Sr. Paramedic 2 – EMS Bureau
Deceased:
03/28/2021
Appointed:
01/01/1955
Pensioned:
08/04/1985 – EMS Bureau
Services:
PRIVATE
Donations:
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, PLEASE SEND DONATIONS TO:
Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund
PO BOX 41903
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Additional Information:
Doug was a Navy Corpsman (1950-54) and served with the USMC in Korea. Doug came over to the Fire Department from Central Receiving Clinic in 1955. At that time they were fondly referred to as the “Brown Bombers” named after the color of the City Ambulances (brown).
Donald O Manning says
I remember Doug well, a good man a valuable paramedic. Nothing seemed to be beyond his ability.
Alan R. Cowen says
About a month ago Doug Brown and several others met for lunch at the Alamo in Newbury Park, CA as we have done about every 6 months. It was the first time I saw Doug being assisted in a wheel chair with a good friend assisting him. About a half dozen old Central Receiving Ambulance drivers and even fewer ambulance attendants were present. Doug was his usual self, jumping in with various stories and even some tall tales from yesteryear. A few weeks later he contacted me and said he fell on his lawn and RA 75 transported him to Holy Cross Hospital where he received treatment and then moved him to a care facility. It was there that he learned his diagnosis was terminal and that he did not want to prolong his life with additional treatment beyond what would be a natural death, as he described it to me.
His neighbor Joe Gabovich deserves a great deal of credit for caring for Doug and handling his personal needs as well as planning Doug’s wishes. Doug and I had worked together a few times in 1967-1968 when I was a young Central Receiving Ambulance Driver and he was the Ambulance Attendant. Doug had been a medic while serving his country and upon his honorable discharge, was hired by the City of Los Angeles Emergency Receiving Hospital System.
When the Los Angeles Fire Department took over the Receiving Hospital Ambulance System on July 1, 1970, Doug was a Sr. Ambulance Attendant for Central Receiving so he ended up as the only Senior Ambulance Attendant who did not retire at the time. When the EMS Bureau was established in 1983, Doug found himself as the EMS Bureau Staff Officer working for the Chief Paramedic.
About a week prior to his death I had the opportunity to speak with Doug and he told me his life was good and that at 89 he was ready to let nature take him. He had no fear whatsoever and did have Hospice at his home for a few days but he passed quietly and without pain. He will be remembered by those who knew him as a hard working individual who served the community of Los Angeles for 30 years. I, for one, salute Doug Brown for a tough job well done. Requiescat in Pace
Robert Joseph Mac Millan says
I had occasion to work with Doug a number of times when I was assigned to Planning as a Captain and he was in The EMS Bureau.. He as a true gentleman. I remember going to the Coliseum to observe a Police Training Event where a group of people (police rookies) forced they way into a event. They were all lined up and being “booked” when one of the rookies pulled out a toy hand gun and “shot” several personnel sitting at the booking table. You can imagine the following “action” that took place. It was quite a sight to see. But the drill did end shortly after that!
Rest in peace my friend.
Jennie says
Douglas Brown was not a nice man. He beat his first wife. One time he beat her very badly when she was pregnant with twin boys. One of the babies died in utero. The other received a head injury from that beating. When that one boy twin grew up, more than anything he wanted to become an army helicopter pilot. He was not allowed to be a helicopter pilot when he was in the army because of the head injury he received in utero when his father was beating his mother. He lost out on his dream because of his abusive father. He lost his twin brother because of his murderous father. Douglas Brown should have gone to prison for assault and battery on his pregnant wife, for assault and battery on one of his twin sons, and for murder of his other twin son. Justice was never served for that family. However, God knows what he did and God will serve justice.