Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick Jr. were heading out on a search for a missing person late Saturday afternoon in Berks County. They were doing what volunteer firefighters always do — stepping up when others need help.

Their utility vehicle, driving on the side of Route 222, was hit by a Toyota Camry on Route 222 that swerved, hit them and came to rest alongside a pole.

Buck, of Fleetwood, was pronounced dead in the Emergency Department at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest.

Shick, 56, was transported to Reading Hospital, where he also died from his injuries.

Buck and Shick, of the Walnuttown Fire Company, were veteran members of the department, having joined the volunteer ranks as teens. That’s decades of training, answering calls and dedicating hours of leadership.

The driver of the sedan was charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, reckless driving, involuntary manslaughter, careless driving – unintentional death and related offenses.

The charges on paper don’t begin to measure what was taken from Walnuttown and from every fire company that understands what it means to serve.

On the Saturday before Easter, both had plenty of other things they could have been doing. But they selflessly answered the call and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Both leave behind families and gave it their all every day to serve the community.

And when tragedy hits one company, it becomes every fire company’s grief.

In this time of grief and tragedy, fire companies from around the state joined in mourning the senseless sacrifice. That pain extends to every volunteer and every family member who has held dinner while their family member was on a call.

Tributes on Facebook poured in from the brotherhood and sisterhood of firefighters throughout the state.

For some departments, this grief is not new. It reopens wounds that never fully heal.

That pain is too raw for New Tripoli Fire Company, who lost members Zach Paris and Marvin Gruber, who were fighting a fire in West Penn Township in December 2022.

Members from New Tripoli and Lynnport Community Fire Company No. 1 were among the many who paid their respects as Shick was escorted from Reading Hospital to the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.

The Germansville Fire Department showed its support on Facebook. “Rest easy chiefs you died working to protect your community and its members. There is no more honorable deed than laying one’s life on the line for another. God speed gentlemen.”

Palmerton Fire Department posted, “The loss of these two devoted leaders and brothers in the fire service is deeply felt, as they exemplified the values of selflessness, courage, and unwavering dedication to others that define the volunteer fire service. Through their tireless efforts, they consistently prioritized the needs of others, answering calls with unshakable commitment. During this challenging time, the Palmerton Fire Department stands in solidarity with you, acknowledging that while their absence will be deeply felt, their enduring legacy will continue to inspire every call responded to and every firefighter they mentored. Please be assured that our fire service family is here to support you. May Chief Buck and Assistant Chief Shick rest in peace, knowing we’ll take it from here ...”

The words used to describe the fallen firefighters could be used in connection with every single volunteer serving locally and across the state: selflessness, courage, unwavering commitment.

Every community member should feel the loss. We take these volunteers for granted until something like this shakes us out of complacency. We count on them to show up in the middle of the night, in the snow, in the worst moments — often with aging equipment and too few hands.

We push for justice for Buck and Shick.

But we should all remember them by supporting our local fire companies. Donate. Volunteer. Show up at fundraisers. Slow down to help keep them safe.

And remember to say thank you.

MARTA GOUGER | mgouger@tnonline.com