Oscar Lopez

Oscar Lopez has been in the fire service since 1988 when he started as a Volunteer Firefighter for the City of Kingman, Arizona. In 1994 he started his career with the Hualapai Valley Fire District (HVFD), now Northern Arizona Fire District (NAFD). Oscar promoted through the ranks and finished his career with HVFD as a Battalion Chief of Operations and Training.

 

Oscar is currently a Community Risk Reduction Specialist (CRRS) with Kingman Fire Department. He has been educating the citizens of Kingman and surrounding areas for over 25 years.  He took every opportunity to educate, even while on non-critical calls for service. Educating the citizens has always been a high priority for Oscar, as every call was an educational opportunity to reduce the risks of injuries or potential life and death situations for citizens that he responded to.

 

Oscar has been a lifelong resident of Kingman, AZ. Oscar was only three years old when the BLEVE occurred, but remembers, in particular, the sounds from the explosion. Later on in life, he would describe the sound of the venting propane tank car, “It was like when a jet airliner is landing and they are slowing down with the afterburners." He had several friends that were injured during this event. His knowledge around the BLEVE and historical events in Kingman earned him another title with the Fire Department, "Historian."

 

Oscar has always placed value on being active in his community. He was involved with Kingman Little League as a coach and eventually as the President of the league for 13 years. He coached football for his son’s and nephews for several years, and was also “Voluntold” to coach soccer for his son’s. His passion for the fire service has taken him back to be a paid-on-call Firefighter with Yucca Fire District. During his spare time and while working at the station Oscar loves cooking and creating dishes for the crews.  Oscar has three (3) adult children and two (2) grandsons. His middle son has followed his foot steps and is currently a Firefighter with Kingman Fire. When home he keeps busy with his “zoo” of nine (9) dogs, five (5) tortoises, a couple of fishes and a potbelly pig named “Pokey”.