Retired Petaluma Fire Chief May Have Injured Himself Before Drowning: Officials

PETALUMA - The body of a retired Petaluma Fire Department battalion chief was recovered Saturday from Clear Lake in Lake County.

Mike Haberski, 59, of Sebastopol, is believed to have injured himself when he fell from his sailboat and drowned last Tuesday, Petaluma Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Schach said Monday.

Haberski was alone at the time and was scheduled to participate the next day in a sailboat race, Schach said.

Also on Patch: Retired Petaluma Fire Chief Missing, Presumed Drowned In Clear Lake

Petaluma firefighters were among other firefighters from Windsor and Sacramento who were present when Haberski's body was recovered from the water and put aboard a Lake County sheriff's boat, Schach said.

Haberski was with the Petaluma Fire Department for 30 years and retired as a battalion chief in 2010. 

He taught fire science classes at Santa Rosa Junior College after he retired and had a passion for training firefighters, according to Schach.

Haberski was married and his 20-year-old son is a firefighter with Cal Fire and the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District, Schach said.

A memorial service is still being planned, he said.

-Bay City News, image via St0rmz/Flickr