Captain II – Fire Station 48
Deceased:
December 7, 2022
Appointed:
12/19/1955
Pensioned:
05/30/1993 – FS48
Details about the Farewell Celebration
Donations:
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, PLEASE SEND DONATIONS TO:
Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund
PO BOX 41903
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Kevin Kearns says
I worked with Captain Froude at 4’s. He was on the “B” shift and I was on the “A”. That shift was so much fun to work with. When I go a SOD day on that shift I knew I was going to have a good day. I remember (more than once), Captain Froude would come to line up and say we have a big day today and there is a lot to do. Well after about 25 stories and laughter Captain Froude would throw up all the incoming mail and say “Holiday rooty tooty”. My condolences to all the family.
Bob Neamy says
Bruce was a good friend off the job. I first met him on a fire dept. trip to Bay of Los Angeles in Mexico. It was a great group: Jim Ott and his son’s; Dan Kemp and his son’s; Dick George and his son and friends; Merrill Reed, and many others on different years. Bruce convinced me too also go fishing taking our boats to the north end of Vancouver Island at Telegraph Cove. That was such a fun trip I went to Canada for about 12 years. Bruce was an avid fisherman. The campground was very unique in that everyone had pressure cookers going canning fish almost every evening after a long day of fishing. I can’t forget how he would have crab races on the picnic table before cooking them. I was told Bruce was at one time was the Marlboro man in ads. I have such good memories of our fun fishing trips with Bruce. He will be missed. bob neamy.
robert gladden says
simply, it hurt to see the loss the passing of a real, LAFD treasure. He was smart, kind, worldly, confident, understanding, funny and wise. he was my TFC in my third house. he knew how to lead. the men respected him. they could tease him. they never challenged him. I had a wealth of seniority (lee hook, earl mazzari, arnie hoffman….) and it was a great way to learn tradition. did I mention handsome? he was so good looking that he almost quit to become a model. this was a source quite a bit of teasing toward him. one fireman in particular go a hold of some old head shots of him and we never saw the end of them at the station. froude took it all in stride.
he watched as the rookies took plenty of buckets but it never go out of hand. I have much respect for the wisdom he provided. fire station 4 was the b…… child of batt 1 but bruce froude made the entire station great.
the day he transferred, you could feel things go down. he was that man.
I saw him 25 years later and an event at old 27s and I could not help but pour out the love I had for him.
he looked at me and finally said ‘shut up’.
I can’t shut up now.
great station, great times and the greatest capt.
I will miss you.
Kevin Kearns says
I have so many stories about Capt. Froude, I need to tell one more. Every year Captain Froude and Arnie Hoffman would have a bet to see who could lose the most weight after the holidays. The first night they would gorge themselves at dinner and then have numerous creme puffs for desert. The loser had to take the other to a fancy restaurant with the wives. Neither man really took the contest seriously. One particular year Captain Froude decided he was going to win and was secretly dieting. Capt. Froudes wife called Arnie on the sly and told him that Bruce was in it to win it. Arnie immediately stopped eating. I was present when Arnie stood up one day in the kitchen and collapsed from starvation. I think Arnie did win the contest that year. LOL
John Michael McKinney says
I knew Bruce since I was at 36’s and he was a rookie at 48’s in the late 1950’s. We became friends and had some great times on the annual fireman water skiing trips, camping at Vegas Wash, skiing all day and spending a good part of the night in Las Vegas after the “All you care to eat” buffet at the Golden Nugget. In 69-70 we studied together for Captain while aboard his boat, the Conquest,” moored in Avalon Bay. The statute of limitations hasn’t runout on some of our other adventures, so I’ll conclude with the fact that he will be missed and condolences to Suzie and his family.
Diana Klarin Lindsay says
On behalf of my late father, Dinko Klarin, I send my condolences to Froude family and the fire-family of 48’s and of years past.
I am sure they had some great stories on the job…and friendship outside the station house as well. RIP
Vince Marzo says
I worked quite a few SOD days at FS-90. It was always a fun shift working with Bruce and Merrill Reed as the skippers. Used to see Bruce at an occasional Simi breakfast and we’d laugh about the good times we had. R.I.P., Bruce.
Jack Barry says
Bruce and I met on the apparatus floor at FS-69 in front of the “First-in Map” on July 3, 1977. We were both promoted at the same time. Bruce to C-II and me to A/O. He looked at me and asked, “Do you know this district”? I told him, “It looks like a plate of spaghetti but I’ll try to learn it”. And there started a great friendship.
In 1998 we were assigned to FS-48 on different shifts and the fun began again. The fishing trips to Baja with Mike Wicen, Gary Carr and Merrill Reed to name a few. Some of the best times fishing and comradery one could have. Bruce was a “Pedro” guy from many years back. His father owned the bait barge in the LA Harbor and that started his love for fishing.
Captain Froude was a great officer. He gave the members of his crew the responsibility to know their jobs, the sign of a respected and tremendous leader.
My sincerest condolences to Susan and the Froude family.
Patrick Butler says
I was a first house rookie at FS48-A and Captain Bruce Froude was my TFC. He made an impression on me of what it meant to be a leader, take care of your crew and have fun while doing it. I will always remember my time working with him and the A Shift at 48’s.
….and yes, the rumor was that he was the Marlborough Man!
Rest Easy Captain Froude!