Tulare County firefighter is fighting in this fundraiser in Visalia
TULARE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Firefighter Chris Sanchez says his upcoming fight at Battle of The Badges is about more than raising funds for a worthy cause or having his hand raised in the ring.
Battle of the Badges is a non-profit boxing organization made up of first responders including law enforcement, firefighters, and military, who box in the ring to raise money for charities. On April 27, the Visalia Convention will host their latest event and commemorate the organization’s 10th anniversary in the Central Valley.
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Sanchez is a lieutenant with the Tulare County Fire Department and says they may not make a lot of noise, but the area they serve is vast.
“We’re a very large county – we’re not a loud department, but if you look at our fire, EMS, and hazmat calls we’re up there at the top,” Sanchez said.
He says it is all motivation for him as the fight approaches and he is hopeful that he can put Tulare County Fire on the map.
“We just started doing interviews for full-time firefighters,” Sanchez said. “They’re going to see a Tulare County Firefighter fighting in the ring – that might give us one to 200 more applicants.”
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Sanchez says he is proud to represent Tulare County and proud to help raise funds for several noble causes. One of the causes is raising funds for Selma Police Officer Gonzalo Carrasco’s family following Carrasco’s death in the line of duty in January 2023.
“I wouldn’t be doing this if they weren’t giving the money straight to them, but I trust them and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Sanchez said.
Other charities that will benefit from the event include the Fallen Officers Resource Fund, the Hanford NJROTC Program, Visalia Explorers, and Visalia PAL.
For more information, or to buy tickets to this weekend’s event, click here.
