By David Benda
The Record Searchlight
COTTONWOOD, Calif. — A memorial service for Cottonwood Fire Protection District Capt. Mark Ratledge will be held Sunday at West Cottonwood Junior High School.
Ratledge’s death is taking a heavy toll on the department where he worked for nine years. He is the first Cottonwood firefighter killed in the line of duty. “They are grieving, so that is why a lot of them are not available (for comment),” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Linda Galvan said of Ratledge’s co-workers.
Ratledge, 35, was killed Wednesday while responding to a series of spinouts on hail-covered Interstate 5 south of Anderson.
Engines from Shasta County Fire have been taking calls for the Cottonwood department since Wednesday’s accident, Galvan said.
“For them to go out on a call right now, they are not going to be 100 percent,” Galvan said, “and when you’re responding to call, you need to be there.”
The Cottonwood Fire Protection District has 13 volunteers and four paid personnel.
“It’s a very small, small department and they are getting a lot of support around the state from other departments,” Galvan said.
On Thursday, a memorial fund was set up to help Ratledge’s family. The account is at North Valley Bank, and donations are being accepted at all of the bank’s locations, spokeswoman Hilary Gorrie said. In addition, the West Valley Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary will raffle off a Smith & Wesson AR-15 with all proceeds going to a memorial fund for Ratledge’s family. Raffle information is available at 949-0147.
Gov. Jerry Brown has ordered Capitol flags to be flown at half-staff for three days in Ratledge’s honor.
The Enterprise Lions Club lowered its giant American flag in Redding on Thursday in memory of Ratledge. It was returned to full staff at sunset and will be lowered again the day of Ratledge’s service.
Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, Ratledge was helping at the site of two earlier spinouts on I-5 when a pickup heading south slid off the highway, down an embankment and hit Ratledge, California Highway Patrol officer Jason Dotzenrod and Luis Ramon Cordova II.
Dotzenrod and Cordova suffered minor injuries.
The driver of the pickup, Jered Shumaker, 31, of Redding, said he was traveling 50 to 55 mph when a vehicle alongside him started to lose control. In an attempt to avoid the vehicle, Shumaker changed lanes, but his truck started skidding. Shumaker wasn’t cited or arrested.
Ratledge was killed Wednesday morning while responding to a series of spinouts.
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