COUNTYWIDE : 3 Firemen Keep It in the Family

Four years ago, Newport Beach firefighter Doug Wright was called out to help the Santa Ana Fire Department battle a blaze in a downtown building.

Shortly after the fire was under control, an older firefighter walked up to Wright, who was unrecognizable in his helmet and mask, and said, “Hey, I wonder if you know my son. He works for your department.”

“Hey Dad, it’s me!”’ Wright said in astonishment to the veteran fireman, who just happened be his father, Donald Wright.

This week, the chances of Wright family members crossing paths in the field increased even more when 22-year-old Erin Wright, Doug’s son and Donald’s grandson, began his first day of regular duty as a member of the Fountain Valley Fire Department.

“You know, this is the proudest moment of my firefighting career--having three generations working like this,” Donald said as the three gathered in the captain’s office of Santa Ana’s Fire Station 2 this week. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.”

At 66, the eldest Wright has been a member of the Santa Ana Fire Department for 45 years and was honored for his longtime service by the City Council at a special ceremony last month.

“I never did think I’d be working here this long,” Donald said of his years in Santa Ana. “But I’m still here with a full head of hair, and it’s all really mine. I’ve still got a lot of good years left.”

“My grandfather is the greatest guy in the world,” Erin said. “He’s definitely a role model for anybody, he and my dad both. I don’t think anyone will ever match his record of service. He’s a legend.”

Doug, who has worked for the Newport Beach department since 1964, said he doubts that he would ever be able to match his father’s lengthy career.

“I’ve always said that I’ll probably retire before he does,” said Doug, 49.

For the youngest Wright, the opportunity to finally follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather is the realization of a lifelong dream.

“I was brought up in it,” Erin said. “There has never been anything else that I’ve wanted to do.”

Erin has been taking quite a bit of ribbing lately from Donald and Doug because of his participation in the 1992 Firefox Calendar that features a dozen Orange County firefighters in various poses.

“There’s been a lot of pressure for the three generations of Wrights to be in the Firefox Calendar, but Dad and I won’t take our shirts off,” Doug joked.

In addition to having firefighting in common, the close-knit family often fishes and golfs together. Also, five years after Doug married his wife, Pam, 26 years ago, Donald, who was a widower, married her twin sister, Diane.

“You should hear our mother-in-law introduce us to people,” Doug said. “She has the hardest time.”

Although Erin had to endure a more grueling and complicated process to land a job than his grandfather did more than four decades ago, Doug said it’s a good feeling to have his son carrying on the family tradition.

“I’m very happy,” Doug said. “Maybe one day I’ll fight a fire with my son, just like I did with my dad.”