Assistant Fire Chief Larry Allen is saying goodbye tomorrow to Chehalis
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – “Please check your smoke detectors. Preventing fires, it’s your job.”
As 43-year-old Larry Allen prepares to leave the Chehalis Fire Department after almost 20 years of service, those are the words he wants folks to remember from him.
The long time Chehalis area resident, but a transplant from Mossyrock and Seattle before that, has said yes to what he calls a phenomenal career opportunity in Colorado.
He starts later this month at Castle Rock Fire and Rescue, in a 70-person department in a town about halfway to Colorado Springs from Denver. Castle Rock is home to about 46,000 people, he said.
Allen will be doing more of what he says is his passion: fire prevention.
Fire Chief Kelvin Johnson says that passion is what makes a difference.
It takes a person who really likes that part of the fire service to do it well, Johnson said yesterday.
“Like I say, he really enjoyed it, that’s why he was good at it,” Johnson said. “We’re happy for him in that direction.”
Allen’s last day of work is tomorrow.
Chief Johnson said yesterday he has no current plans to fill the position.
The public is invited to stop by the fire station on Park Street to say goodbye, and for cake and conversation, between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Allen’s new position is called a fire prevention officer. He will be dealing with inspections, codes and plan review. He will also be conducting fire investigations, in a capacity in which he and other investigators can arrest violators.
Prevention is why he does what he does, he said.
“This is why I’m here; codes are written, they come from tragedies,” Allen said. “The codes are minimum standards for citizens’ and responders’ safety.”
Allen was a volunteer at the Chehalis Fire Department for about a year and a half before getting hired full time in January 1994.
He made captain in 2006 and was named assistant chief in February 2008. He’s a second generation firefighter, following in his father’s foot steps.
His work in Chehalis has included fire education and prevention. Helping youngsters learn about fire safety is something he speaks of fondly and likes to think has saved lives.
From sending kids crawling through “smoke houses” and demonstrating “mock crashes” for teens to the annual children’s fire poster contest:
“If just one person took anything away from any of those activities …,” he said without finishing his sentence. Then Allen said, “Say this:”
“Please check your smoke detectors. Preventing fires, it’s your job.”
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Castle Rock is getting a good man.