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Procession honors fallen Calif. firefighter

CAL FIRE Fire Apparatus Engineer Christopher Ward suffered a medical emergency while on duty

By Bill Carey
FireRescue1

MONTEREY, Calif. — The CAL FIRE San Benito-Monterey Unit announced the on-duty death of Fire Apparatus Engineer Christopher Ward on Aug. 29.

Ward began his career with CAL FIRE in June 2020 as a seasonal firefighter with the San Benito-Monterey Unit and was promoted in 2022 to serve as a fire apparatus engineer on the Pinnacles Fire Crew, KSBW reported.

A procession was held on Sept. 3 traveling on Highway 101 and passing through Salinas before ending at the Hollister Funeral Home.

Ward is survived by his wife, Faith, and their children, Rebeca and Evan. A private ceremony will be held in Hollister on Saturday to honor his life.

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