People Who Made a Difference:

Supervisor Kenneth Hahn
August 19, 1920 - Ocotober 12, 1997

On October 12, 1997, the citizens of L.A. County and the Los Angeles County Fire Department lost a great patron. On this date, former 2nd District Supervisor, Kenny Hahn passed away.

Kenny Hahn was born on August 19, 1920. He was a native Californian, born and raised in the Los Angeles area. His education was begun at 61st. Grammar School. He also attended John Muir Jr. High School (Class of 1938). He received his Bachelor of Arts at Pepperdine University. His education was interrupted when he served in the U.S. Navy during the 2nd World War. When the war ended, he resumed his educaiton and earned a Masters Degree in Education at USC.

At the tender age of 26 years of age, Kenny Hahn was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. At the time he was elected, he was the youngest person ever elected to the L.A. City Council. In 1952, he repeated this feat when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. This election to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors was the first, of a record 10, four year terms (1952-1992).

The complete list of his accomplishments are too numerous to list, but here are some highlights. Kenny Hahn began his tenure as the 2nd District Supervisor in full stride. He forged a personal relationship with Walter O'Malley that resulted in the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to Los Angeles in 1958. In 1962, he established the freeway call box system. These call boxes now line the freeways of Southern California and are widely seen in many other communities.

Supervisor Hahn nurtured the Los Angeles County Fire Department. In 1970, he started the L.A. County Paramedic Program and assigned this program to the L.A. County Fire Department. The paramedic program has grown considerably, but its mission is largely unchanged from the way Supervisor Hahn envisioned it. His guidance enabled the L.A. County Fire Department to become the world class fire department that it is today. In many ways, the Fire Department reflects Kenny Hahn's personality - one of community service, regardless of who they are.

Kenny Hahn served his community with distinction for 40 years. He was a man that Presidents and other dignitaries wanted to have a photo session with because they knew that Kenny Hahn vigorously represented the ordinary citizen. He will be sorely missed.

(Volume 6, issue 3, November 1997 of the Fire Warden newsletter)

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