Firefighters mourn

By Danielle Seckler

   BIG BEAR LAKE- BDU Chief Tm O’Keefe and County Fire Chief John R. Hawkins of the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection in Riverside announced that City of Temecula Fire Marshal Steve Faris died on Saturday, Sept. 16th, at approximately 2:00 p.m. While off duty, Fire Marshall Faris was traveling in his Ford Explorer, eastbound on the I-10, near Mt. Vernon in the City of Colton, and apparently an accident occurred, killing Faris.

   Firefighters are a small community, which stretches across multiple fire agencies and counties. There will be sadness among them, while they mourn their fallen comrade. As it becomes known, further information on the incident will be updated here.

   All of our hearts and prayers go out to Faris’ family, including his son John and his fiancée, Shirley.

Sept. 22nd - Update:

Memorial Services for Battalion Chief Steve Faris

   BIG BEAR LAKE- the following memorial and funeral services have been scheduled for Battalion Chief Steve Faris of the CDF/Riverside County Fire Department who died in an off-duty traffic accident on Saturday, September 16:

• Saturday, September 23, 2006: Public Memorial Service at 10 a.m., Redlands East Valley High School, 31000 Colton Ave., Redlands, CA 29374. General Information: A reception will immediately follow the memorial service at the same location. Uniformed personnel are requested to wear Class A or Dress Uniforms; the only exception will be personnel arriving on fire apparatus who shall wear administrative or best available work uniform. Any fire apparatus, excluding staff vehicles, are requested to arrive at 8:30 a.m. for staging and placement of apparatus.

• Sunday, September 24, 2006: Visitation – 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Rosary – 7 p.m., Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel, 703 Brookside Ave., Redlands, CA. 

• Monday, September 25, 2006: Private funeral Mass for family and close friends only, at 10 a.m. The Holy Name of Jesus, 115 W Olive Avenue, Redlands, CA  92373.

   Chief Faris is survived by his son, John Faris of Redlands; fiancée Shirley Tholen of Lake Forest; parents Henry and Elsa Faris of Salem, Ore.; and brother Mark Faris of Canyon Lake.

   The family requests donations in lieu of flowers to the Inland Empire Council of the Boy Scouts of America for the Steven John Faris Memorial Fund, PO Box 8910, Redlands CA 92374, Attn: Bob Kelly.  This fund will benefit the National Scout Ranch in Philmont, New Mexico.  The National Scout Ranch was one of Steve’s most cherished places, which he attended with his son John.

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