A veteran central California firefighter was fatally shot Monday when he and others responded to a report of a dumpster fire and authorities arrested a suspect, officials said.

Fire Capt. Vidal “Max” Fortuna was shot before dawn in the city of Stockton and died at a hospital, Stockton Fire Chief Rick Edwards told reporters.

Edwards said the death is his “worst nightmare” as a fire chief.

“My message to my firefighters is to be strong. My heart breaks with you but we will get through this,” he said.

A 67-year-old man was detained at the scene and officers recovered a firearm, said interim Police Chief Jim Chraska. Homicide detectives are trying to determine what led up to the shooting, he said.

“This highlights the dangers public safety faces every day, and again, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Fortuna family,” Chraska said.

Fortuna, 47, had been a firefighter for more than two decades and is survived by his wife and two adult children, Edwards said.

Dozens of police and fire department vehicles accompanied Fortuna’s body from the hospital to a funeral home.

The flag a t Stockton City Hall was lowered to half-staff in honor of Fortuna.

Although Stockton firefighters have died doing their job, officials said it was likely the first time one was shot while on duty.

“This is something that I’ve never heard of here in the city of Stockton, firefighter being shot and killed,” police Officer Joe Silva told the Stockton Record.

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Who knew?

A visit to the Hemet Fire Station

Louie Vasquez and I had the opportunity to stop by and visit our local Hemet Fire Station #1.

We were greeted by firefighter and EMT Mathew Richer who hit it off with my service dog London. We had to reintroduce ourselves and shared a laugh and the details and reasons for our visit.

We are representatives of The Cloverlane Foundation which is collaborating with an organization called Next Steps Service Dogs which provides service dogs for veterans and is now looking into developing an organization to provide First Responders with canine support during times of distress.

We also explained how our program is based upon preemptive principles that included facility canine companions as well as outreach therapy teams.

Mathew Richer gave us a brief overview on the facilities and operations. He explained to us how their station is considered to be an “All Risk” facility. They are prepared to engage with diverse emergencies ranging from house fires and medical aid to urban search and rescue as well as hazardous material incidents. When Mathew stated, “we also carry bullet proof vests for hot zones where our lives are in danger,” we realized that the strategies we were implementing to assist First Responders was on track.

Mathew was very knowledgeable and brought to our attention the fact they receive approximately 17,000 to 18,000 calls per year split up between five stations in the surrounding Hemet field of operation. We learned a lot and Mathew said we were welcome back anytime.

This was an eye-opening and very worthwhile visit.             Thank you Matthew Richer and Hemet Fire Station #1

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Search: Hot to help Veterans

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Authorities say ten children and five adults were displaced after a blaze tore through a Hemet apartment complex earlier today, Sunday, Sept.1. Although several animals were rescued from the intense fire, at least two cats are reportedly still missing and have not been located.

The only reported injury from the destructive blaze, which erupted at a complex on the 800 block of Douglas Ct., between Johnston and W. Whittier avenues, was a firefighter who had reportedly been training just prior to the call. He was transported to Hemet Valley Hospital for treatment of heat exhaustion, according to officials at the scene.

Today’s destructive blaze was the second apartment complex fire to hit the San Jacinto valley this week, after a San Jacinto fire destroyed another complex, displacing 10 residents and their pets last Thursday, Aug. 28.

City of Hemet firefighters and police officers were dispatched to the blaze around 12:30 p.m., after receiving multiple reports of a large and growing fire at the apartment complex.

When officials arrived they reported finding a two-story complex fully engulfed in flames, with thick, black smoke billowing high into the air. Firefighters also reported that the blaze had begun to spread to nearby palm trees and other vegetation and that the fire was threatening other structures.

Based on the severity of the fire and immediate threat to other nearby apartment complexes and residents, officials at the scene requested additional support; at which time all five of the City’s engine companies, along with Cal Fire and Soboba Fire department were dispatched to the scene to assist.

In total, nearly 40 firefighters from five City and three County engine companies, along with a truck company, a paramedic squad, a Breathing Support Unit and multiple battalion commanders and fire chiefs, responded to the blaze.

After confirming all the residents had made it out of their apartments, firefighters began an aggressive attack on the blaze.

As firefighters battled the blaze from the ground, from on the roof, and from high atop the ladder truck, the fire began to rip through the complex roof, at which time firefighters had to evacuate from atop the building.

Although all the occupants were able to safely get out their apartments, two cats and two dogs were initially reported missing. The two dogs were eventually rescued from the burning building; however, as of this report, the two cats were still missing and unaccounted for. The two rescued dogs were assessed by AMR for injuries and later returned to their grateful owners.

Firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control, but the complex and all the resident’s belongings were destroyed by the fire and considered a total loss.

American Red Cross officials were summoned to the scene to assist the displaced families and a bus was brought to the location to ferry the families to a temporary shelter.

Based on the severity of the blaze and the number of people displaced, Red Cross officials made an immediate, on-scene donation of $3,000 to the affected families, who reportedly lost everything but what they were wearing when they fled in terror from their burning apartments.

Community reporters Gary Rainwater from Facebook’s Hemet Valley Incidents and Robert Carter from Public Safety Incidents later reported they were first to arrive at the scene of the blaze, arriving several minutes before firefighters.

According to witnesses, rather than film the scene of the devastating fire, the two reporters sprung into action. The pair were seen grabbing garden hoses and using them to try to douse the growing flames as they spread from the apartment into the side and back yards of the property and began threatening other nearby apartment complexes.

Once firefighters arrived at the scene, Rainwater and Carter resumed filming and documenting the blaze. Theirs and other photos and videos can be seen here.

As of this report, firefighters remain at the scene of the blaze conducting extensive overhaul and mop-up operations and are continuing to look for hot spots and extinguish other small vegetation fires as they pop up.

It is unknown how the fire started at this time, and the cause of today’s blaze is still under investigation.

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Search: 15 Displaced, Firefighter hospitalized

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