Albany Resident, East Bay Fireman, Called to Duty

Inside , a man known for his humor, initiative and dedication has left to serve the nation.

Last week, Dave Winnacker began a one-year deployment with the U. S. Marine Corps. He has worked at fire stations in Newark for the past five years. 

And while the 36-year-old husband and father of two is excited to embark on a new journey, he said he will miss serving from the station that sits on Ruschin Drive. 

"It's my home away from home. …With the right crew, it's a lot of fun," said Winnacker. "This is the right crew."

Winnacker, an Albany resident and Berkeley native, has worked as a firefighter in Newark since 2006. When the Newark Fire Department became part of Alameda County Fire last year, he was promoted to fire engineer.

As an engineer, Winnacker makes sure the 43,500-pound fire truck is ready to go at any time, and keeps the crew safe while driving to emergencies. 

"I had no idea I'd be doing this as a kid," he said.

Winnacker spent most of his 20s working with the Marine Corp. When he got out in 2003, he said he was looking for a career that was fulfilling and served the community. 

"We do a little bit of everything," said Winnacker, describing tasks as big as house fires and as small as taking ducks out of stormwater pipes. Firefighters also help community members when they're hurt or sick.  

"No two days are the same," he added. "We have no idea what's going to happen in the day. What I enjoy most is we show up and solve somebody's problem. It's a very, very rewarding line of work, and we don't have to give them a bill."

He said he'll miss the work and his team, but the people he'll miss most are his wife, Corrie, and their two daughters, 2-year-old Jill and 4-year-old Sally. 

Crewmember Brian Walder said Winnacker has been a valuable asset to Newark's Fire Department, and will be missed. Walder, a firefighter and EMT, said Winnacker is known for his integrity and initiative.

"He's a hard worker, and he has a strong sense of right and wrong," Walder said. "He's always eager to do his part."

He recalled a time the team responded to a home where a woman had fallen and gotten hurt. As a result, her home was in disarray.

"He and a few other firefighters started to clean up the floor," said Walder, adding that the team even washed the towels they used to tidy the home. 

"That right there exemplifies the type of service we try to offer, and the type of worker I like to work with," Walder said.

Capt. John Whiting with Alameda County Fire often works in Union City, but has worked with Winnacker in the field. He said he worked part of Winnacker's last shift with him.

"He's always been positive, a go-getter," Whiting said. "And the best thing about him is that he's fun to be around."

Winnacker learned of his deployment about a month ago. He heads first to North Carolina, then to Sicily and on to Africa. 

He will act as executive officer in the Marine Corps unit, and plans to return to work in Newark when he comes home.

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at emilier@patch.com.