Chief John MacDonnell passed away during the overnight hours of December 6, 2007 at his home. Chief MacDonnell will be remembered for his 43 years of professional devotion to the Fire Service. John, began his career in the summer of 1964 with the California Division of Forestry, (then) later served with the Orange County and Santa Barbara County Fire Departments.
He then moved from pubic service into private industrial fire protection, and later served as Fire Chief for both United Technology Corporation and the NASA Ames Fire Department at Moffett Field. John was also an instructor for First Contact 9-1-1 and helped with the development of their dispatcher training program.
A memorial will be held in Chief MacDonnell’s honor at 10:00 A.M., Friday December 14, 2007 at St. Victors Catholic Church located at 3150 Sierra Road, San Jose, CA 95132.
Information:
Lynne Engelbert
SECTEK, Inc
650-604-3112
or
Steven Kelly
Fire Chief, NAFD
John's family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations should be made in memory of John MacDonnell to the Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley, Inc.
650-604-6953
John's family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations should be made in memory of John MacDonnell to the Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley, Inc.
Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley, Inc.
455 S. Mathilda Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
For those of you who may not be familiar with the important support function that the "Fire Associates" regularly provides to all Santa Clara Operational Area fire agencies, here's some cogent information about them.
The Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley, Inc. is a volunteer, fire buff organization that since 1969 has staffed and maintained multiple fire support canteen vehicles which respond to multiple-alarm fires and other emergency incidents at all hours of the day and night (and in all types of weather!) - as well as to major drills and exercises - throughout the Santa Clara Operational Area supplying hot and cold beverages and related rehab supplies to firefighters and emergency responders.
Over the years (actually, several decades!), the "Fire Associates" unfailing and enthusiastically provided canteen services at the annual Santa Clara County "Wildfire" wildland fire readiness exercise. For many years, this exercise was delivered at and hosted by United Technologies Corporation' s site south of San Jose, where, as you know, John served as Fire Chief for many years as well as a guiding force within the Santa Clara County Fire Chief's Association in the exercise's sustainability and growth - which, in later years, included considerable participation by San Mateo and Santa Cruz Operational Area fire agencies.
Thus, there is both this professional and personal nexus between John and the "Fire Associates."
Please contact me directly at if you have any questions:
For those of you who may not be familiar with the important support function that the "Fire Associates" regularly provides to all Santa Clara Operational Area fire agencies, here's some cogent information about them.
The Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley, Inc. is a volunteer, fire buff organization that since 1969 has staffed and maintained multiple fire support canteen vehicles which respond to multiple-alarm fires and other emergency incidents at all hours of the day and night (and in all types of weather!) - as well as to major drills and exercises - throughout the Santa Clara Operational Area supplying hot and cold beverages and related rehab supplies to firefighters and emergency responders.
Over the years (actually, several decades!), the "Fire Associates" unfailing and enthusiastically provided canteen services at the annual Santa Clara County "Wildfire" wildland fire readiness exercise. For many years, this exercise was delivered at and hosted by United Technologies Corporation' s site south of San Jose, where, as you know, John served as Fire Chief for many years as well as a guiding force within the Santa Clara County Fire Chief's Association in the exercise's sustainability and growth - which, in later years, included considerable participation by San Mateo and Santa Cruz Operational Area fire agencies.
Thus, there is both this professional and personal nexus between John and the "Fire Associates."
Please contact me directly at if you have any questions:
Herb Jewell, CFPS
Deputy Fire Marshal
NASA/Ames Fire & Emergency Services Branch
NASA/Ames Research Center
M/S 158-1; 158 Carroll Drive/Room #202;
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
650/604-2024
