David Carlson

In Memoriam
David "Buzz" Carlson

May 1, 1945 - January 2, 2018

My brother, Buzz, was a big fan and supporter of the Fire Service. He worked for several years in the Philippines as a Fire Protection Consultant. Included below are a few of the videos he made during his time in the Manila area. These videos reinforce his stories of the large conflagrations and chaos that often ensued on the fire grounds. Firefighters were often hampered by lack of water, poor equipment and citizens blocking access as they rush to move their personal belongings out into the street, away from the spreading fire.

When I called Buzz on New Years Eve (December 31, 2017) to wish him Happy New Year and because I know it’s a BIG night for fireworks, little did I know that would be the last time I would talk to him. When the news of his passing spread, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of condolences and love from his friends all around the world. Here are some of the comments shared on Social Media and sent to me in messages and notes:
Buzz, you were a dear friend. Not only did you give of yourself and share your experiences, you were a genuine friend to all who knew you and I am proud to have called you a friend. Our community would not be the same without your support.
I enjoyed every opportunity that I had to meet up with him. I am lucky that I have many more memories because of his pictures at many of our fires. You were a great man, and I appreciate everything you did for the fire service in northern Illinois.
Thank you Buzz for every laugh, picture, compliment, dinner date, joke, firework, hug and memory. You have truly been a blessing in my life. You will be in my heart forever.
Someone so special will not be forgotten, Happy times I could never regret. Wonderful memories will live on forever in my heart.
There aren't many people like Buzz Carlson in this world today, which makes me feel so fortunate to have been able to spend some precious time with him these past several years. While I'm deeply saddened that Buzz is no longer with us, I'm also incredibly thankful. Thankful for the stories told, the songs sung, the jokes exchanged, the memories made.
You know how much Buzzy meant to the fire service, especially in Rockford. We were friends before I joined the fire department, and I never had a moment with him that I did not enjoy.
A good heart has stopped beating, a good soul ascended to heaven. We part with our beloved David A. Carlson in pain. We are honored and blessed to have known you. You are truly a blessing in our lives and we'll miss you Buzz.
This world needs more people like Buzz Carlson. Wherever he would be was a better place because he was there. He was a man full of joy, love, and compassion. He brought so many smiles and so much laughter to anyone lucky enough to share a room with him. 
He was without doubt one of the best men I have ever known and it was such an honor to call him a friend. Words cannot describe how much he meant to not only me but to everyone who knew him.
Buzz was always the life of the party and always full of wisdom and good jokes. Whenever he would walk into a room it would light up just because of his presence. I am so glad I was able to meet you, have fun singing karaoke with you, and overall become a good friend to a great person.
He always brought a smile to everyone’s face.
Brothers are such special friends.

Hi, I'm Larry's brother "Buzz". My interest in the fire service goes back to my childhood. I think maybe our interest came from our parents who could be known to follow the “rigs” during our young days and even get us up in the night to go to a fire they had heard about on the radio. I'm told that even before my second birthday I watched with fascination, held in my dad's arms, as the Haddorf Piano Factory, here in Rockford, burned in the late 40's. My first recollection of being at a fire scene, and taking the first photo, was at a fire on Broadway (here in Rockford) involving a F. W. Woolworth Store. The fire was actually over by the time we got there but I was still interested in the smoking ruins and the general chaos of the situation. As I grew up, my interest in the fire service grew and when I was old enough to drive, I started visiting various Rockford Fire Stations and even got a device which would allow me to receive fire calls through the AM radio in the car; far different from the multi-channel radios of today. To make a long story short, after graduating from Purdue University and working for a year in the family business, I decided I wanted a career in the fire service and returned to college at Oklahoma State University, where I got a degree in Fire Protection technology. After graduation, I worked in California for several years, living in Los Angeles and ultimately became the Fire Protection Consultant to the Philippine Government. My fire protection career has been very exciting and while I have basically retired, I stay active as the photographer for the Rockford Fire Department. I'm now able to get videos that I have taken over the years in analog format into my computer and get them edited for posting here on onlyREDtrucks. The first ones will be from the Philippines and they are representative of the fires I encountered over the years I spent there. Most all of these fires occurred in The Philippines during the 1980's or 1990's. They have been converted from 8mm analog video to digital video.

In Memoriam David "Buzz" Carlson

Fire Video from Manila Philippines (1980's)