South Kitsap Firefighter Injured In California

VENTURA COUNTY, CA — A 46-year-old Gig Harbor resident and lieutenant with South Kitsap Fire & Rescue sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries when he was hit by a truck near the Woolsey Fire in Ventura County, California last night. The firefighter has not been identified.

The collision reportedly occurred while the firefighter was sleeping in a field near Deer Creek Canyon Park shortly after 12 a.m. Nov. 15. Neither alcohol or drug impairment are suspected to have factored into the accident, officials said.

A 50-year-old Los Angeles man was reportedly driving the truck across private property when he hit the firefighter, who was sleeping near a fire engine presumably with other Washington State firefighters. The firefighter sustained injuries to his chest and the left side of his body, officials said. He was taken to Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks for treatment and evaluation.

"SKFR Fire Chief, Steve Wright, was in contact with the liaison that was with the firefighter through the morning hours, SKFR officials said in a statement released Thursday morning. "Chief Wright was relieved to hear he was okay and receiving the needed care. SKFR is thankful for the outpouring of support from our community and those in California, including the Ventura Firefighters who stood by with our crews at the hospital."

The driver did not sustain any injuries and remained at the scene, officials said, noting the driver is cooperating with the investigation.

The injured firefighter was one of several sent to assist with firefighting efforts in California on Nov. 10 as part of the Washington Strike Team 2. The firefighters were reportedly assigned to help beat back the Woolsey Fire in the area near Malibu.

As of Thursday morning, the Woolsey Fire had reportedly grown to more than 98,000 acres and was just 57 percent contained.

Previously, this post inaccurately reported the firefighter's agency as Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One. Patch was later able to confirm the firefighter is a member of the South Kitsap Fire & Rescue team and a resident of Gig Harbor. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

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PHOTO: MALIBU, CA - NOVEMBER 11: A helicopter drops flame retardant on a wildfire on November 10, 2018 in Malibu, California. The Woolsey fire has burned over 70,000 acres and has reached the Pacific Coast at Malibu as it continues grow. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)