District Chief Ricardo A. Gonzales of the Beaumont, Texas Fire Department died on November 5 as a result of a heart attack he suffered in the line of duty almost two weeks earlier.
Gonzaes, 47, served the fire department for almost 27 years.
On October 24 Gonzales responded as the Incident Commander at a motor vehicle accident involving a rollover of one of the department's pumpers, said Assistant Fire Chief Charles Mullins. Two of the three firefighters onboard sustained minor injuries. After transporting the firefighters to a hospital in his city vehicle, Gonzales later responded to a fire alarm activation.
Later that morning, according to a USFA fatality notice, Gonzales complained of pain in his neck, a headache and flu-like symptoms. He slept at the fire station until he felt he could make the 60-mile drive home to Jasper, then left on sick leave and drove directly to his doctor's office.
Gonzales was admitted to a local hospital for having suffered a heart attack and underwent several medical procedures over the next few days. He was released from the hospital on October 29, but later suffered cardiac and respiratory arrest and died at home on November 5.
Mullins said Gonzales' death came as a shock because firefighters had been visiting him in the hospital and he seemed to be out of the woods.
Gonzales is survived by his son, daughter and a grandchild. In addition to his career as a firefighter, he enjoyed golfing and hunting. "He was a good-natured, good-humored person. He was easy to talk to, a nice guy, Mullins said. "He'll be missed by both his subordinates and his superiors. Everybody liked him."
A memorial service was held in Jasper on November 8. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Beaumont Professional Firefighters Local 399, c/o Ricky Gonzales, Hart Berwick Scholarship Fund, 1307 Wall Street, Beaumont, TX 77701.
The Beaumont Fire Department serves an urban and suburban are of 84 square miles and operates out of 12 stations with 234 career firefighters.
