In Memoriam of
Fire Captain Derrin Austin

Last Alarm: May 14, 2023

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department mourns the loss of Captain Derrin Austin who died in a tragic motorcycle crash on Sunday, May 14, 2023. He was 55 years old.

Derrin joined the SD Fire-Rescue Department in October 1990 and was promoted to captain in 2002. His most recent assignment was at the San Diego International Airport fire station and his career assignments include stations 12 in Lincoln Park and 32 in Paradise Hills. He worked in the Training Division and was HAZMAT trained as well as an assignment as the emergency resource officer in the dispatch center. Derrin was also a member of the employee advocacy group Brothers United. He served the residents and visitors of San Diego for 32 years.

Derrin has one son, D’Andre, who is also interested in becoming a firefighter. Derrin’s friends say he was a devoted father and a tremendous role model to Dre.

Derrin was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He joined the Navy as a Seabee reservist when he was 17 (with his mom’s permission) as part of a delayed entry program. Seabees provide a wide range of construction in support of operating forces including roads, bridges, bunkers and so much more. Derrin completed one year at the University of Florida majoring in civil engineering and his reserve unit gave him orders to go to Alaska. While in Alaska, he worked with a unit from San Diego which prompted him to  make the decision to transfer to that unit and make San Diego his new home. His nearly 30 years with the Seabees included two deployments to the middle east, once in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm and again in the mid 2000’s to Afghanistan where he was attached to a US Marine unit. Derrin achieved the rank of chief (E-7) and was very proud of his time as a reservist and greatly benefited from the training he received and the skills he developed.

Derrin was known as a devoted friend and colleague – a man who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. One of his Navy colleagues says Derrin valued those he supervised and provided mentorship as well as making sure they had what they needed to be successful at work. He was equally devoted to his fellow firefighters and truly enjoyed representing SDFD with pride and excellence. His path to becoming a firefighter was somewhat unusual… Derrin had a friend who was interested in becoming a firefighter and Derrin offered to drive his friend to the testing site on test day. Because Derrin had to wait for his friend to complete the test, he went ahead and took the test himself. Derrin did well and was hired by SDFD a short time later.

Derrin is survived by his son D’Andre, father Mr. Eugene Austin; brothers - Derrick and Trevor, twin brother Darren, half-sister Cindy Sutherland and sister-in-law Deborah Austin; nieces and nephews– Shavonne, Evonne, Diaja, Tyler, DeMarcus and DaVonte Austin, Tenelle and Nia Sutherland, Arthur Richardson and Cabria Roush.

SDFD and the Austin family are planning a memorial to honor Derrin.