Donald Wayne Hubbel died February 1‚ 2008‚ after conducting training evolution drills at the Baltimore City Fire Department’s training academy.

Born in Baltimore‚ he was a 1983 Overlea High School graduate. He attended classes at Essex Community College and later took numerous fire science courses. He served in the US Navy and later worked as an electrician. After joining the fire department in 1993‚ he was initially assigned to the Glen Avenue truck company. He was promoted to emergency vehicle driver and assigned to Truck 18 and then to Rescue 1. After becoming a lieutenant at Engine 52‚ he returned to Rescue 1. He was promoted to captain and headed Squads 47 and 54‚ and most recently returned to Rescue 1 in downtown Baltimore.

Captain Hubbel was part of the department’s Special Operations Command‚ a member of the city’s special rescue operations team‚ a rescue specialist for the Maryland Task Force II‚ and other area rescue units. He was an adjunct instructor at the fire academy‚ where he loved teaching recruits. During his career‚ Captain Hubbel received numerous department commendations for outstanding acts of service and many distinguished service awards‚ including a Meritorious Conduct Medal‚ an Exemplary Performance Medal and four Distinguished Unit Citations.

In 2003‚ he assisted after Tropical Storm Isabel struck the Baltimore area‚ and in 2005‚ he went to St. Bernard Parish‚ Louisiana‚ to help with rescue and recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.

He was the beloved husband of 10 years of Diane M. (Marino) Hubbel; devoted father of Amanda A. and Tabitha M. Hubbel; devoted stepfather of Nicholas J.‚ Michael F. and Andrew D. Stromberg; beloved son of Wayne J. Hubbel and the late Carol Fuller; dear stepson of Maryalice Ditzler-Hubbel; and the dear brother of C. Debbie Shifflet and Susan M. Hubbel. His stepson‚ Nicholas Stromberg‚ completed the Baltimore City Fire Academy the same day that Captain Hubbel died.

‘He was extremely level-headed and liked the challenge of assessing an emergency situation and then figuring out how to best handle it‚’ said Division Chief Joe Brocato.