Obituary: Daniel Joseph Quinan

Dan passed away in Carson City, Nevada on April 23, 2012. He was born in Savannah, Georgia and was a true 'Rebel and Dixiecrat.'

Dan served his country with the 4th Marine Div. from 1942-1947, during WWII, where he spent most of his time in the South Pacific.

Dan's long career began as a Fire Inspector with the Pasadena Fire Department, Firehouse 1, where he worked as an Arson Investigator. He ended his career as the State Fire Marshall with the State of Nevada, 1972-1977. During his tenure as Nevada State Fire Marshall, he was crucial in implementing the fire code of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which set design requirements for sprinkler systems exclusively protecting huge and extremely high value industrial properties.

When the MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, burned shortly before Christmas of 1980, if it were not for Dan's decisions while he was the State Fire Marshall of Nevada, the death toll during that fire would have easily been 5,000 instead of the 84 lives that were claimed.

Few consider this, but fire department officials are first and foremost, government employees. When the government is working in ways that is not necessarily to the benefit of the people, even when the public good is in fact their first responsibility most government employees protect themselves or the 'system' above all else. This was not how Dan worked. He was the rare government official who put the lives of the people and the good of the public above all else, including his own well-being and even his career at times.

Dan wore many hats in his life. Among them were a Marine, Fire Inspector, and Fire Marshall; but far more important than those he was a son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and a friend. Many people were blessed to have him as an instrumental part of their lives. Those of us who had the pleasure of having Dan in our lives could go on without end on what an amazing man he was, but Dan was a man of a few well-chosen words, so we will leave it at this:

When Dan was greeted by God, it is our hope that he walked hand in hand with him through the pearly gates, where he will find a comfortable spot in his rightful place and wait patiently for those of us here on earth, who are happy that he is pain free and comfortably home.

Dan is survived by his wife, Hazel Quinan; son, Daniel Quinan; daughter and husband, Patricia and Bill Bogart, three grandsons and four great-grandchildren. Nephew, Timothy DeCoff and family, Niece Kathryn Doggett and her husband Erik Kulleseid, Niece Margaret Bennett and family.