John Whyte grew up in San Diego and joined the San Diego Fire Department in 1966. John was often called "the calm in the eye of a fire storm." When the biggest fires hit, his organizational skills became a great asset. He genuinely cared for the firefighters under his command and would lend whatever help he could. John also volunteered his time teaching fire safety to local schools and working with his church. In 1995, he lost his battle with job-related cancer.