A person who died final week in a bike crash in Escondido has been recognized as a longtime captain within the San Diego-Fireplace Rescue Division identified amongst his friends for supporting and advocating for others on the job.
Fireplace Capt. Derrin Austin, 55, was assigned to the San Diego Worldwide Airport Fireplace Station, officers mentioned in an announcement posted to the Fireplace-Rescue Division’s Instagram web page Wednesday. He joined the division in 1990 and had served as a captain since 2002.
“Derrin was often known as a loyal good friend and colleague — a person who would provide the shirt off his again for those who wanted it,” the Fireplace Division assertion learn.
Austin was heading north on North Escondido Boulevard close to Washington Avenue round 10 p.m. Sunday when his bike left the roadway for unknown causes and hit a light-weight pole, Escondido police mentioned this week.
When officers arrived, they discovered Austin on the street and unresponsive. They administered CPR till paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital, the place he died, police mentioned.
The crash is beneath investigation.
After becoming a member of the division, Austin labored at Fireplace Station 12 in Lincoln Park, Fireplace Station 32 in Paradise Hills and the Coaching and Security Division, division officers mentioned. He additionally hung out within the dispatch middle and was a part of the hazardous supplies workforce.
He was a member of the worker advocacy group Brothers United — an area chapter of the Worldwide Affiliation of Black Skilled Firefighters began in 1972. The group’s major mission is to recruit, retain and promote minority and feminine personnel within the fireplace and emergency providers in San Diego County, the group wrote in an open letter in 2021.
Deputy Fireplace Chief Robert Logan mentioned he owed loads of his profession within the division to Austin and the work he did by way of Brothers United. He mentioned Austin provided to assist tutor him to organize for assessments and interviews, and Austin invited Logan to affix his crew on ride-alongs.
“He approached me and mentioned, ‘Hey, come to my station,” mentioned Logan, later including: “We have been in a position to get again there as many instances as we needed… and the remaining was historical past,”
Capt. Jason Shanley mentioned he had been Austin’s barber earlier than Austin helped him with the firefighter entry course of.
“You’ll by no means know the impression one thing like that may have on an individual,” mentioned Shanley. “I undoubtedly owe an excessive amount of my success to him.”
Along with working within the Fireplace-Rescue Division, Austin served for practically 30 years as a reservist within the U.S. Navy Building Drive, also referred to as Seabees, division officers mentioned.
“Considered one of his Navy colleagues says Derrin valued these he supervised and supplied mentorship in addition to ensuring that they had what they wanted to achieve success at work,” the Fireplace Division officers mentioned. “He was equally dedicated to his fellow firefighters and really loved representing SDFD with pleasure and excellence.”
A 2010 story from The North County Instances centered on Austin stunning his son at college after a 12-month deployment in Afghanistan.
Fireplace-Rescue Division officers mentioned they’re working with the household to plan a memorial to honor Austin.
Anybody with details about the deadly crash is requested to name Escondido police Officer Jake Houchin at (760) 839-4704.
