Dan Dugan Takes Reins at DC Firefighters

If the name of the new President of Firefighters Local 36 sounds familiar, that’s because Dan Dugan’s roots spring from his father, Jim Dugan, the well-known President of the Pressmen’s Union who were locked out at the Washington Post in 1975. Dan Dugan, 44, hadn’t planned on being a firefighter, much less a union leader like his dad. “I kind of fell into it through friends who were volunteer firefighters,” Dugan tells UNION CITY. In January, Dugan marked his 20th year as a firefighter, accepting a promotion to Lieutenant at the Tower 3 firehouse at 13th and L and taking over as President of Local 36 when Ray Sneed – who served a record 12 years as President – retired. In Dugan’s twin roles, he does more than fight fires and negotiate contracts. “We’re really an all-hazards department,” says Dugan. From rescuing tangled window-washers to dealing with hazardous materials, DC’s 2,200 firefighters have their hands full handling over 100,000 EMS calls a year. “Anything from a heart attack to stubbed toe,” says Dugan. “And since 9/11 we get calls for white powder hazardous alerts all the time.” Taught the importance of unions from childhood  -- he remembers walking the picketlines as a teen with his dad in 1975 – Dugan got involved in the firefighters union when he was still a rookie and has taken on various responsibilities ever since. A major issue for the union now is inadequate disability benefits “that leave people around the poverty level, unable to support their families,” says Dugan, who notes that the danger and stress of firefighting contribute to higher incidences of illness and early death. Married for twenty years, Dugan has a 16-year-old daughter and in his spare time – which he says there’s precious little of since he became President – he loves to ride his Harley Davidson motorcycle.
- report/photos by Chris Garlock