Don leaves the job after 33 years of service. He was appointed at Truck 14, and his career included service as both aide to the 5th Battalion and the Firefighting Deputy.

Barrett loved the communications side of the fire service, and he was well known for constantly taping D.C. Fire and EMS activity. His audio files include many classic blazes of the past three decades, from both the radio and vocal alarm systems. His home had mock ups of the communications center, along with various status maps of departments in the region. This arrangement was so sophisticated that other fire buffs would gather at his home and hold realistic simulations of dispatch activity.

The farewell dinner at Engine 13 included the presentation of several gifts, including a plaque holding frontpieces of several units in which he served, as well as an old vocal alarm speaker "liberated" from storage at the old communications center.

DCFD.Com wants to take this opportunity to wish Don all the best in his retired life.