Captain Paramedic Eric Tinkham

Queen Creek Fire Department remembers the loss of 24-year veteran Captain Eric Tinkham. Tinkham, age 44, passed away in his sleep while on duty Aug. 1, 2009 at Fire Station 2.

Tinkham was one of Queen Creek’s inaugural firefighters who started the Town’s Fire Department on Jan. 1, 2008. Prior to joining Queen Creek, he served with Rural/Metro Fire Department in east Maricopa and Pinal counties.

“As a firefighter, Eric Tinkham was fearless and driven. If he arrived at a working fire, he was going to put it out, even if he was alone, which was sometimes the case in his early days working along the Apache Trail or in rural parts of the East Valley. He had no quit in him. If it was something that others couldn't do, he would roll up his sleeves and demonstrate that difficult tasks, especially at the emergency scene, simply required a little more common sense and a lot more effort," said Van Summers, Queen Creek Fire Chief.

Tinkham is survived by his wife and three daughters. This was the department's first line of duty death.