The American flag at the front of the East Pierce Fire & Rescue headquarters station in Bonney Lake was flying at half-staff Thursday (July 26).
That day, staff members and local department representatives gathered for the 10th anniversary of the death of former Chief Dan Packer, who died battling a wildfire in California in 2008, just shy of his 50th birthday.
The flag was a reminder that it was a rough week to be a first responder. On July 22, Orting Valley Fire and Rescue announced the death of Capt. Art Vazquez, who “took his own life as a result of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”, according to a Facebook post. That same day, Kent police officer Diego Moreno was fatally struck by a patrol car during a police chase.