Veteran firefighter loses cancer battle

Sara Thomas, a local firefighter with CAL FIRE, lost a battle against cancer late Monday night.

Thomas, 41, was a mother of 7-year-old twin girls. Thomas was diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer in December of 2015.

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 met with her last June during a charity golf event held to raise money for her treatment. At the event, Thomas seemed to know her firefighting days were behind her.

A Sara Thomas Cancer Fund was set up on GoFundMe as she was battling the disease.

“I love being a firefighter,” Thomas said. “It was everything. I worked hard. I worked 15 years to get to where I am at, and I am truly going to miss it,” Thomas added.

A small procession carried Thomas’ body from her home in Desert Hot Springs to the Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cathedral City early Tuesday morning before sunrise.

“All of us are very saddened by the loss against a courageous battle against cancer that she lost this morning.” said CalFire-Riverside County Capt. Fernando Herrera.

“She gave it 100 percent all the time in protecting the citizens of the state of California as well as Riverside County and she will truly be missed by all of us who were fortunate enough to work alongside her all these years,” Capt Herrera added.

“We fought a lot of fires down here when she was working out of the Indio Battalion out of station 80 working down there she fought a lot of residential structure fire. Down here there is a different it’s a different type of firefighting. She won’t be forgotten she will always be in our heart with our memories and that is where we are going to carry her forever,” concluded Capt. Herrera.

KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will have more information on her memorial plans and reaction from the firefighting community on Tuesday night.

(Photo tweeted out by Cal Fire November 10, 2016 showing support for Sara Thomas)

Riverside County Fire Chief John R. Hawkins released the following statement about the death of Sara Thomas:

Sara Thomas, 41 year old CAL FIRE Firefighter passed away early this morning, January 31, 2017. She passed away at her Desert Hot Springs home surrounded by her loving family. Her husband Isaac, twin daughters Olivia and Mirna were with her when she passed. She dealt with a long and courageous battle against cancer. Sara was an amazing warrior, she fought to the very end. She is survived by her husband, daughters and will dearly be missed by her family and friends.

Sara Thomas has been a firefighter with CAL FIRE for 16 years. Sara started her career as a seasonal Firefighter 1 in the CAL FIRE Monte Vista Unit on May 15, 2000. Then in June 2002, she transferred to the San Benito-Monterey Unit on May 15, 2000. Then in June 2002, she transferred to the San Benito-Monterey Unit until July 2004 when she then transferred to the Riverside Unit as a limited term Firefighter II. Between 2004 and 2007, Sara worked in both San Benito-Monterey and Riverside Units. In April 2008, she accepted a permanent Firefighter ii position with the Riverside Unit. Sara spent most of her career serving citizens of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County until her passing. Her last assignment was at Fire Station 80, North Indio.

Arrangements for Firefighter Sara Thomas have not been finalized; more information will be provided as it becomes available.

Everyone is so sorry to hear of Sara’s passing. I want to express my most sincere sympathies from the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire family to the Thomas family during this difficult time. Sara was a highly valued and a respected member of our team here, and the effects of her passing are already being felt by her fellow Fire family. We shall always miss Firefighter Sara Thomas but shall never forget her contributions and her genuine heart for her real and fire families.

John R. Hawkins, Unit & Fire Chief
CAL FIRE & Riverside County Fire Department
Twitter @JHawkFire