Cause
of Death: Smoke Inhalation
End of Watch: January 8, 1966
Date of Incident: January 8, 1966
Age: 46
Rank: Firefighter
Status: Career
Badge Number:
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Assignment:
Final Alarm: Engine Company #10 (Culebra)
Nature of Death: Smoke inhalation from fighting vacant warehouse fire.
Firefighter Joe G. Ramirez, 46, a decorated 17-year veteran of the SAFD responded to a multiple alarm blaze on the afternoon of Saturday January 8, 1966. He and his company, Engine #27, responded were dispatched on the second alarm of what became a three-alarm fire. In the process of fighting the fire at 1301 W. Martin, near Salado Street, firefighter Ramirez was overcome by heavy smoke and collapsed. Firefighter Charles Havel was manning the line inside the warehouse with Ramirez. When the smoke became too intense, Havel yelled out to Ramirez, “ Let’s get out of here Joe” but Ramirez did not respond and fell onto firefighter Havel. Ramirez was brought out of the building covered in wet ashes. He was given immediate medical attention at the scene and Father Cecil Barron of St. Franciso DiPaola Church administered last rites to firefighter Ramirez as he was being given oxygen.
Firefighter Ramirez was pronounced dead upon arrival at Santa Rosa Hospital. Firefighter Joe Ramirez was called, “one of the best” by other firefighters and had the reputation for always being out on the front line of a fire. Ramirez was the recipient of “The Fireman of the Year Award” in 1963. The fire that killed Ramirez also injured several other firefighters. Lieutenant. Charles Ehrlich was one of the injured. Lieutenant Ehrlich was killed in the line of duty seven years later.
His Captain was Fidel Mena and the others that were on his shift were Fernando Boncini and Fred Meyers.
Ramirez was laid to rest at Fort Sam National Cemetery and was survived by his wife and two children. His son, Joe Jr., states: "I consider him one of the greats. A few years before he died his fire engine was hit by an armored truck. He flew over both and suffered some injuries. He pulled a few folks out of fires. Many stories about him."