Donald A. Bowen, 45, died in the line of duty on Saturday, January 12, 1980, while responding to a call for a personal injury accident. He was driving the Department’s Ladder Truck, which carried the Hurst Tool and other Auto Extrication equipment at the time when a mechanical failure occurred causing the truck to leave the road and strike an embankment. 

Donald was a lifelong Calvert County resident and was well known for his public spirit and willingness to help and teach anyone. He joined the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department at the age of seventeen in January 1952. He served his last twenty years as an officer and at the time of his death was serving as the Deputy Chief and Training Officer. Donald had served as the department’s President for multiple years as well as President of the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association and the Calvert County Volunteer Firemen’s Association. The fire service benefitted further from Donald’s expertise on the Calvert County Fire & Rescue Commission and as an instructor for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. For his many years of dedication to the Department and the County, he was inducted into the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame and the Calvert County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame.

Donald chose his career as a professional firefighter in 1966 with the Prince George’s County Fire Department. He was promoted to Fire Sergeant in January 1968 and to Fire Lieutenant in January 1974. He served as the Station Officer at the Bowie stations coordinating the activities for all three of their firehouses in that community for six years. At the time of his death, he was serving as an assistant to the Deputy Chief for Fire Suppression in Prince George’s County.