GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Green Bay Metro Fire is saying that a firefighter killed in a New Year’s Eve tragedy was going above and beyond their duties to serve the public.
Lake Mills Fire Captain Christopher Truman was in Monona helping a motorist that had skidded off the road on New Year’s Eve when a drunk driver struck and killed him.
Green Bay Metro Fire Chief David Litton says this type of unprompted service doesn’t surprise him.
“This tragedy is just a perfect example, I think of the spirit of people in our profession,” says Chief Litton. “Whether they are career people or volunteer people.”
From Chief Litton’s perspective, the instinct to help, whether on-duty or not, is engrained into a firefighter.
“I think that that’s just inherent in our nature,” he explains.
A lot of the characteristics that fellow firefighters have associated with Captain Truman are the same ideals that firefighters all over the state and country believe in.
“The willingness to help the public,” explains Chief Litton. “The willingness to step in and help out without any notice.”
A Facebook message from the family of the driver who Truman had stopped to help was shared by the fire department.
“I know that all of you are grieving. I don’t know if this will help but your captain saved my daughter’s life last night. My daughter had lost control of the car and skidded. She got out of her car and was afraid and overwhelmed. He saw her and pulled behind her with his lights on. He came out of his car and told her to get back into her car. He pulled the bumper that was hanging off and then went to her window and told her he would follow her off the Beltline to safety. It was at this point that the driver hit him. My heart is in so much pain for all of you. He is my hero. Please let his wife/family know he is forever our angel. I’m just so very sorry.”
Chief Litton explains that even though the incident took place in Monona and Captain Truman was part of the Lake Mills Fire Department, the tragedy is still felt strongly in the Green Bay area, as well as all over the state.
“There are no boundary lines when it comes to something like this,” he says. “It’s a tragedy [and] it’s felt by all of us.”
Going forward, Chief Litton says the visitation for Captain Truman is being scheduled for this weekend.
“Certainly we’ll have probably several individuals out there representing Green Bay,” he says.
He adds that they typically have members of their honor guard, which is a volunteer group from within their ranks, attend occasions such as this.
