Larry O'Brien
Firefighter
Story
On the morning of August 12, 1974, Volunteer Firefighter Larry O'Brien responded to a call at Surrey Fire Hall #8 (Cloverdale). At that time Cloverdale was served solely by the Cloverdale Volunteer Fire Brigade. Calls were delivered by way of an air raid siren that was housed in the hose tower of the fire hall and could be heard throughout Cloverdale and surrounding areas - a sound familiar to all that lived nearby. When the alarm was raised, the local volunteers hurried from their jobs and families and converged at the hall. On this date, Larry was the driver and sole occupant of a pumper truck which skidded on wet roads into a deep ditch enroute to the fire. He died at the scene.
Bill O'Brien, Larry's father, had been a member of the CVFB for nearly 20 years when Larry followed in his footsteps and became a volunteer firefighter in the early 1950's.
Larry served proudly and passionately for 23 years. He was Captain at Hall #8 and 44 years of age at the time of his death.
Larry was survived by this wife Arlie, and two daughters, Kerri and Cindy.