Firefighter Dies after Rollover

[JackTee09]

Firefighter Dies After Rollover

My best wishes to the brothers in Riverside County and to the familiy.

[SafetyPro]

My prayers are with the family, friends and co-workers of our fallen brother.

-------------------
ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEAUMONT, Calif. (AP) -- A firefighter was killed and two others were injured when their fire truck rolled off a freeway while they were apparently responding to storm-related accidents, officials said.

Saturday's crash marked the first on-duty firefighter death for the Riverside County Fire Department in recent years, county fire engineer Rick Griggs said. The names of the firefighters involved in the crash were not immediately released.

The fast-moving storm that moved through the area brought strong winds that knocked over more than 50 power poles in Perris and Quail Valley. Up to 30,000 Southern California Edison customers were temporarily without power, company spokesman Paul Klein said.

Gusts knocked down trees in Banning and San Jacinto, officials said.

``All the streets were like rivers and one house had water damage,'' county fire engineer Scott Bethurum said from Banning.

However, there were relatively few accidents as most residents hunkered down to wait out the rain.

``I think it rained hard enough that people were careful,'' he said.

[SafetyPro]

The fallen FF was Chris Kanton of the CDF/Riverside County FD. The Engineer Michael Arizaga remains hospitalized at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and FF Richard Bruning received minor injuries and was treated and released.

FF Kanton is survived by his wife Kathryn. They had been married for 6 months.

Cards can be sent care of:

CDF/Riverside Co. Fire Dept
c/o Kanton Family
210 W. San Jacinto Av.
Perris CA 92570

[Res343cue]

My condolences go out to the department and the family of our fallen brother.

[captstanm1]

My condolences....God Bless...may you rest in peace brother.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Rest in peace...

[NJFFSA16]

Firefighter charged with manslaughter for engine accident

HEMET, Calif. (AP) - A Riverside County firefighter has been
charged with vehicular manslaughter for some safety slip-ups that
led to the death of a fellow firefighter in a 2005 engine accident.
Investigators say Michael Lawrence Arizaga was driving the fire
engine at about 45 miles per hour through a rainstorm when it spun
off a freeway and rolled down a 44-foot embankment.
C-H-P officers say twenty-three-year-old Christopher Kanton
wasn't wearing a seat belt and was flung from the vehicle.
Investigators say Arizaga was at fault because he failed to
switch off a special engine brake that must be deactivated in rain
or snow. They say he also should have been traveling about 15 miles
per hour slower and that it had been his responsibility to make
sure Kanton was wearing a seat belt.
He's due in court in September. He could face up to a year in
county jail if convicted.
---
Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

[cozmosis]

C-H-P officers say twenty-three-year-old Christopher Kanton wasn't wearing a seat belt and was flung from the vehicle.

Isn't the seat belt a bigger issue than the use of the jake brake?

[firefighter7160]

If the guy dident have a load on him already, now this. Sounds like some "BS" to me. Why dont they do a study and see if wearing his seat belt would have
changed anything. Hope everything works out.