The lives of two longtime Fayette County firefighters, Ralph Stegbauer and Jeffery Skaggs, were honored over the weekend at their funeral services.
FAYETTE COUNTY — The community gathered this weekend to honor the lives of two longtime Fayette County firefighters who died in a tragic accident on Nov. 25.
The main streets of Washington Court House were closed around 1 p.m. Saturday for a brief time. The procession of vehicles was about three miles long following the funeral of Concord-Green Fire Captain Jeffrey Skaggs. People lined Columbus Avenue to view the fire trucks leading the mourners to Dayton Avenue to Palmer Road en-route to the Milledgeville-Plymouth Cemetery ceremony.
Captain Skaggs received the military 21-gun salute, the Drum Core and Bagpipe escort at the cemetery, and full firefighter honors with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Last-Call and ringing of the last bell.
For Concord-Green Fire Chief Ralph Stegbauer, a memorial service honoring his life was held Saturday at Crossroads Christian Church in Washington Court House with Pastor Adam Lynch officiating with a focus on Ralph’s spiritual life and recognition of his firefighting career.
On Nov. 25, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office 9-1-1 Center received a call just after 11 a.m. of an overturned mechanical lift with injuries. First responders arriving on scene identified the victims in the overturned lift as Stegbauer and Skaggs. Both sustained fatal injuries in the accident and were pronounced dead at the scene by Fayette County Coroner Dr. Lenora Fitton.
Initial investigation revealed that Stegbauer and Skaggs were utilizing the lift to make repairs to the radio tower outside the Concord-Green firehouse when the lift tipped over, ejecting both of them from the tower basket from many feet in the air.
Skaggs was a volunteer firefighter at the Concord-Green Fire Department where he was appointed the rank of captain in 2016. During his time as a first responder, he was known to always be one of the first to arrive on scene and one of the first to help wherever he could in any situation. He also enjoyed reaching out to the community and loved presenting the Fire in The Sky 4th of July fireworks show for more than 20 years.
Stegbauer served as a member of the Concord Green Fire Department since 1976 where he held several positions, beginning as a firefighter, moving up as lieutenant, captain, training officer, and battalion chief. In April of 2007, he was appointed as fire chief of the department.
