deliveries that were made. debbie decker: there's rice that we purchase. and then there's chili. there's green beans. tuna fish. ending with the peanut butter down at the end there. and where can they go to make a donation? our website or facebook. westvalleyfoodpantry.org. johnny devenanzio: and you also have individuals, what, coming through here and picking up? debbie decker: the cars you can see are already starting to line up. johnny devenanzio: i mean, these are people that are completely reliant upon this food pantry for meals and for nourishment. without this food pantry, one wonders what these people would do to feed themselves and to feed their family. all right come on in. we are open for business. [upbeat music] this pandemic has affected people that up to just a few months ago might have been middle, upper middle class, and it's affecting everyone all the same. and how does a food pantry differ from a food bank? debbie decker: it would be if you compared a food pantry and a food bank to a grocery store chain. there's a central warehouse, and that would be the food bank. then the food bank distributes to all of the neighborhood

food pantries in its area. johnny devenanzio: so the food bank, then, is the larger plant that then supplies the food pantry. debbie decker: yes. johnny devenanzio: how much have you seen the demand here increase since the start of the pandemic? we went from feeding 3,000 in february to 10,000 in march. johnny devenanzio: you guys really are on the front lines here. - absolutely. this is what the people need. that is our whole mission, is to feed the hungry. worker: they get a milk and a pizza. johnny devenanzio: ok. [upbeat music] and for those who can't leave their homes, like seniors, the west valley food pantry delivers. we are now en route to deliver them to the path senior assisted living facility. debbie decker: the low income seniors are all trying to survive on social security. johnny devenanzio: mmhmm. debbie decker: and they're making choices between medication and food. johnny devenanzio: and that should never be a choice. debbie decker: and that should never be a choice. johnny devenanzio: this is just one of the many food pantries,

food banks, that is doing this. and it really does put things into perspective and it gives you kind of an idea of the size and the scope of the amount of people that are in need right now. my ortho told me this is great for my lower back. [laughter] so many of us take the idea of being able to put food on the table for granted, and today that's really been put into perspective for me. it's been an eye opening experience and i'm just honored that i'm able to help the community, give back, provide much needed help and services and resources. it's a small drop in the bucket. i'm doing what i can to do some good. [music playing] ♪ it's the brand new chicken dance song uh ♪ ♪ get down heat it up like a sauna ♪ ♪ spin around one time if you wanna ♪ new chicken dance new chicken sandwich my juicy, thickest fillet yet. my cluck sandwich combos. only at jack in the box.

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topped with mystery sauce and pickles on a brioche bun. my cluck sandwich combos. only at jack in the box. ♪ welcome to "open house." new york and la are the focus for today as we contrast memorable design on both coasts. we peek inside the live-work loft of a downtown designer well known for his celebration of color and pattern. and we visit this stunning riverside townhouse in the exclusive sutton place neighborhood of manhattan. we're with fashion designer david meister at his stylish pad in the hollywood hills. plus, how this los angeles designer created this colorful abode to inspire her every endeavor. but first, we explore this sprawling home inside one of new york's most iconic landmarks. the reaction that you can expect from your guests is simply wow. [theme music]