Walt Johnson, Volunteer, Finally Achieves Stardom

Walt Johnson’s selfless and untiring efforts for 21 years on behalf of his fellow Fountain Valley residents earned him a place among the stars last week when his name was engraved into the sidewalk at Star Plaza at the new Staples Center.

The walkway at 1111 S. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles is adorned with just 80 stars, honoring Southern Californians who have contributed unusual amounts of time and effort to their communities, said Virginia Farrell, a spokeswoman for Staples, the office supplies store that sponsored the stars.

The 83-year-old Johnson responded humbly to the honor, saying he was happy to draw attention to the need for disaster preparedness, a cause he spearheaded in Fountain Valley in 1978, when he retired from his day job as an industrial engineer.

Not satisfied with just hiking and fishing, Johnson joined the city’s Neighborhood Watch program and, as part of his service to the organization, compiled a list of thousands of people with disabilities throughout the city so that, in the case of a disaster, public servants will be able to assist them immediately. The list is updated every few months.

“He worked full time as a volunteer,” Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Jim Perry said. “There aren’t very many people who are more dedicated to their community than this man.”

Johnson’s passion for disaster preparedness began in 1933, when the then 16-year-old watched a 6.5-magnitude earthquake wreak havoc in Long Beach.

“I was in a service station and saw the steeple of a church collapse,” he remembered. “I was scared that power lines would collapse on top of me.”

All of the schools except one completely collapsed, he said, and he had to attend school in mobile homes. Although the “Big One” hasn’t struck Orange County yet, Johnson says that that when it does, he hopes his efforts will help the community survive it.

Another Johnson project, collecting donated material for the city’s 250 Neighborhood Watch signs, took an estimated 1,000 hours, Perry said. The Watch program has since become “the eyes and ears” of the Police Department, and Johnson has become a familiar face to many officers on the force. In 1996, the Fountain Valley City Council declared Jan. 19 “Walt Johnson Day,” in gratitude for the 28-year resident’s contributions.

His biggest achievement, Johnson added, is not disaster preparedness but his successful marriage.

In August, he celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary with his wife, Rita.

Ellen McCarty can be reached at (714) 965-7172, Ext. 14