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UNION, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A procession of first responder vehicles escorted the body of fallen firefighter, Matt Tobben, from Columbia to Union Tuesday. Despite the rain, many people held American flags as they stood along the route in honor of Tobben.

Gale Blomenkamp is the Assistant Fire Chief of the Boone County Fire Protection District.

“People want to pay tribute to a hero and that’s what Matt was,” he said.

Tobben served nearly two decades in the Union Fire Protection District, his last five years as assistant fire chief. He took a job with the Boone County Fire Protection District where he started on May 1.

Monday morning around 5 a.m., Tobben and another firefighter had used an inflatable boat to rescue two people during flash flooding.

“They had made the rescue, pulled two people out of a tree. They were working their way further upstream to get them to safety and get themselves safe, when they lost power on the boat,” said Blomenkamp.

Blomenkamp said the boat capsized but the other firefighter and two victims were rescued. He said a rope was thrown to Tobben but he was unable to catch it, then went underwater and never resurfaced.

First responders from across the region joined in the procession and many were waiting in Union for Tobben’s body to arrive.

A statement from the Union Fire Protection District called Tobben an exceptional firefighter and respected leader. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.