Ret. LAFD Captain Rick Godinez Honored Thursday As 2019 Firefighter Of The Year

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - After cancelling the ceremony last year, the LA City Firefighters Association celebrated its 2019 Firefighter of the Year Thursday.

Captain Rick Godinez retired in April 2020 after serving 36-years with fire department across 10 different stations.

During his tenure, Godinez responded to some of the biggest events in U.S history, such as the 911 attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake among others.

"I get asked many times, 'You know, Rick, do you miss the LAFD?' and the answer is yes, a resounding yes, absolutely. This was my dream job for over 35 years and I revered it. It was what I always wanted to do with my life and I feel so lucky. It was such a fulfilling career for me, and it exceeded all of my expectations," Godinez told the assembled crowd.

Godinez also thanked his wife, Terri Godinez, for keeping the family together while he went out on the fire line.