PLANO, Texas, March 12, 2020 – Plano Fire-Rescue Driver Engineer Gerald Don Becker died this morning after a long battle with cancer.
His death is classified as a Line of Duty Death (LODD) as his diagnosed occupation-related cancer is presumed to have been directly linked to his work as a firefighter and covered by the Firefighter Registry Cancer Act signed into law in July 2018.
Becker, 62, was surrounded by family and fellow firefighters as he passed at the Baylor Scott & White T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital in Dallas.
Becker grew up in Mesquite and began his career in the fire service in August 1983 when he was hired by Plano Fire-Rescue as a firefighter. He promoted to driver engineer in June 1999 and was very involved in training his fellow firefighters, especially on the compressed air foam system (CAFS) that he was quite partial to, according to PFR.
Becker, who was lovingly known as Goon at PFR, worked at several fire stations, with the last many years spent at Fire Station 3 on B shift.
He is survived by his wife, Marian, two grown sons and two grown stepdaughters.
Information on services will be shared as soon as arrangements are made.