10 months ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A retired occurrence skipper who served the Fresno assemblage for astir 30 years mislaid his conflict with crab past week.
Friends who knew him accidental Captain Walt Sickler was known for his dedication to his family, passionateness for firefighting and his larger-than-life personality.
"Walt was conscionable a immense character, conscionable a antheral that everybody loved," said Fire Captain Paul Garnier.
Paul Garnier and Captain Walt Kickler were rookie classmates backmost successful 1996.
“He was ever pushing radical to beryllium better, ever pushing radical to bash much and beryllium amended astatine what you do,” Garnier said.
Early on, Walt rapidly established himself successful the satellite of firefighting.
“He Initiated a rescue his archetypal year. He was connected probation, and that twelvemonth helium won a Firefighter of the Year award,” said Deputy Fire Chief successful Training Jonathan Chew.
Although helium was committed to the job, Chew says his devotion to his household was adjacent much inspiring.
“Walt was a fantastic dad, fantastic husband. And to spot the level of dedication that helium brought to his family, I mean, we thought helium was dedicated to the occurrence service, but boy, to his family, helium was adjacent level," helium said.
That dedication connected and disconnected the tract is wherefore Walt was chosen to beryllium captain.
“We saw those enactment qualities that helium had. And we wanted to spot his influence, you know, astatine the fertile of captain," said Chew.
In 2019, that imaginativeness became a world arsenic Walt was promoted to occurrence skipper aft spending astir of his vocation arsenic an technologist for the department.
Tragically, that aforesaid year, helium was diagnosed with cancer. Garnier says Walt's crab was straight related to firefighting.
"Walter decidedly passed from job-related cancer. I was fortunate capable to beryllium the wellness and wellness serviceman during the play erstwhile helium recovered retired that helium had cancer. So came to me, we got him squared away. You know, we shed a tear, obviously, due to the fact that truthful galore uncertainties, we don't cognize wherever this is going to go," Garnier said. "We motion up to beryllium firefighters. It's 1 of the hazards that we woody with, but it's gotten a batch amended since we started."
Chew adding determination are a batch much protections successful spot for firefighters today.
"What the section has done with the metropolis has done arsenic a effect to the dangers and hazards that firefighters face. We worked connected a batch of policy. We worked connected a batch of changes successful our enactment to get that 2nd acceptable of turnouts and those extractors to acceptable ourselves up, to equip ourselves to woody with the dangers of crab wherever it's astir america each the time," said Chew
Despite Walt's diagnosis, helium continued to service the Fresno assemblage for different 5 years earlier retiring this May.
“Walt told maine you would find him connected his past time of employment driving motortruck 11 disconnected into the sunset up Fresno Street. And erstwhile we hosted his status party, helium hopped successful that rig, and helium drove disconnected into the sunset. And that was rather a show to see," Garnier said
One happening the occurrence section volition miss is Walter’s large personality.
“We had a tiny gathering of friends and household past week, and we told a batch of stories and the laughter was truly bully medicine. It truly was, due to the fact that determination were truthful galore amusive stories," Chew said.
Walter passed distant connected Aug 6. surrounded by friends and family.
There volition beryllium a ceremonial work for Walt connected Thursday, Aug. 14 astatine 10 a.m. astatine the Well Community Church that volition beryllium unfastened to the public.
