Colleagues paid tribute to a firefighter killed by a vehicle nine years ago in Thousand Palms.
Fire Apparatus Engineer Christopher Douglas, 41, was killed on July 5, 2013, when he was struck by a vehicle on the I-10 on-ramp at Monterey Avenue as he was getting ready to respond to an incident
Before his death, Douglas was an 8-year veteran of CAL FIRE. Douglas was a member of CAL FIRE Engine Company 35, based at the Roy Wilson Station in Thousand Palms but lived in Temecula with his wife and two-year-old child. CAL FIRE crews gathered at the site of the deadly crash on Monday, planting a flag in his honor.
"This is what we do. We respect and honor and love. Each and every one of the firefighters, we're a family. They're our second family. And when something like this happens, we need to make sure that family is taken care of, and that we continue to honor Chris and his passing," said Retired CAL FIRE Captain Scott Visyak.