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GODFREY – Described as a “well-respected man” and a professional by Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick, Captain Jacob Ringering of the Godfrey Fire Protection District died in the line of duty at the age of 37 Tuesday evening.
Ringering and his fellow Godfrey firefighter Luke Warner were injured when the wall of a home, located in the 4600 block of Culp Lane in Bethalto, collapsed from the fully-engulfed home onto a group of firefighters from Godfrey and Bethalto who were responding through mutual aid to the scene. Warner was airlifted to a St. Louis area hospital in stable condition, but Capt. Ringering perished from his injuries.
In order to help, BackStoppers, an organization dedicated to helping the families of fallen first responders who perish in the line of duty, announced it was assisting Ringering's family through a Wednesday release on the organization's website. Ringering left behind a wife and three young children when he passed. The release said his family was in the prayers of all involved with Backstoppers.
“A hero lost his life yesterday while helping those in need,” Chief Ron Batelle, Executive Director of The BackStoppers, said in that release. “Our sympathies go out to his family and we want them to know we'll be there to support them as they cope with this tragedy now and for years to come.”
The BackStoppers organization, which is well-known through its “Guns and Hoses” fundraiser pitting police and firefighters against each other in friendly competition within a ring, currently supports around 80 families of fallen first responders with as many as 65 dependents.
Assistance provided by the organization is ongoing as well as immediate. The family of a fallen first responder is granted a check for $10,000 upon their loved one's passing, which they can use for whatever they need.
“We recognize the tremendous sacrifices that public servants make every day when they go to work,” the release on its website states. “We understand the burdens placed on surviving spouses and children when tragedies occur. We believe our community has an obligation to care for the loved ones of those who have protected us. We accept that responsibility to make that happen.”
Anyone wanting to help with Ringering's family or any other fallen first responder may donate to BackStoppers by joining online or mailing a donation to The BackStoppers, Inc. at P.O. Box 795168 in Saint Louis, Missouri, 63179-0700.
Chris Rhodes, who operates the Madison County Scanner Page on Facebook and works as a freelance writer and photographer for Riverbender.com, said he knew Captain Ringering since they were small children. He said Ringering always wanted to be a firefighter like his father, Larry, who was the East Alton Fire Chief for a time. Larry was eventually coordinator of the Madison County Emergency Management team.
"He was always smiling, always laughing, and joking," Rhodes said of Capt. Ringering. "He was always a happy guy and kid. Since he was old enough to know he always wanted to be a firefighter. Growing up we were very close when we were young. Our families still go out to dinner with his dad and step mom and the families have always been close."
Funeral arrangements were being made for Ringering Wednesday morning, and no details on those are available at this time. A press conference with more details is set at the Godfrey Fire Station #1 at 3 p.m. after being rescheduled from an original 9 a.m. time slot to ensure Godfrey Fire Protection District Chief Erik Kambarian could be in town and in attendance.
Mayor McCormick said a way to honor the fallen firefighter is currently “in the works” from the village, which is not directly connected to the fire protection district, but said it was too soon to comment regarding what such a tribute may look like.
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