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Celebrating the life of Master Technician Raul Perla.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 13, 2026
WHEREAS, Master Technician Raul Perla, a firefighter who safeguarded the residents of Fairfax County for nearly three decades and an expert in search and rescue and disaster response who served communities around the world in times of crisis, died on March 5, 2025, from occupational cancer; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla served the nation as a member of the United States Navy Seabees from 1986 to 2012, completing two deployments to the Middle East and rising to the rank of senior chief petty officer; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla began working with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in 1996 after graduating as part of Recruit Class 91; he responded to countless fires and other emergencies over the course of his 28-year career, greatly enhancing the safety, health, and wellness of generations of community members; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla was a trusted mentor to younger firefighters and a loyal friend who inspired his colleagues to achieve their fullest potential in service to the community through his personal motto, “Others Before Self”; he retired from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in 2023; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his service as a firefighter, Raul Perla was a member of Virginia Task Force 1 International Urban Search and Rescue, one of the most respected disaster response teams in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla deployed to 12 disaster incidents during his 20-year tenure with Virginia Task Force 1, traveling to Haiti, Panama, Peru, Japan, and other locations to provide expert assistance with search and rescue efforts after hurricanes, earthquakes, building collapses, and other catastrophes; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla was also a member of the United States Disaster Assessment and Coordination team and led countless simulated disaster exercises worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Raul Perla will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Jill; his daughters, Summer and Sage; and numerous other family members, friends, and fellow firefighters; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Master Technician Raul Perla, a highly admired public safety officer in Fairfax County; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Master Technician Raul Perla as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.