"Hard Boots to Fill" Godfrey Mayor Remembers Fallen Hero

GODFREY - Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick said fallen firefighter, Captain Jacob Ringering was a "professional" firefighter.

Ringering was killed Tuesday evening while fighting a blaze, which had fully engulfed a home in the 4600 block of Culp Lane in Bethalto. The Godfrey Fire Protection District was one of several nearby departments answering the box alarm call for mutual aid. Ringering was severely injured when a portion of a wall collapsed on him. His fellow firefighter Luke Warner was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital in stable condition after that wall collapsed on him as well.

A press conference scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Godfrey Fire Station #1 was rescheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon to give Godfrey Fire Protection District Chief Erik Kambarian to return to the area.

While the Godfrey Fire Protection District and Village of Godfrey are not directly connected, McCormick said he had several meetings with Ringering regarding funding toward a new fire engine for the village. McCormick said Ringering always conducted himself professionally, adding he would often give presentations on behalf of the Godfrey Fire Protection District regarding their needs, acting as a spokesperson for his fellow firefighters.

"Those will be hard boots to fill," McCormick said Wednesday morning.

When asked if the village planned on doing something to commemorate its fallen hero, McCormick said he had some ideas, but said it was too soon to make a comment toward that regard at this time.

Friends of Ringering said he wanted to be a firefighter since he was a young child.

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