Fire Captain Honored For Work With Corral Canyon

Los Angeles County Fire Capt. David Leary was honored Saturday for his work with the residents of Corral Canyon during a fundraiser featuring a concert by AMERICA Saturday.

The Corral Canyon Freeman Award, named after retired LA County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, honors men and women who have given "exceptional leadership, fearless honesty and devoted public service to the residents of Corral Canyon," according to Paul Morra, who organized Saturday's event.

Leary, who serves at Malibu Station No. 71, helps train nine men from Corral Canyon who participate in the county's Call Firefighter program.

All proceeds from the fundraiser went to the Corral Canyon Fire Safety Alliance (A more detailed story about the fundraiser and concert is coming soon).

Capt. Steve Swiatek, who was a past recipient of the award, said Leary works closely with the volunteers from Corral Canyon, who never complain when they train every other Saturday. The men came forward to join the Call Firefighter program following the destructive 2007 fire in Corral Canyon.

"The job of the station captain becomes even harder because they now have to deal with someone whose a lawyer, someone whose a producer, someone who is in construction and someone who likes sushi," Swiatek said, pointing to the men standing behind him, "to bring them out on the weekends and to train them up."

Leary said he was honored to receive the award, which was first given to Freeman in 2010.

"I came to Malibu and the Corral Canyon area back in 1988 as a paramedic. I always told myself I want to get back there. This is a special area that the canyon is majestic and right on the coast. It was everything I could do to get back here," Leary said, adding that he wished he could divvy up the award to Corral Canyon's nine volunteers.