11/10/2025
We pause to remember Captain David Llewellyn Bailey of Los Angeles County Fire Department who died in the line of duty on April 3, 2012.
David Llewellyn Bailey was born January 16‚ 1962‚ in Homestead‚ Pennsylvania. Dave started his career with the Los Angeles County Fire Department in September 1994. He was proud and honored to be a fire captain serving his community and being a part of the ‘brotherhood.’ We teased him that if he bled it was not red but ‘County Blue.’ His first love was the fire department–anything‚ everything‚ all in or nothing at all. He had a thirst for knowledge. He was goal oriented. He was a perfectionist at work and at home. He had vision as to where his career would lead him. He had a good sense of humor and believed that in 18 years he was still a ‘Boot.’ When teaching the new recruits‚ Dave took it seriously. He once said‚ ‘We have a responsibility to teach them greatness. These young men and women will carry the legacy.’
Dave had an impressive resume‚ and his accomplishments included Firefighter 1994-2002‚ Engineer 2002-2009‚ and Fire Captain 2009-2012. He was certified in USAR‚ CAMP Foreman‚ HAZMAT‚ HAZMAT Certified Instructor‚ HAZMAT Recruit Instructor‚ Explorer Academy Instructor‚ Swift Water Rescue‚ Homeland Security‚ and FEMA TEAM‚ including deployments in 2005 to Hurricane Katrina‚ Louisiana‚ and in 2011 to Earthquake & Tsunami Ofunato‚ Japan.
Dave’s second love was his wife‚ Lisa. He was a loving husband with a high moral compass that was to be admired. He always had a smile. When not at work he enjoyed his days off at home with his three dogs‚ Lola‚ Easy and Hanna‚ known at the fire station as ‘The Kids.’
Dave had his hands into everything. Life for him was about ‘today’ and enjoying the journey. Dave was passionate about many things. He loved traveling with his wife‚ riding his Harley Davidson‚ restoring his ’69 Plymouth Roadrunner‚ but mostly he enjoyed camping in the desert and riding his dirt bike with good friends. He loved to BBQ and share his homemade whiskey and a cigar with whomever he was with.
He had a beautiful smile and bright blue eyes. His heart was as big and bright as the moon. He would call home and end each night from the fire house with‚ ‘I love you to the moon and back.’ He will be terribly missed in our lives‚ but will never be forgotten. Our memories will be the reflection of his beautiful life.
He is survived by his wife‚ family‚ and friends.
