Memorial Services Announced for Firefighter Killed By Pickup in Thousand Palms

Firefighters from Southern California will gather Friday to pay their respects to Cal Fire firefighter Christopher Douglas, who was killed last week while responding to an emergency incident near Palm Desert.

"A celebration of Christopher’s life with full Line of Duty Death fire service honors, will take place this Friday, July 12 at 3 p.m.," the Riverside County Fire Department announced.  

That service will be held near Douglas' hometown of Temecula, at The Bridge Church, 38801 Calistoga Drive in Murrieta.

The 41-year-old was struck by a Ford F-150 on the shoulder of eastbound Interstate 10 at the Monterey Avenue on-ramp about 9:40 a.m. Friday, where his engine truck was stopped.

Douglas, an apparatus engineer and paramedic, had been driving the engine and was struck by the pickup when he got out of the rig, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Stephanie Hamilton.

Douglas, an eight-year Riverside County Fire Department veteran based in Thousand Palms, was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he died about three hours later.

Douglas and his crew had been responding to a rollover crash on I-10 near Washington Street, and officials have not said why the engine stopped on the Monterey on-ramp.

Douglas, who has been with Cal Fire for nearly a decade, worked out of Fire Station 35 in Thousand Palms. 

He leaves behind his wife Amy, who is expecting their second child, and their 2-year-old son Samuel. 

Cards can be sent to the family in care of:

The Douglas Family
c/o CDF Firefighters Local 2881
21160 Box Springs Rd Suite #105
Moreno Valley, CA 92557

From Cal Fire: 

Due to the overwhelming response of the public and partnering public safety agencies, CDF Firefighters Local 2881 has established a site dedicated to those who wish to make a donation to benefit the Douglas family; click here for more information.

Public safety agencies that wish to send apparatus for the memorial static display, click here.

– City News Service contributed to this report.