NVFC Mourns the Loss of VA Board Member, J. Allen Brennan

February 4, 2020

Longtime National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) board member J. Allen Brennan passed away on January 30. He served as a director from Virginia for 11 years and was a passionate leader in the fire service at the local, state and national level.  He was 79.

“The NVFC mourns the loss of our friend and respected colleague Allen Brennan,” said Chair Steve Hirsch. “Allen was a straight-shooter who told it how it was and we appreciated this about him.  He fought for the rights of America’s volunteer firefighters admirably. Our thoughts and prayers are with Allen’s family and friends at this difficult time. He will be greatly missed by everyone.”

Brennan served on many NVFC committees over the years and was the founding and only Chair of the Advocacy Committee.  The committee advocates for the rights of volunteer firefighters nationwide. He worked tirelessly to ensure the voice of the volunteer firefighter was fairly represented at the local, state and national level.

Brennan’s lifelong passion was the fire service. Allen was a volunteer member of the Fredericksburg (VA) Fire Department most of his adult life.  He served as the President of the VA State Firefighters Association (VSFA) in 1985-1986 and President of the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA) in 2004. He was a founding member of the CVVFA President’s Council that meets regularly with volunteer fire officials in the mid-Atlantic for the betterment of the volunteer fire service.

Allen’s family also was heavily involved in public safety. His late father was a police officer. Wife Sharon and daughter Karen, who predeceased him, were both past presidents of the Auxiliary to the VSFA. Karen was also a certified firefighter and paramedic.

Allen is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Garnet, who was also a president of the state Auxiliary, son in-law Stephen and grandchildren Joe and Sarah.

Family visitation will be held at Covenant Funeral Service in Fredericksburg on Friday, February 7 from 5 PM to 8 PM. The funeral service will be held at Fredericksburg Baptist Church on Saturday, February 8 at 1 PM.