Hollis Franks was hired into the Alameda County Fire Patrol in 1973. During his 40 year fire service career, he received numerous unit citations including the California State Firefighter Medal of Valor. Franks' commitment extended beyond the firehouse to the entire country. He served 33 years in the military and received three different awards for acts of heroism during the Vietnam War. Franks passed away in June 2012 after a brief but valiant battle with jobrelated lung cancer.