Paying Respects to Porterville

Departments statewide, including Merced, sent firefighters to help out

The city block in Porterville where the Public Library once stood. Photo by Steve Newvine

The Porterville Library fire is a story that impacts many of us on several levels.

There’s the tragedy of two firefighters losing their lives battling the blaze, the arrest of two teens who now face charges of arson and manslaughter, as well as the loss of a community resource that served hundreds of families in the City along with many others from around this City of sixty-thousand residents.

Words come up short in trying to describe the feelings of citizens who lost two of their own.

At the heart of the story is the outpouring of help and the paying of respects to a community dealing with their loss.

This sign in front of the Porterville Elks Club announces the postponement of activities out of respect for the first responders. Photo by Steve Newvine

Upon entering the section of the downtown area where the library once stood, I spotted a sign in front of the local Elks club announcing the postponement of some events “with respect to our first responders”.

Respect seems to be the best word to describe what I saw upon my visit just a few days after the tragedy.

The fire broke out around five o’clock Tuesday evening, February 18.

Porterville Fire responded within minutes. A second alarm, signifying that more firefighting resources would be needed, was pulled within minutes of the first crew responding.

Captain Ray Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones died fighting that fire.

There are beautiful descriptions of these two heroes on the Porterville Fire Department’s Facebook page.

The community of Porterville, and others, paying respect with this display in front of the Fire Department. Captain Ray Figueroa (left) and Firefighter Patrick Jones lost their lives fighting that fire. Photos from the Porterville Fire Department Facebook page. Photo illustration by Steve Newvine.

Departments from all over the area helped out to put the fire down, and in the days following there were departments sending in resources as far away as Los Angeles.

In Merced, Deputy Fire Chief Casey Wilson told me the department sent two firefighters to Porterville the next day to help relieve others.

Public safety barriers encircled the block where the remains of the Porterville Public Library once stood. Photo by Steve Newvine

As I entered the scene, there was a public safety yellow tape serving as a barrier. I asked a police officer nearby if I could go beyond the barrier to pay my respects. He told me they were not letting anyone other than employees who worked in that area beyond the barrier so that crews could work on removing the debris.

I thanked the officer, and told him I understood that decision. This tragedy has been hard on the police department as well.

It’s been hard on all first responders.

Flags fly at half-staff out of respect for the two firefighters killed battling the February 18th fire. These flags are in front of the Porterville Police Department and the Elks Club. Photo by Steve Newvine

Porterville is about one-hundred, thirty miles south of Merced. That seems like a long way, but this tragedy is shared across California.

On the streets of Porterville, I spoke with a firefighter from outside the region as he was heading to his department vehicle.

He told me he wasn’t familiar with the area, but he was here to assist where needed.

He, like many others, were showing respect to firefighters Figueroa and Jones by doing whatever he could to help out.

That’s what good neighbors do.

Steve Newvine lives in Merced