March honors fallen firefighter

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David K. Flaherty
  • 452nd AMW public affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  A firefighter from March Air Reserve Base' s 452nd Fire Emergency Services was killed Saturday morning in an off-base motorcycle accident.

Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Ricardo Villalobos, 28, was a native of Escondido, Calif., and had been assigned to the 452nd FES for over four years.

"He was one of my best firefighters," said Eliot M. Cooper, the Assistant Fire Chief for the 452nd FES. "He would walk into the room with a presence. People knew he was there. He didn't ask for that presence, it was just with him."

Family and friends gathered Sunday morning at the base flag pole to honor Sergeant Villalobos in a Ringing of the Bell ceremony, a fallen fire fighter tradition.

"The ringing of the bell symbolizes the fire fighter coming home for the last time," said Jeff Konersman, the Fire Chief for the 452nd FES. "We did the ceremony specifically for him this morning, but one will also be done at his funeral."

Sergeant Villalobos was assigned to the March fire department's rescue truck. As a rescue man, he was the first to respond in emergency situations.

"It's a specialized job to be a rescue man," said Chris Christianson, a fire engineer with the 452nd FES. "When you fight a fire, the rescue crew goes in to search the building for victims. As a fire fighter, the rescue truck is the top tier that you can be on."

Sergeant Villalobos' death greatly impacts everybody at the fire department, said Fire Chief Konersman. Because today was to be Sergeant Villalobos' first day back to work, the base flag was lowered to half staff to honor the fallen fire fighter.

"Ricardo was a solid, courageous and responsible to all who knew him," said Assistant Fire Chief Cooper. "He will be missed and I will be hard pressed to fill his position with another person of his abilities and presence."

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

A viewing will be held Sunday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1160 South Broadway,
Escondido, Calf., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

The funeral will be held Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church at noon, immediately followed by a procession to Oak Hills Memorial Park.

For more information about the memorial service or funeral arrangements, contact the 452nd Fire Emergency Services' assistant chief on duty at (951) 655- 2075.