60 years of service as firefighter celebrated

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT

CELEBRATES THE 60-YEAR CAREER OF

CAPTAIN DON FRANKLIN

 

WHO:             The Los Angeles County Fire Department, along with representatives of 3^rd District Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and City of Westlake Village

 

WHAT:           Luncheon honoring Captain Don Franklin, who celebrates his 60^th year of service with the department this month.

 

WHEN:          Tuesday, October 28, 2008 – 12:00 noon

 

WHERE:        Fire Station 144

                        31981 Foxfield Drive

                        Westlake Village, CA 91361

                       

Captain Franklin began his career with the department on October 29, 1948 when he was hired as a Forest Fireman.  In 1952, when the Consolidated Fire Protection District and Forester & Fire Warden departments merged into the one department that exists today, he was named an Engineer and was assigned to Fire Station 69 in Topanga.  He was promoted to Captain in 1967 and was assigned to Fire Station 70 in Malibu.  In 1978, he moved to Fire Station 144 in Westlake Village.  He retired from Fire Station 144 on March 17, 1986.  Upon retirement, he was given the opportunity to return on a part-time basis as part of a new department program.  His assignment would be as a Training and Safety Captain at the department’s Del Valle Training Center.  He decided he would give it a try for a couple of months, and has been a fixture at the training center ever since.  He is now 82 years old, and still going strong.  He and his wife Shirley, who will celebrate their 62^nd wedding anniversary in November, have 4 children, 12 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.

 

CONTACT:   Inspector Darryl Jacobs – (213) 760-1887

                        Community Services Rep. Maria Grycan – (213) 247-7298