San Bernardino Firefighters Mourn Loss of Friend

Two San Bernardino police motorcycles and several fire engines escorted a white hearse carrying the body of a San Bernardino firefighter, who perished during a recent family vacation, as it traveled Tuesday from Ontario to a mortuary in Menifee.

San Bernardino firefighter engineer John Ruppert, 36, a Canyon Lake resident, was electrocuted Thursday on Lake Powell in Utah. Ruppert was performing required maintenance on a houseboat generator filter when the accident happened, officials said.

His co-workers at the Fire Department were stunned to learn of their friend’s death.

“He was like a little brother to me, and I’m sure he affected many others the same way,” Capt. Mike Arvizo said. “We’ve lost a true hero, a brother and a friend.”

Ruppert joined the San Bernardino Fire Department in 2005 after leaving the Upland Fire Department.

The week before he went in front of the San Bernardino city hiring board, he heroically saved the life of an Upland fire engineer who was critically injured in a collision.

On that early March morning, Ruppert – a young firefighter/paramedic at the time – was in the rear seat of the fire engine making its way to a crash on I-10 near Fourth Street.

As the engineer tried to merge into the eastbound carpool lane, the fire engine collided with a full casino tour bus. Fire engineer Tom Barilla was ejected and suffered major chest and head injuries.

Though he had received severe head lacerations himself, Ruppert began working on Barilla. Barilla was taken by helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, and survived.

“Fire engineer John Ruppert established a culture of selflessness and heroism during his service to the San Bernardino community,” Mayor R. Carey Davis said. “I extend my prayers and sincerest condolences to his loved ones. His passing is a tragic loss to the San Bernardino community, and we stand behind his family at this difficult time.”

Memories of Ruppert playing jokes on his co-workers began to flood in.

“He was always playing jokes on everyone,” Arvizo said. “His laugh was so contagious and it never got old.”

Ruppert was an amazing person all around, retired fire Capt. Tony Giordano said.

“He loved God, his family and his fire career,” Giordano said. “He was smart, talented, funny and a true friend.”

Firefighters escorted the hearse carrying Ruppert’s body from the Ontario airport east along I-10, north on I-15, east on the 210 and south on I-215 through San Bernardino, Riverside and Perris to Menifee, where it arrived at Evans-Brown Mortuary. Along the route, fire engines waited at many freeway overpasses to pay their respects.

Miguel Hernandez, 63, of San Bernardino stood at the Base Line overpass of south I-215 to watch the procession.

“We had a fire in our garage last year and after reading a newspaper article I recognized the fireman,” Hernandez said with tears falling. “This man and all the other firemen were so nice and did everything they could for us, so I felt it was my duty to come out here and show support.”

Ruppert is survived by his wife, Kristen, and their two children, Jackson, 7, and Keira, 4.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Canyon Lake Community Church, 30515 Railroad Canyon Road.