ZACHARY -- Firefighters from surrounding departments are staffing the Zachary Fire Department today so Christopher Lawton's co-workers can attend his funeral.

Lawton was a deputy fire chief at Zachary Fire Department and also worked as a reserve officer with Zachary Police. He was working as a police officer Monday night when a man he was trying to arrest ran over him with a U-Haul truck in the Walmart parking lot in Baker. He died at the scene.

On Saturday, Central Fire Department posted a Facebook message saying crews and equipment from Central, Baton Rouge Fire Department and St. George Fire Department were moved this morning to the Zachary station.

"These area firefighters will provide fire, medical and rescue coverage to the ZFD Fire District while all ZFD personnel attend Chief Lawton’s Funeral, the post said. "Why do we do this, because they would do the same for us."

Lawton's funeral began at noon Saturday and was set to be followed by a procession to his burial site in Clinton.