ST. PAUL, Minn. (KFGO-CBS) — Gov. Tim Walz has ordered U.S. and Minnesota flags at all state buildings to fly at half-staff on Monday to honor and remember St. Paul firefighter Timothy Bertz, who officials said died after suffering a “serious medical event.”
The St. Paul Fire Department said the incident happened on Saturday while Bertz was at home. He was taken to the hospital, where he died two days later.
Bertz graduated from the St. Paul Fire Academy on Dec. 17 and had previously worked with the Harris and Lino Lakes fire departments, according to officials. He also served in the United States Military as a Navy SEAL.
“Tim Bertz truly reflected what it meant to be a Saint Paul firefighter,” St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks said in a news release. “He excelled in the academy because of his discipline and the way he led by example. This was a calling for him, and he chose to serve Saint Paul. We are grateful for the time we had with Tim and are devastated by this loss.”
Walz said in a separate news release that Bertz was the “true definition of a public servant.”
A public memorial service for Bertz is scheduled to take place on Monday in Forest Lake.
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