Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large and In-house Counsel Joel B. Pollak received a “Hero Award” from the Pali Strong Foundation on Tuesday for his coverage and assistance to the community during the Palisades Fire.
The award recognized several members of the community, including first responders, on Tuesday evening at an event for Pacific Palisades residents at the Santa Monica Pier, hosted by the foundation.
Pollak, who lives in the Pacific Palisades, evacuated his family when the fire broke out on January 7, and returned the following day to document the disaster and help residents find information about their homes. He also helped neighbors put out spot fires for days after the main blaze — just as neighbors had helped him.
He covered the fire nearly every day for several weeks, and was one of several residents and leaders to meet with President Donald Trump at a local fire station in January. He urged the president to appoint a “special master” to oversee the distribution of federal relief funds, which he said were in danger of being squandered.
Lawrence Vein, Executive Director of the Pali Strong Foundation, told Breitbart News in a statement:
The Hero Awards are a testament to the extraordinary spirit of our residents—neighbors who, in the face of unimaginable tragedy, didn’t hesitate to step up for one another. When the fires struck, it wasn’t just first responders or public agencies who mobilized—it was everyday people. Parents, teens, retirees, and lifelong residents who delivered supplies, offered shelter, checked on vulnerable neighbors, and formed the backbone of an unshakable community response.
This ceremony honored those residents first and foremost—individuals who became heroes not through title, but through action. Alongside them, we recognized the critical contributions of our first responders, the tireless work of agencies that kept us informed, and the elected officials who chose collaboration over politics to help map a path forward.
But the core of this story is unity—neighbors helping neighbors, strangers becoming family, and communities standing as one. Let this be a defining moment.
Pollak’s home survived the fire, but that of Breitbart News Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jon Kahn did not — though he found a fire still burning near Pollak’s house, five days later, helping to save Pollak’s home again.
Many thousands of Pacific Palisades residents remain scattered across Los Angeles and beyond as they try to grapple with the challenges ahead — but most are determined to rebuild and to return to their community.
Breitbart News has continued its coverage of the fire and all aspects of the recovery, including the fight with insurance companies for compensation, and the political battles ahead as the tough rebuilding effort begins.
