MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- From base water treatment to emergency fire service, 30 years of dedication at Camp Pendleton marks the end of a fulfilling career for a well recognized firefighter.
October 24, 2010 was the date for Firefighter David R. Lee’s retirement, which left co-workers and friends with the memory of a man who could not only ensure their safety, but always put a smile on someone’s face.
“Everybody loves Dave,” said Fire Captain Peter A. Cavaioli, station captain, Station 4, Camp Pendleton Fire and Emergency Services. “He’s the kind of person you want working at a fire station; really dependable, and really good at keeping everyone’s spirits up.”
Lee began his career at Camp Pendleton in 1981 as a water treatment specialist, shortly after earning a certificate in water treatment from a junior college and working for the city of Blythe, Calif.
Once his career got started, Lee volunteered at the Murietta Fire Department where he found his calling as a firefighter. After four years of dedicating his time and service, Lee applied to be a paid firefighter for the military community.
In addition to his work on base, Lee volunteered his time at Oak Grove Children’s Center in Murietta, Calif. to help children.
“Children at Oak Grove have various problems, from epilepsy, head injuries, mental health and behavioral issues to autistic children,” said Lee.
Lee’s time with the children included taking them to court or medical appointments, driving them home, helping them with anger management or life issues; to Lee, it was all easy because it was all about helping the children better themselves, and become more adaptable to life.
“It’s always a great feeling to see them work out their problems,” Lee explained. “There were 72 children who were all in need of a little extra attention, and I loved being able to give them that.”
When Lee is not giving his time to children he was earning his pay as an emergency medical technician. He was in charge of assessing the priorities of those injured by those who could wait, and who needed immediate attention.
“There was one instance where a seven-ton vehicle had 24 patients going to De Luz housing area and the truck flipped over,” Lee recalled. “Eighteen patients were injured, and I was the first on the scene. During this incident, there were three trauma victims, several broken arms and legs.”
The important mission was delegating tasks to others, triaging the situation and having others help are what saved those lives.
“Dave is a natural when it comes to being an EMT,” said Fire Lt. Seth D. Warren, station 4, CP Fire and Emergency Services. “He was always very good at taking charge and bringing calm to situation.”
From fires to emergencies, Lee feels very content with his service to the base and the surrounding community.
“I’m happy at this point in life,” he said with a smile on his face. “Everything I’ve accomplished at Camp Pendleton for the past 30 years has been more than a fulfilling job, it was a great career. I’ll always miss it.”