Richard “Rick” Williams wanted to become a firefighter from the time he was a child. He served the community of Santee for almost 29 years. Rick was also a member of the Santee Fire Department’s Color Guard and served as a rescue specialist on FEMA/DHS Urban Search and Rescue. He also helped initiate the LAFS (Life and Fire Safety) program, filling the role of ‘Fireman Gus’ for over a decade. Outside of work, Rick enjoyed spending time with his family, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle and playing poker at local casinos. Rick succumbed to the effects of job-related cancer in January 2018.