Hundreds of public safety workers are expected to be among those on hand for a memorial service in Santa Barbara County Wednesday for a Santa Barbara County based firefighter who died in a traffic accident.
Los Padres National Forest Battalion Chief Gary Helming died August 31st when he was returning home to the Central Coast after helping to battle a forest fire in Central California. Helming was southbound on Highway 41 near Kettleman City when a tire blew out in a northbound pickup truck, causing a head-on crash. The 47 year old firefighter was pronounced dead at the scene.
The memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Pacific Christian Center, in Santa Maria. It’s open to the public, but with firefighters from around the state expected to be on hand, space is limited.
