Thousands of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and members of the community were on hand for a memorial service Monday morning to honor a Ventura County firefighter who died in a traffic accident while fighting a brush fire in Santa Barbara County.
Ryan Osler died September 21st, when a tanker truck being used to fight the Canyon brush fire on Vandenberg Air Force Base overturned. Around 3,000 people were on hand for the memorial service at Calvary Community Church, in Westlake Village.
Osler had been with the department for 18 years. Like his father, he was an engineer, who among other things drove fire trucks. He had been stationed in Moorpark. Family friend Mike Hammer says they are overwhelmed by the support, especially firefighters coming to the memorial from around the state for the memorial.
Firefighters and dispatchers from surrounding counties stepped up to cover emergency services in Ventura County. It allowed the more than 500 members of the county’s fire department, as well as dispatchers to attend the memorial.
After the service in Westlake Village, there was a motorcade on Highway 101 to Camarillo for a private funeral service.
Osler leaves behind a wife, and two children.
