BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A long-lived legacy at the Kern County Fire Department has recently passed away; however, his impact will live on forever.
Bob Lechtreck was born in 1925 and just recently celebrated his 100th birthday this past April. At just 17 years old, he joined the Navy and served in World War II. He helped commission and later decommission the USS Rowe, spending most of his time in the Pacific — including during the Battle of Okinawa. He was also there when Japan signed its official surrender.
After the war, Lechtreck moved to Bakersfield and joined the Kern County Fire Department. He served for 30 years, eventually becoming the department’s fifth fire chief.
Nick Dunn, is a Retired KCFD Fire Chief and he tells me, “He came on right after WWII, and so he had that experience. He was just a guy who was ahead of his time — with his education and the things he wanted to accomplish in the department. When he came up through the ranks, he was old-school, but he started changing with the dynamic shifts in the fire service.”
Nick Dunn followed in Lechtreck’s footsteps, becoming the 11th fire chief of the department — working alongside Bob Lechtreck Jr.
“My dad and I overlapped one year — I came to work in ’76, and he retired in ’77. So, there was a Bob Lechtreck in the Kern County Fire Department for 62 consecutive years. Not everybody liked that there was a Bob Lechtreck around for that long — but there was.” Lechtreck said.
Both Dunn and Lechtreck Jr. say they learned so much from Bob Sr. And it wasn’t just the fire department that thought highly of him — so did the community.
Mayde Hurley, is a caregiver at Brookdale but more importantly she said he was her friend. “He was funny, he was a smart man, and he had a lot of respect for a lot of individuals in the community — not just me. He really made contributions to our county and locally as well.”
Many say his legacy is one that should never be forgotten — as he was part of America’s Greatest Generation. Everyone who knew Mr. Lechtreck says the same thing — he was a true hero.
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