Posted on Jun 30, 2019 in
FORT BEND'S FINEST
By Joan Frances –
Name: Larry Danna
Title: Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B), Public Information Officer (PIO)
Years of Service: 26 years with Pecan Grove Fire Dept., 30 years with Houston Fire Dept.
Family: Wife, Sandy; Children, Erik, Sonia, Alan and Logan; and four Grandchildren.
Larry Danna. Photos by Mary Favre.
Why Public Service? I wanted to be a fireman or police officer when I was a kid. I entered the Houston Fire Department Academy in January 1973, and I retired 30 years later as Senior Captain. In 1993 I joined the Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department and have enjoyed my association with the personnel and the community.
What is the greatest thing about your job? The feedback you get from the citizens when you save a life, help an elderly person from the floor, get to their chair, their bed or just being there to help them in time of need.
What are your job requirements for Pecan Grove Fire Department? Most of all is keeping certifications up to date. As for me, I hold a Master Firefighter certification that requires 20 continuing certification hours every year.
What are your hours? As a volunteer, we have a business meeting every first Tuesday of the month, also a drill starting at 7 pm. We have radios so that when there is an alarm, we can respond from our home to the station or the incident.
Volunteer Work: I volunteer with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I have been on the Safety Committee for 40 years, and I am the last working original member that started this committee. Also, I have been with the Fort Bend County Fair parade committee for over 20 years. I have been an usher with Sacred Heart Catholic Church for over 30 years and have been involved with the scouting program for over 50 years.
Inspiration: My dad. He and my mother have been married since 1949, and this November they will celebrate 70 years. I wish that Sandy and I can someday make that mark on life!
Hobbies: Sandy and I love to go on cruises. This year we were able to do a bucket list cruise to Australia,
New Zealand and the New Caledonia Islands.
Guilty Pleasure: I love to go to the casino, and I enjoy a nice glass of single malt scotch at the end of the day.
One thing you want to share with the community: It is not just me, but every person who puts on a uniform and gives their all, dedicating their time and effort to making this community safe, deserves respect. It takes a lot to be a public servant. Lt. Colonel James Doolittle said, “There is nothing greater than the heart of a volunteer.” The generous souls who walk into the station and ask how they can be a volunteer, those are the ones to look up to.
