201901.27
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Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz dies at 54 after 3 decades serving Orange County

by in News

The Orange County firefighting community reeled at the sudden loss of Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz on Sunday, Jan. 27, just weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

  • Fullerton firefighter Rebecca Duran-Brown (L) wipes tears from her eyes after taking part in a funeral procession for Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz, who died suddenly of stage 4 pancreatic cancer on Sunday, Jan. 27. Duran-Brown said she worked with Shcultz for 22 years during his tenure as a deputy chief with the Fullerton Fire Department. (Eric Licas, Orange County Register / SCNG)

  • Firefighters embrace as they cope with the loss of Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz, a 35-year rescue veteran whose decades of service reached throughout Orange County. In addition to leadership roles with the Garden Grove and Fullerton/Brea Fire Departments, he also trained hundreds of firefighters over the past 25 years in his role as an instructor at Santa Ana College. (Eric Licas, Orange County Register / SCNG)

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  • Firefighters salute the casket of veteran firefighter and Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz, who died suddenly on Sunday, Jan. 27 after being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in January. (Eric Licas, Orange County Register SCNG)

  • Firefighters wait at
    McAulay & Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton for the passage of a funeral procession for Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz, who died suddenly at the age of 54 on Sunday, Jan. 27 after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. (Eric Licas, Orange County Register / SCNG)

  • Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz unveils a plaque during a ceremony for the opening of the new Garden Grove Fire Department station 6 on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz is shown in this April 2015 file photo. (Nick Koon/Staff photographer/Orange County Register)

  • Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz in Garden Grove on April 30, 2015. (Photo by Nick Koon, Orange County Regsiter/SCNG)

  • Garden Grove Fire Chief Tom Schultz in Garden Grove on April 30, 2015. (Photo by Nick Koon, Orange County Regsiter/SCNG)

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Firefighters learned of Shultz’s illness about two weeks before he died, said Garden Grove Fire Capt. Thanh Nguyen. He said the veteran firefighter’s wife of 30 years and their three children were with him when he passed at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton at about 12 p.m. He was 54.

“In early January, Chief Schultz sought medical care at St. Jude Medical Center after experiencing abdominal discomfort at home,” said a GoFundMe page set up to help his family. “After evaluation, he and his family received the news that no person ever should.  He was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic and liver cancer.  “

The news came as a shock to the many firefighters who had been affected by his nearly 35-year commitment to service, according to Nguyen. He called him a “firefighter’s firefighter” and said Schultz trained hundreds of people currently working to save lives in their communities in his role as an instructor at Santa Ana College for the past 25 years.

Dozens of emergency responders from Brea, Fullerton and Garden Grove took part in a hastily organized procession held in Schultz’s honor from St. Jude to McAualy & Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton on Sunday afternoon.

Garden Grove Mayor Steve Jones said, “Garden Grove has lost an admirable man and an exceptional leader who proudly devoted himself to protecting lives and serving a community that will forever be in his debt.”

Shultz announced in September that he intended to retire. However, he continued in a fire department leadership position at the request of City Manager Scott Stiles, according to a city news release.

“It’s been my deepest privilege to serve and protect Orange County for 34 years,” Schultz said when he announced his retirement. “This is an amazing community that has shown me their care and support since Day 1.”

He took the helm at Garden Grove Fire at the end of April, 2015. He had previously served as the deputy chief of operations for the Fullerton and Brea fire departments.

Division Chief TJ McGovern had been serving as acting fire chief during Schultz’s illness, and will head the department until a decision is made regarding who will succeed Schultz.

In the wake of the chief’s sudden death, Nguyen urged residents to regularly screen themselves for cancer.

“If anyone could have fought this it was Tom,” said Nguyen. “But, unfortunately, the community lost a good man to a terrible, terrible disease.”