Walnuttown Fire and Rescue resumes service after deaths of chief and assistant chief

Walnuttown Fire and Rescue in Richmond Township, Pennsylvania, is back in service following the deaths of its chief and assistant chief.

The department shared on Facebook that the company is running calls again as of noon on Sunday, April 12.

"A HUGE thank you to Blandon Fire Department, Community Fire Company of Virginville, and Ruscombmanor Fire Company, for the overwhelming assistance this week," their post said. "Also a huge thank you to all the stations from all over that covered a shift at our station, everyone has been beyond wonderful."

On Saturday, April 4, Chief Jeff Buck, 60, and Assistant Chief Robert Shick, 56, were killed in the line of duty when they were hit by a driver on Route 222 in Berks County while assisting with the search for a missing woman.

The suspected driver, identified by prosecutors as 26-year-old Alexander Sepulveda-Rivera, fled from the scene but was caught a short time later. Officials said Sepulveda-Rivera, who was charged with homicide by vehicle, DUI, involuntary manslaughter and other counts, did not have a valid driver's license and was seen swerving before the crash.

In addition to resuming service, Walnuttown announced changes to its officer lineup, which will go into effect on May 1. 

Deputy Chief Brittany Shick, who followed in her father Robert Shick's footsteps and joined the department at 14 years old, will take over as chief of the department. Zachary Stufflet will serve as Deputy Chief, and Lt. Ryan Tyson will be promoted to Assistant Chief.

"Please bare [sic] with us as we work on this change and work on building up our new officers. I have 100% faith that they will do what is needed to carry on the legacy of the ones we lost," Deputy Chief Shick wrote. "We will stand strong and continue to make sure nothing happens to this station! Walnuttown Fire Company won't be going anywhere! We may have lost two great men, but that doesn't mean we're done!"

Hundreds of people attended the joint funeral for Buck and Shick on Saturday in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. 

During the service, Robert Buck, Chief Buck's son, said he'd spoken with hundreds of people who remembered his father's "infectious laugh" and warm, unselfish personality. "We didn't just lose two chiefs," he said. "We lost two fathers, two husbands, two grandfathers, two mentors, two brothers, and two friends."

Lt. Tyson said some departments traveled two to three hours for the funeral.