On a night when Gilbert was at its most divided, the town unified behind one man.
Benny Ruiz received two standing ovations Nov. 15 at the Public Safety Training Facility’s packed Atlas Auditorium as the Gilbert Town Council recognized Ruiz’s retirement from the Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department. That was the same night residents blistered council members over several issues, but a town video about Ruiz and his own comments about service brought the house down.
Ruiz was one of the town’s original 18 firefighters when it established its own department in 1993. He had served as a volunteer firefighter coming out of high school at Gilbert High in 1980, then as a reserve firefighter for Rural Metro when it took over duties from the volunteer department.
