FA-299/August 2005
Dating back to the time of 

the Crusades, it is a symbol 

of charity, loyalty, chivalry, 

gallantry, generosity to firend 

and foe, protection of the weak, 

and dexterity in service.

Today, firefighters everywhere 

are proud to wear the timehonored Maltese Cross as 

part of their uniform.

The Maltese Cross and the Fire Service, American Fire 

Journal, v. 50 (4), p. 14, April 1998
FiReFiGHTeR

FATALiTieS in THe

UniTed STATeS in

2004

U.S. Department of homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Fire Administration

August 200

In memory of all fi refi ghters

who answered their last call in 2004

To their families and friends

t

To their service and sacrifi ce

t

U.S. Fire Administration

Mission Statement

As an entity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 

the mission of the U.S. Fire Administration is to reduce life 

and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies, 

through leadership, advocacy, coordination, and support. 

We serve the Nation independently, in coordination with 

other Federal agencies, and in partnership with fire 

protection and emergency service communities. With a 

commitment to excellence, we provide public education, 

training, technology, and data initiatives.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s continuing 

mission within the new department is to lead the effort to 

prepare the Nation for all hazards and effectively manage 

Federal response and recovery efforts following any 

national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation 

activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen 

Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program, and the U.S. 

Fire Administration.

aC k n ow l e d g m e n T s

This study of fi refi ghter fatalities would not have been possible without the cooperation and assistance of 

many members of the fi re service across the United States. Members of individual fi re departments, chief 

fi re offi cers, United States Forest Service personnel, the Department of Justice, National Fire Protection 

Association (NFPA), the National Fallen Firefi ghters Foundation, and many others contributed important 

information for this report.

C2 Technologies, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, conducted this analysis for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) 

under contract EME-2003-CO-0282.

The ultimate objective of this effort is to reduce the number of fi refi ghter deaths through an increased 

awareness and understanding of their causes and how they can be prevented. Firefi ghting, rescue, 

and other types of emergency operations are essential activities in an inherently dangerous profession, 

and unfortunate tragedies do occur. This is the risk all fi refi ghters accept every time they respond to 

an emergency incident. However, the risk can be greatly reduced through efforts to improve training, 

emergency scene operations, and fi refi ghter health and safety. 

Ph o T o g r aP h I C aC k n ow l e d g m e n T s

The USFA would like to extend its thanks to individuals and organizations that provided photographs for 

this report. All uncredited photographs were taken at the National Fallen Firefi ghters Memorial weekend 

in Emmitsburg, MD, October 2004, by Patti Odbert, Scientifi c and Commercial Systems Corporation.

V

Tabl e o f C o n T e n T s

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................................. V 

. Photographic.Acknowledgments.............................................................................................. V

BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................3 

	 Who	is	a	Firefighter?.................................................................................................................3.

	 What	Constitutes	an	Onduty	Fatality?.....................................................................................3.

	 Sources	of	Initial	Notification...................................................................................................4.

. Procedure.for.Including.a.Fatality.in.the.Study.......................................................................5

2004 FINDINGS...........................................................................................................................7 

. Career.and.Volunteer.Deaths...................................................................................................8.

	 Multiple-Firefighter	Fatality	Incidents......................................................................................9.

	 Wildland	Firefighting	Deaths....................................................................................................9

TypE OF DUTy...........................................................................................................................11.

. Fireground.Operations............................................................................................................12.

. Responding/Returning...........................................................................................................12.

. Other.Onduty...........................................................................................................................13.

. Training....................................................................................................................................13.

	 Non-fire	Emergencies.............................................................................................................14.

. After.an.Incident.....................................................................................................................14.

. Career,.Volunteer,.and.Wildland.Deaths.by.Type.of.Duty.....................................................14.

	 Type	of	Emergency	Duty.........................................................................................................15.

CAUSE OF FATAL INjURy..........................................................................................................15.

. Stress.or.Overexertion............................................................................................................16.

. Vehicle.Crashes......................................................................................................................17.

. Struck.by.Object......................................................................................................................18.

. Caught.or.Trapped..................................................................................................................19.

. Collapse..................................................................................................................................19.

. Falls.........................................................................................................................................20.

. Other........................................................................................................................................20

NATURE OF FATAL INjURy........................................................................................................21.

. Heart.Attack............................................................................................................................21.

. Internal.Trauma......................................................................................................................22.

. Crushed...................................................................................................................................23.

. Asphyxiation............................................................................................................................23.

continued on next page
. Cerebrovascular.Accident.(CVA).............................................................................................23.
ba C k g ro u n d

For 28 years, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has tracked the number of firefighter fatalities and 

conducted an annual analysis. Through the collection of information on the causes of firefighter deaths, 

the USFA is able to focus on specific problems and direct efforts toward finding solutions to reduce the 

number of firefighter fatalities in the future. This information is also used to measure the effectiveness of 

current programs directed toward firefighter health and safety.

The results of this effort have been used to direct specific efforts targeted at reducing firefighter fatalities. 

The USFA publications Safe Operations of Fire Department Tankers (FA-248) and Emergency Vehicle Safety Initiative 

(FA-272) were both inspired by the high numbers of vehicle-related deaths highlighted in previous 

editions of this report. Both publications are available free of charge to the fire service from the USFA in 

paper and electronic versions at www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/publications/

One of the USFA’s main program goals is a 25-percent reduction in firefighter fatalities in 5 years and a 

50-percent reduction within 10 years. The emphasis placed on these goals by the USFA is underscored 

by the fact that these goals represent one of the five major objectives that guide the actions of the USFA.

In addition to the analysis, the USFA provides a list of firefighter fatalities to the National Fallen 

Firefighters Foundation. If Memorial criteria are met, the fallen firefighter’s next of kin, as well as 

members of the individual fire department, are invited to the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. 

The service is held at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland, during Fire 

Prevention Week. Additional information regarding the Memorial Service can be found at www.firehero.org

or by calling the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation at (301) 447-1365. 

Other resources and information regarding firefighter fatalities, including current fatality notices, the 

National Fallen Firefighters Memorial database, and links to the Public Safety Officer Benefit (PSOB) 

program can be found at www.usfa.fema.gov/fatalities/.

In T ro d u C T I o n

This report continues a series of annual studies 

by the USFA of onduty firefighter fatalities in the 

United States.

The specific objective of this study is to identify 

all onduty firefighter fatalities that occurred in the 

United States and its protectorates in 2004 and 

to analyze the circumstances surrounding each 

occurrence. The study is intended to help identify 

approaches that could reduce the number of 

firefighter deaths in future years.

In addition to the 2004 overall findings, this 

study includes two special topics related to 

healthful eating and operational changes that can 

have an immediate effect on firefighter safety.

WhO IS A FIREFIGhTER?

For the purpose of this study, the term firefighter 

covers all members of organized fire departments 

in all States, the District of Columbia, and the 

Territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 

American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. It includes 

career and volunteer firefighters; full-time public 

safety officers acting as firefighters; State, Territory, 

and Federal government fire service personnel, 

including wildland firefighters; and privately 

employed firefighters, including employees of 

contract fire departments and trained members of 

industrial fire brigades, whether full- or part-time. 

It also includes contract personnel working as 

firefighters or assigned to work in direct support 

of fire service organizations.

Under this definition, the study includes not only 

local and municipal firefighters but also seasonal 

and full-time employees of the United States 

Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Fish 

and Wildlife, the National Park Service, and State 

wildland agencies. The definition also includes 

prison inmates serving on firefighting crews; 

firefighters employed by other governmental 

agencies, such as the United States Department of 

Energy; military personnel performing assigned 

fire suppression activities; and civilian firefighters 

working at military installations.

WhAT CONSTITUTES AN ONDUTy 

FATALITy?

Onduty fatalities include any injury or illness 

sustained while onduty that proves fatal. The term 

onduty refers to being involved in operations at 

the scene of an emergency, whether it is a fire 

or non-fire incident; responding to or returning 

from an incident; performing other officially 

assigned duties such as training, maintenance, 

public education, inspection, investigations, 

court testimony, and fundraising; and being oncall, under orders, or on standby duty, except 

at the individual’s home or place of business. 

An individual who experiences a heart attack or 

other fatal injury at home as he or she prepares 

to respond to an emergency is considered onduty 

when the response begins. A firefighter who 

becomes ill while performing fire department 

duties and suffers a heart attack shortly after 

arriving home or at another location may be 
considered onduty since the inception of the heart 

attack occurred while the firefighter was onduty.

On December 15, 2003, the President of the 

United States signed into law the Hometown 

Heroes Survivors Benefit Act of 2003. After being 

signed by the President, the Act became Public Law 

108-182. The law presumes that a heart attack 

or stroke are in the line of duty if the firefighter 

was engaged in nonroutine stressful or strenuous 

physical activity while onduty and the firefighter 

becomes ill while onduty or within 24 hours after 

engaging in such activity. The full text of the law 

is available in Appendix C.

The inclusion criteria for this study will be 

affected by this change in the law. Previous to 

December 15, 2003, firefighters who became ill 

as the result of a heart attack or stroke after going 

offduty needed to register some complaint of 

not feeling well while still onduty in order to be 

included in this study. For firefighter fatalities after 

December 15, 2003, firefighters will be included 

in this study if they become ill as the result of a 

heart attack or stroke within 24 hours of a training 

activity or emergency response. Firefighters who 

become ill after going offduty where the activities 

while onduty were limited to nonstressful tasks 

that did not involve physical exertion such as 

clerical, administrative, or nonmanual in nature, 

will not be included in this study.

A fatality may be caused directly by an accidental 

or intentional injury in either emergency or 

nonemergency circumstances, or it may be 

attributed to an occupationally related fatal illness. 

A common example of a fatal illness incurred 

onduty is a heart attack. Fatalities attributed 

to occupational illnesses also would include a 

communicable disease contracted while onduty 

that proved fatal, when the disease could be 

attributed to a documented occupational exposure. 

Injuries and illnesses are included even when 

death is considerably delayed after the original 

incident. When the incident and the death occur 

in different years, the analysis counts the fatality as 

having occurred in the year in which the incident 

took place.

For example, a California firefighter died in 2004 as 

the result of a heart attack suffered in July of 2003. 

In addition to the California firefighter, the USFA 

was notified of the death of an Ohio firefighter 

in 2003 who was not known or included in the 

firefighter fatality report for that year.

Information about these two deaths is included 

in Appendix A of this report, but they are not 

addressed in the body of the report unless the 

death affects retrospective statistical comparisons.

There is no established mechanism for identifying 

fatalities that result from illnesses such as cancer 

that develop over long periods of time, which 

may be related to occupational exposure to 

hazardous materials or products of combustion. 

It has proven to be very difficult over the years to 

provide a complete evaluation of an occupational 

illness as a causal factor in firefighter deaths due 

to the following limitations: insufficient tracking 

of firefighters’ exposure to toxic hazards, the often 

delayed long-term effects of such toxic hazard 

exposures, and the exposures firefighters may 

receive while offduty.

SOURCES OF INITIAL NOTIFICATION

As an integral part of its ongoing program 

to collect and analyze fire data, USFA solicits 

information on firefighter fatalities directly from 

the fire service and from a wide range of other 

sources. These sources include the Public Safety 

Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program administered by 

the Department of Justice, the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration 


Information that is requested routinely includes 

NFIRS-1 (incident) and NFIRS-3 (fire service 

casualty) reports, the fire department’s own 

incident reports and internal investigation reports, 

copies of death certificates or autopsy results, 

special investigative reports, police reports, 

photographs and diagrams, and newspaper or 

media accounts of the incident. Information on 

the incident may also be gathered from NFPA or 

NIOSH reports on an incident.

After obtaining this information, a determination 

is made as to whether the death qualifies as 

an onduty firefighter fatality according to the 

previously described criteria. With the exception 

of firefighter deaths after December 15, 2003, 

the same criteria were used for this study as in 

previous annual studies. Additional information 

may be requested, either by followup with the 

fire department directly, from State vital records 

offices, or from other agencies. The USFA 

makes the determination as to whether a fatality 

qualifies as an onduty death for inclusion in this 

statistical analysis. The National Fallen Firefighters 

Foundation makes the final determination as to 

whether a fatality qualifies as a line-of-duty death 

for inclusion in the Fallen Firefighters Memorial 

Service.

(OSHA), the United States military, the National 

Interagency Fire Center, and other Federal 

agencies. 

The USFA receives notification of some deaths 

directly from fire departments, as well as from 

such fire service organizations as the International 

Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International 

Association of Firefighters (IAFF), NFPA, the 

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), State fire 

marshals, State training organizations, other State 

and local organizations, fire service Internet sites, 

news services, and fire service publications. The 

USFA also tracks fatal fire incidents as part of its 

Major Fires Investigation Program and performs 

an ongoing analysis of data from the National Fire 

Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).

pROCEDURE FOR INCLUDING A 

FATALITy IN ThE STUDy

In most cases, after notification of a fatal incident, 

the USFA makes initial telephone contact with 

local authorities to verify the incident, its location, 

jurisdiction, and the fire department or agency 

involved. Further information about the deceased 

firefighter and the incident may be obtained over the 

phone from the chief of the fire department or his 

or her designee or by other data collection forms. 

Overleaf: The apparatus carrying the body of Firefighter 

Jaime Leah Foster proceeds through a ladder arch 

at her funeral. 

Photo by Rick MccluRe, los Angeles city FiRe DePARtMent

2004 fI n d I n g s

One hundred and seventeen (117) firefighters 

died while onduty in 2004. This level of 

fatalities continues a disturbing upward trend in 

the number of firefighter fatalities. Even if the 

horrible toll of September 11, 2001, is set aside 

momentarily, more firefighters have died each year 

onduty in the past several years than would be 

expected after the lower loss years in the 1990’s.

In 2004, this total was affected by a change in the 

inclusion criteria for this report. In 2004, there 

were seven firefighter fatalities that would not 

have been considered for inclusion in this report 

prior to the enactment of the Hometown Heroes 

Survivors Benefit Act of 2003. This law generated 

a change in report criteria to include firefighters 

who die within 24 hours of stressful onduty 

activity.

With the deaths of 117 firefighters in 2004, this 

is the eighth time in the past 10 years, and the 

eleventh time within the past 15 years, when the 

total number of firefighter fatalities has reached 

or exceeded 100. The lowest years on record are 

1992 with 77 fatalities and 1993 with 81 fatalities 

(Figure 1).

The 117 deaths in 2004 comprise almost 112 

percent of the 10-year floating average and 108 

percent of the 5-year floating average. The 117 

deaths resulted from a total of 114 incidents. 

There were three firefighter fatality incidents 

where two firefighters were killed in 2004.

In 2001, 344 firefighters were killed as a result 

of the attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) 

in New York City on September 11th of that 

Figure 1. Onduty Firefighter Fatalities (1977-2004)


Figure 2. Firefighter Fatalities per 100,000 Fires

year. When conducting multiyear comparisons 

of firefighter fatalities in this report, it may be 

necessary to set these deaths apart for illustrative 

purposes. This action is by no means a 

minimization of the supreme sacrifice made by 

these firefighters.

The first onduty firefighter to die in 2004 

was Lieutenant Leslie W. Gant, Jr. of New 

Jersey. He suffered a stroke after responding 

to a vehicle crash on a local expressway.

While the total number of firefighter fatalities 

has shown a downward trend over the past 20 

years, the number of firefighter deaths per fire 

incident actually has returned to the levels seen in 

the 1980’s. The chart above (Figure 2) compares 

the total number of firefighter fatalities each year 

that are associated with responses to fires and the 

total number of fire incidents reported by NFPA 

through 2003 (2004 data were not available at the 

time of this report). Despite a downward dip in 

the early 1990’s, the level of firefighter fatalities 

is back up to the same levels experienced in the 

1980’s. If the firefighter deaths at the WTC are 

included in the 2001 data, the number rises to 

23.1 firefighter fatalities per 100,000 fires.

Career and Volunteer Deaths

Firefighter fatalities in 2004 include 81 volunteer 

firefighters and 36 career firefighters (Figure 

3). Among the volunteer firefighter fatalities, 

72 were from local or municipal volunteer fire 

departments, and 9 were seasonal or contract 

members of wildland fire agencies. All of the 

career firefighters who died were members of 

local or municipal fire departments. Six of the 

firefighters who died in 2004 were female, and 

111 were male.

The six female firefighter deaths in 2004 

are exceeded only by the seven female 

firefighter deaths that occurred in 1994. 

The Storm King Mountain Fire on July 6, 

1994, claimed the lives of 14 firefighters; 

4 of the firefighters killed that day were 

female. Six female firefighters died in 1995.

Figure 3. Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
were killed in the collapse of a burning singlefamily residence; and two Philadelphia firefighters 

were killed when they became trapped in the 

basement of a burning home (the Philadelphia 

Fire Department also suffered the loss of a 

firefighter in a January structure fire).

Wildland Firefighting Deaths

Twenty-one firefighters died in 2004 while 

engaged in activities related to brush, grass, or 

wildland firefighting. This total includes part-time 

and seasonal wildland firefighters and municipal 

or volunteer firefighters engaged in fighting a 

wildland fire. This total is down sharply from 

the 29 firefighters who died engaged in similar 

activities in 2003.

Multiple-Firefighter Fatality Incidents

The 117 deaths resulted from 114 incidents. There 

were three multiple-firefighter fatality incidents 

resulting in the deaths of six firefighters.

Table 1. Multiple-Firefighter Fatality Incidents

Year

Number of 

Incidents

Number of 

Fatalities

2004 3 6

2003 7 20

2002 9 25

2001 8 362

2001 w/o WTC 7 18

2000 5 10

1999 6 22

1998 10 22

1997 8 17

1996 3 8

1995 7 18

1994 6 26

Six firefighters died in three incidents that claimed 

the lives of two firefighters each. Two Pittsburgh 

firefighters were killed in the collapse of a burning 

church; two Wood River, Nebraska, firefighters 

The three multiple-firefighter fatality incidents 

in 2004 resulted in six firefighter deaths.

This is the lowest total number of multiplefirefighter fatality incidents and the lowest 

total number of firefighter deaths from 

these incidents in at least 10 years.

Figure 4. Firefighter Fatalities Related to Wildland Firefighting (1994-2004)
10

While the total number of firefighters killed in 

association with wildland fires was lower in 2004 

than in previous years (Figure 4), there were no 

multiple-firefighter fatality incidents in 2004 that 

were related to wildland firefighting activities. 

The number of fatal incidents related to wildland 

firefighting has been exceeded only once in the 

past decade. While the total number of firefighters 

killed in association with wildland firefighting 

in 2004 is lower than previous years, the high 

number of fatal wildland incidents in the past two 

years is of concern.

Five firefighters died in vehicle crashes in 

association with wildland fires: two Mississippi 

firefighters were killed in separate incidents while 

responding to brush fires, one in a tanker and one 

in a brush/rescue truck; a Kentucky firefighter 

was killed when the engine that she was driving 

to a wildland fire crashed into a tree after a loss of 

control; a Florida firefighter drowned when a tire 

on his brush truck experienced a blowout and the 

vehicle rolled over into a water-filled ditch; and a 

California fire officer died when he was involved 

in a crash in his personal vehicle while returning 

from a wildland fire.

Ten firefighters died of heart attacks in association 

with wildland fires: three heart attacks occurred 

while on the scene of the fire; two occurred while 

responding; two occurred in association with 

pack tests (work capacity tests) taken to certify 

for wildland firefighting activities; two firefighters 

experienced heart attacks at home shortly after 

fighting a wildland fire; and one firefighter 

suffered a heart attack during nonemergency 

brush clearing operations.

Three firefighters were killed in wildland aircraft 

crashes in separate incidents: a helicopter ferrying 

supplies to fire crews contacted trees in a landing 

zone and crashed in Washington; a Single Engine 

Air Tanker (SEAT) crashed while fighting a 

wildland fire in Utah; and a SEAT crashed during 

training in Arizona. Many wildland firefighting 

aircraft were grounded in 2004 in part as a 

reaction to the numerous wildland firefighting 

aircraft crashes in 2003.

A California firefighter was killed when her 

position was burned over in a fast-developing fire, 

an Illinois firefighter was killed in Arkansas when 

he was struck by a vehicle as he and his team 

returned from wildland firefighting activities in 

Florida, and a firefighter was killed in California 

when a portion of a tree fell and mortally 

injured him.

Table 2. Firefighter Deaths Associated with 

Wildland Firefighting

Year

Total 

Number 

of Deaths

Number 

of Fatal 

Incidents

Number of 

Firefighters 

Killed in 

MultipleDeath 

Incidents

2004 21 21 0

2003 29 21 10

2002 23 14 13

2001 15 9 9

2000 17 14 6

1999 26 25 2

1998 14 13 2

1997 12 10 4

1996 9 9 0

1995 18 14 7

1994 36 18 22

Table 3. Wildland Firefighting Aircraft Deaths

Year

Total Number 

of Deaths

Number of 

Fatal Incidents

2004 3 3

2003 7 4

2002 6 3

2001 6 3

2000 6 5

1999 0 0

1998 3 2

1997 5 3

1996 0 0

1995 3 1

1994 8 3
11

Type oF DuTy

Activities related to emergency incidents resulted 

in the deaths of 80 firefighters (Figure 5). This 

includes all firefighters who died while responding 

to an emergency, while at an emergency scene, 

while returning from the emergency incident, 

and firefighters that died after an incident 

where the firefighter complained of feeling ill 

during the incident. Nonemergency activities 

accounted for 37 fatalities. Nonemergency 

duties include training, administrative activities, 

or performing other functions that are not 

related to an emergency incident. A multiyear 

historical perspective concerning the percentage of 

firefighter deaths that occurred during emergency 

duty is presented in Table 4. 

Figure 5. Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty (2004)

Table 4. emergency Duty Firefighter Deaths

Year Percentage of All Deaths

2004 68

2003 71

2002 73

2001 65

2001 w/WTC 92

2000 71

1999 87

1998 77

1997 81

1996 72

1995 86

1994 84

The number of deaths by type of duty being 

performed in 2004 is shown in Table 5 and 

presented graphically in Figure 6. Fireground 

duties returned as the most common type of duty 

for firefighters killed while onduty. In 2003, an 

exception occurred in which more firefighters 

died while responding and returning than for any 

other type of duty. Unlike the past several years, 

there were no multiple-firefighter deaths in vehicle 

crashes in 2004.

Table 5. 2004 Firefighter Deaths

by Type of Duty

Type of Duty Number of Deaths

Fireground Operations

Responding/Returning

Other Onduty

Training

Non-fire Emergencies

After an Incident

Total

30

22

18

13

11

23

117

Figure 6. Fatalities by Type of Duty (2004)
12

Fireground Operations

Thirty firefighters died while engaging in activities 

at the scene of a fire in 2004. All three of the 

multiple-firefighter fatality incidents that occurred 

in 2004 were during structure fires. Two structure 

fires, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Wood 

River, Nebraska, claimed two firefighters each as 

the result of structural collapse, and two firefighters 

were killed in a basement fire in Philadelphia when 

one firefighter became entangled in debris.

In addition to the 6 firefighters killed in the 

multiple-firefighter fatality structural fires 

described above, 16 firefighters died while engaged 

in operations at the scene of structural fires: 7 

firefighters suffered heart attacks at structure fires; 

3 firefighters died after becoming trapped in 

structural fires in Missouri and Texas; 2 firefighters 

were killed in fire apparatus backing incidents in 

New York and California; a Pennsylvania firefighter 

died as the result of a head injury received as 

he pulled hose from the rear of a pumper; a 

Philadelphia fire officer died after partially falling 

through a floor during a fire in a residential 

occupancy; a Tennessee fire chief died as a result of 

injuries he received in a wall collapse at a church 

fire; and a New Jersey fire officer died in a gas 

explosion as he helped evacuate residents during a 

structure fire.

Four firefighters died as the result of heart attacks 

suffered at wildland fires. A firefighter died in the 

crash of a SEAT aircraft while fighting a wildland 

fire in Utah; a California wildland firefighter died 

when her position was overrun by fire; and a 

California firefighter was killed when a burning 

section of a tree fell causing fatal injuries.

A California firefighter was killed as he prepared 

to fight a vehicle fire at roadside. He was struck 

by a passing vehicle and thrown on top of fire 

apparatus on the scene. He was pronounced dead 

at the scene.

Responding/Returning

Twenty-two firefighters died while responding to 

or returning from emergency incidents in 2004. 

Seventeen firefighters died while responding to 

an emergency incident, and five firefighters died 

while returning from an emergency. This is a 

significant drop from the 36 responding and 

returning deaths reported in 2003 (Table 6).

Vehicle crashes claimed 11 lives while responding; 

five vehicle-related deaths came in personal 

vehicle crashes; five firefighters died in apparatus 

crashes; and a Florida firefighter died in the 

crash of a medical helicopter while responding 

to an incident. In one of the response deaths, 

a Massachusetts firefighter died in a fall from a 

pumper as it responded to a report of a gas odor 

in a structure. This same fire department suffered 

a firefighter fatality as a result of a fall from a 

similar piece of apparatus in 1984.

In 2004, a firefighter returning

from an emergency incident had a

blood alcohol level that indicated

that the firefighter was

intoxicated.

Four firefighters suffered heart attacks while 

responding, two in the fire station as they prepared 

for response and two while riding in fire apparatus 

during a response. One firefighter suffered a 

thoracic aneurysm, the failure of a blood vessel, 

while responding and later died.

Four firefighters suffered heart attacks while 

returning from an incident, and an Illinois 

firefighter was struck by a truck as he crossed a 

highway while returning from a wildland incident 

in Florida.
13

Other Onduty

A total of 18 firefighters whose deaths were not 

associated with the response to any particular 

emergency died while onduty. 

A total of 11 firefighters suffered heart attacks and 

CVA’s while not assigned to an emergency incident 

or training. Seven firefighters suffered heart 

attacks or CVA’s while onduty in the fire station, 

while onduty at the fire department administrative 

offices, or while attending fire department 

meetings; two firefighters suffered heart attacks 

while on standby duty, not assigned to an incident; 

a Florida firefighter suffered a heart attack as he 

drove a fire department pickup laden with donated 

equipment; and an Arizona firefighter suffered a 

heart attack as he participated in a fire departmentsponsored brush clearing program.

Two firefighters died in vehicle crashes that were 

not related to an emergency: a Florida firefighter 

died as the result of a tire blowout while driving to 

a controlled (prescribed) burn, and a Pennsylvania 

firefighter died when the vehicle in which he was 

a passenger was struck as he and another firefighter 

ran an errand while onduty. 

Table 6. Firefighter Deaths While Responding to or 

Returning From an Incident

Year

Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 22

2003 36

2002 13

2001 23

2000 19

1999 26

1998 14

1997 21

1996 22

1995 29

1994 22

An Ohio firefighter suffered a fatal head injury 

after falling from a pickup truck during the 

cleanup from a fire department fundraiser; a 

Washington helicopter pilot died when his aircraft 

contacted trees as he dropped supplies at a landing 

zone; an Alabama firefighter died when a tree 

crushed his personal vehicle as he assisted with 

fallen tree removal in the wake of Hurricane Ivan; 

an Indiana firefighter died of injuries received 

when he fell from a horse at a charity event; and a 

Pennsylvania firefighter died of complications of a 

bloodborne infection contracted as he worked in 

floodwaters in the aftermath of heavy rains.

Training

Thirteen firefighters died while engaged in 

training in 2004. 

Heart attacks or heart-related illnesses took the 

lives of six firefighters engaged in training: two 

firefighters died during wildland pack (physical 

capacity) tests; two firefighters died during physical 

fitness training; and two firefighters died during 

firefighting training exercises and class work.

A New Hampshire fire officer died while training 

on SCUBA equipment when he failed to surface 

in a local lake; a pilot died in the crash of a SEAT 

aircraft during training in Arizona; a North 

Carolina firefighter died in a personal vehicle 

crash en route to training after stopping by the 

fire station to pick up his equipment; a Tennessee 

firefighter fell from a pickup and suffered a fatal 

head injury while riding in the bed of the truck 

from the fire station to a training site; an Alabama 

fire chief died of a medication overdose while 

attending a conference in Florida; a Pennsylvania 

firefighter was run over and crushed by a fire 

pumper that he had been photographing for 

training purposes; and a Kentucky fire chief was 

killed when he was crushed by a pumper during 

training on the installation of snow chains on 

apparatus.
14

Non-fire Emergencies

Eleven firefighters died at non-fire emergencies. 

Two firefighters were killed when they were 

struck by passing vehicles at the emergency scene: 

a Colorado firefighter was struck as he directed 

traffic at the scene of a motor vehicle crash, and an 

Illinois firefighter was killed as he was assisting the 

driver of a pumper as the apparatus backed onto a 

street while turning around.

A Kentucky fire officer was killed when she was 

struck by gunfire on the scene of a domestic 

violence-related incident. A Florida firefighter 

was killed in the crash of an ambulance when the 

driver lost control.

The seven other firefighter deaths related to nonfire emergencies were heart attacks: four occurred 

at vehicle crashes; two occurred at emergency 

medical incidents; and a fire police officer suffered 

a heart attack at a carbon monoxide alarm 

incident.

Table 7 offers a multiyear perspective on training 

deaths.

Table 7. Firefighter Deaths During Training

Year

Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 13

2003 12

2002 11

2001 14

2000 13

1999 3

1998 12

1997 5

1996 6

1995 3

1994 7

After the Incident

Twenty-three firefighters suffered heart attacks 

after the conclusion of their work shift. Seven 

of these deaths occurred within 24 hours of 

an onduty response or training activity and are 

included in this report as a result of the report 

criteria change associated with the Hometown 

Heroes Survivors Benefit Act of 2003. This fact 

does not diminish the tragedy or importance of 

these deaths.

Nineteen of the firefighter deaths that occurred 

after the incident were heart attacks and two were 

CVA’s. A Pennsylvania firefighter died as a result of 

a ruptured aorta after an incident response, and a 

California fire officer died in a vehicle crash after 

completing work at a wildland fire.

In six of these incidents, firefighters specifically 

complained of not feeling well while onduty. 

In several cases, these firefighters told other 

firefighters that they were going home to rest and 

instead went home and suffered fatal heart attacks.

Career, Volunteer, and Wildland Deaths 

by Type of Duty

Figure 7 depicts career, volunteer, and wildland 

firefighter deaths by type of duty. Wildland 

career, wildland seasonal, and wildland contractor 

deaths were grouped together. As in past years, 

there were a disproportionate number of fatalities 

experienced by volunteer firefighters responding 

to and returning from alarms as compared to 

career firefighters. Fourteen volunteer firefighter 

deaths occurred while responding, and three 

occurred while returning from an emergency. 

Of the responding deaths, eight were due to 

vehicle crashes.
1

Figure 7. Career, Volunteer, and Wildland Deaths by 

Type of Duty (2004)

Type of Emergency Duty

In 2004, 58 firefighters died while engaged 

directly in the delivery of emergency services. 

This number includes deaths that were the result 

of injuries sustained on the incident scene or 

en route to the incident scene. 

Figure 8 shows the number of firefighters killed in 

firefighting, emergency medical services, technical 

rescue-related incidents, and other emergency 

incidents in 2004.

An additional 22 firefighter fatalities occurred 

in association with emergencies but not while 

firefighters were engaged in the direct delivery of 

emergency services on-scene (returning from the 

emergency and after the emergency).

Forty-one firefighters were killed in relation to 

fires; 15 firefighters were killed in relation to EMS 

calls; and 2 firefighters were killed at emergencies 

that involved hazardous materials.

Figure . Type of Emergency Duty

CAUSE OF FATAL INjURy

The term cause of injury refers to the action, lack of 

action, or circumstances that resulted directly in 

the fatal injury. The term nature of injury refers to 

the medical cause of the fatal injury or illness, and 

often is referred to as the physiological cause of 

death. A fatal injury is usually the result of a chain 

of events, the first of which is recorded as the 

cause.

Table 8 and Figure 9 show the distribution of 

deaths by cause of fatal injury or illness.

Table . Cause of Fatal Injury – 2004

Cause Number

Stress/Overexertion 66

Vehicle Collision 20

Struck by 10

Caught/Trapped 8

Collapse 6

Fall 5

Other 2

Total 117

2004 had more stress-/overexertion-related 

deaths than any year in over a decade.
16

Figure 9. Fatalities by Cau use of Fatal Injury (2004)

Stress or Overexertion

Stress or overexertion is a general category that 

includes all firefighter deaths that are cardiac or 

cerebrovascular in nature, such as heart attacks 

and strokes (CVA’s), and other illnesses, such as 

extreme climatic heat exposure. Classification of 

a firefighter fatality in this cause of fatal injury 

category does not indicate that a firefighter was in 

poor physical condition. 

Firefighting is extremely strenuous physical work 

and is likely one of the most physically demanding 

activities that the human body performs. As it 

has been in every year for more than the past 

decade, the largest cause of firefighter deaths 

in 2004 was stress or overexertion. Stress or 

overexertion was listed as the primary factor in 

66 firefighter deaths in 2004. This is the highest 

number of stress-related deaths in a decade. Even 

if the firefighters included in this year’s study as 

a result of the inclusion criteria change are held 

aside momentarily, 51.9 percent of the remaining 

firefighter deaths in 2004 were due to stress or 

overexertion, the highest percentage in at least 

a decade.

Most firefighter deaths attributed to stress result 

from heart attacks. Of the 66 stress-related 

fatalities in 2004, 61 firefighters died of heart 

attacks, 4 died as a result of CVA’s, and 1 died of 

an aortic aneurysm.

Table 9. Deaths Caused by Stress or Overexertion

Year Number

Percent of 

Fatalities

2004 66 56.4

2003 51 45.9

2002 38 38.0

2001 43 40.9*

2000 46 44.6

1999 56 49.5

1998 43 46.2

1997 41 41.0

1996 46 46.4

1995 49 48.0

1994 36 34.2

* Does not include the firefighter deaths of September 11, 

2001, in New York City.
17

Vehicle Crashes

As in most years, the second leading cause of 

fatal injury for firefighters who died in 2004 

was vehicle crashes. Unlike the most recent past, 

however, there were no multiple-firefighter fatality 

incidents involving vehicle crashes. A total of 20 

firefighters died in 2004 in vehicle crashes. 

The reduction in number to 20 firefighters killed 

in vehicle crashes in 2004 is a welcome change to 

the pattern of the last 5 years where deaths due to 

vehicle-related incidents had been rising each year 

(see Figure 10). Although this lower number is 

good news, the number of vehicle-related deaths 

is still unacceptably high. Most of these deaths 

could have been prevented by lowering response 

speeds and the use of safety belts.

In 2004, eight firefighters died in personally 

owned vehicle (POV) crashes, four died in vehiclerelated incidents involving engine or pumper 

apparatus, four firefighters died in aircraft crashes, 

two firefighters died in crashes involving brush 

firefighting apparatus, and one firefighter died in 

Of the 16 nonaircraft-related vehicle crash 

firefighter deaths in 2004, safety belts or 

seatbelts were only known to be in use 

in 5 instances. The continued lack of 

seatbelt use in the fire service has led to 

needless firefighter deaths each year.

each of two crashes that involved an ambulance 

and a tanker (tender). 

Deaths in POV’s continue to be a major concern. 

In 2004, eight firefighters lost their lives in POV 

crashes. Seven of these firefighters were volunteer 

members of their departments, and one was 

a career firefighter. Only one of the volunteer 

firefighters killed in a POV crash in 2004 was over 

the age of 20. Only one of the eight firefighters 

killed in a POV crash in 2004 was known to be 

wearing a seatbelt. 

Four firefighters died in 2004 in vehicle incidents 

that involved engines or pumpers: an Illinois 

firefighter died when he was ejected from a 

pumper responding to a structure fire after it 

Figure 10. Firefighter Fatalities in Vehicle Crashes
1

From 1990 through 2004, 58 fi refi ghters 

died in a POV crash—an average of 

just over four deaths per year. 

became involved in a collision with another 

pumper responding to the same incident; 

a California fi refi ghter was killed when she 

somehow left her position on the back step of a 

pumper as it backed out of an incident scene and 

was crushed under the wheels of the apparatus; a 

Missouri fi re offi cer was killed when his apparatus 

was involved in a collision, left the roadway, and 

crashed into a tree; and a Kentucky fi refi ghter was 

ejected from a responding engine apparatus after 

she lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway.

Aircraft crashes claimed four fi refi ghters in 2004: 

a Florida fi refi ghter was killed in the crash of a 

medical helicopter as it responded to an incident 

in poor weather; a SEAT pilot died as a result of 

a crash during training; a SEAT pilot died after a 

crash while fi ghting a wildland fi re in Utah; and 

a Washington helicopter pilot died when his tail 

rotor contacted trees and the aircraft crashed while 

dropping supplies at a landing zone.

Two fi refi ghters died in crashes involving brush 

fi refi ghting vehicles: a Florida fi refi ghter drowned 

after his vehicle experienced a tire blowout and 

ended up on its roof in a water-fi lled ditch; and a 

Mississippi fi refi ghter died in the crash of a brush/

rescue vehicle (she was trapped in the wreckage, 

and extrication equipment was inaccessible due to 

damage to the vehicle).

A Mississippi fi refi ghter was killed after he lost 

control of a fi re tanker while avoiding another 

vehicle in a curve, and a Florida fi refi ghter was 

killed while providing patient treatment in the rear 

of an ambulance that was transporting a customer 

to the hospital.

Struck by Object

Being struck by an object was the third leading 

cause of fatal fi refi ghter injuries in 2004. Ten 

fi refi ghters died after being struck by vehicles or 

other objects while onduty.

Three fi refi ghters were struck by passing vehicles 

as they worked at emergency scenes: a California 

fi refi ghter was killed as he prepared to fi ght a 

vehicle and grass fi re; a Colorado fi refi ghter was 

killed as he directed traffi c at the scene of an MVA; 

and an Illinois fi refi ghter was killed as he acted as 

the spotter for an engine apparatus as it backed 

out of a driveway.

Two fi refi ghters were killed by falling trees: a 

California wildland fi refi ghter was killed when 

a portion of a tree fell and struck him, and an 

Alabama fi refi ghter was killed when a stormdamaged tree fell onto his pickup truck as he 

worked to clear tree debris from roadways after 

the passage of a hurricane.

Two fi refi ghters were killed when they were struck 

by fi re apparatus, one at the scene of a structure fi re 

and one at the fi re station: a New York fi refi ghter 

was killed when he was struck by a tanker and 

pinned between the tanker and a pumper drafting 

from a portable water tank, and a Pennsylvania 

A brush truck driven by Firefi ghter Edward Orlando Peters 

rolled over into a water-fi lled ditch as a result of a tire 

blowout. Photo by FloRiDA DiVision oF FoRestRy
19

fi refi ghter was struck and crushed by a pumper as 

it backed into the fi re station after the fi refi ghter 

took pictures of the unit for training purposes.

A Kentucky fi re chief was killed when he was 

struck and crushed by a fi re truck during a 

training exercise on installing snow chains; the 

apparatus rolled forward after an airbag lifting the 

vehicle dislocated. An Illinois wildland fi refi ghter 

was killed in Arkansas when he was struck by 

a passing truck as he crossed the highway; the 

fi refi ghter and his crew had stopped for the 

night while returning to Illinois from wildland 

fi refi ghting in Florida.

Caught or Trapped

In 2004, eight fi refi ghters were killed when 

they were caught or trapped. This classifi cation 

covers fi refi ghters who are trapped in wildland 

and structural fi res and unable to escape due to 

rapid fi re progression and byproducts of smoke, 

heat, and fl ame. This classifi cation also includes 

fi refi ghters who are killed by drowning.

Six fi refi ghters were killed in structure fi res when 

they were trapped by fi re progress: two Philadelphia 

fi refi ghters were killed in the basement of a 

residence when fi re conditions worsened rapidly 

and one fi refi ghter became entangled in debris (the 

fi refi ghter’s company offi cer stayed and attempted to 

free the entangled fi refi ghter, but both were killed); 

two fi refi ghters died after becoming trapped by fi re 

progress in drinking establishments, one in Missouri 

and one in Texas; a Texas fi refi ghter became trapped 

in a structure fi re in a residence; and a New Jersey 

chief offi cer was killed when propane cylinders in the 

common hallway of a multiple residence vented their 

contents during a fi re and caused an explosion.

A California wildland fi refi ghter was killed when a 

wind shift caused a fi re to grow rapidly and made 

a run toward fi refi ghters; she attempted to run 

to an established safety zone but was not able to 

reach it in time.

A New Hampshire fi re offi cer drowned as he and 

another fi refi ghter trained in SCUBA gear in the 

open water portion of a frozen lake. His body was 

recovered the next day.

Collapse

Six fi refi ghters were killed in collapses in 2004. 

Two multiple-fatality incidents took the lives of 

two fi refi ghters each: two Wood River, Nebraska, 

fi refi ghters were killed in the collapse of an icecovered roof during a fi re in a residence; and 

a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, battalion chief and 

fi refi ghter were killed in the sudden collapse of a 

church bell tower several hours into a major fi re in 

a historic downtown church.

A Philadelphia fi re offi cer was killed during a 

structural fi re in a residence when he fell partially 

through a fi re weakened fl oor and was trapped. 

A Tennessee fi re chief was killed when a wall 

collapsed during a fi re in a church; the chief died 

almost four months after he was injured.

Firefi ghters working on the scene of a fi re in a historic 

church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The bell tower 

collapsed shortly after this photograph was taken and 

killed Battalion Chief Charles G. Brace and Master 

Firefi ghter Richard A. Stefanakis.

Photo by tony tye, PittsbuRgh Post-gAZette
Falls

Five firefighters died in 2004 as the result of falls. 

Two firefighters were killed in separate incidents 

when they fell from the cargo or bed area of 

pickup trucks; one firefighter was riding to a 

training site, and the other was returning supplies 

used for a fundraising event when they fell (both 

firefighters suffered fatal head injuries).

A Pennsylvania firefighter fell from the rear step 

of a pumper and suffered a fatal head injury as 

he stretched hose at the scene of a structural fire. 

An Indiana firefighter fell from a horse during a 

community event and died of a head injury.

A Massachusetts firefighter fell from a responding 

engine company as it turned out of the fire station 

while en route to an incident. The door of the 

apparatus opened, and the firefighter received a 

fatal head injury when he struck the pavement. 

There were reports that the firefighter was not 

wearing a seatbelt and that there had been 

problems with the latch on the door that opened.

Other

Two firefighters died in 2004 of causes that are 

not categorized above: a Pennsylvania firefighter 

died as a result of a bloodborne infection that he 

likely contracted during extended operations in 

floodwater after severe weather in the area, and an 

Alabama fire chief died as a result of an accidental 

overdose of prescribed medications while 

attending a conference in Florida.

20

Figure 11. Fatalities by Nature of Fatal Injury (2004)
NATURE OF FATAL INjURy

Table 11 and Figure 11 show the distribution of 

the 117 deaths by the medical nature of the fatal 

injury or illness. 

Table 11. Nature of Fatal Injury – 2004

21

Nature Number

Heart Attack 61

Internal Trauma 31

Crushed 8

Asphyxiation 5

CVA 4

Burns 3

Drowning 2

Other 3

Total 117

heart Attack

Again in 2004, heart attacks were the most 

frequent nature of death with 61 firefighter deaths. 

Figure 12 provides a detailed breakdown of heart 

attacks by type of duty. 

Nineteen firefighters died of heart attacks suffered 

after the conclusion of their onduty activities: 11 

firefighters suffered heart attacks at home after 

returning from onduty activities; 3 firefighters 

suffered heart attacks at the fire station after a 

response; 3 firefighters were participating in 

physical fitness activities after going offduty; 1 

firefighter was driving his personal vehicle; and 1 

firefighter was working at a second job when he 

became ill.

Eleven firefighters suffered heart attacks while 

engaged in activities on the fire scene: two of 

the firefighters who died were fire police officers 

engaged in traffic control at incident scenes; five 

Figure 12 - Heart Attacks by Type of Duty (2004)
22

firefighters had heart attacks during structure 

fires; and four firefighters suffered heart attacks at 

wildland fires.

Ten firefighters died of heart attacks in 2004 while 

onduty but were not assigned to any specific 

incident or training exercise: three firefighters 

became ill while completing regular duties in the 

fire station; two firefighters suffered heart attacks 

while attending meetings in the fire station; one 

firefighter suffered a heart attack while providing 

standby services; a Florida firefighter became 

ill while transporting donated equipment; a 

Kansas fire officer became ill while at his desk in 

an administrative facility; an Arizona firefighter 

suffered a heart attack and later died while 

participating in a fire department-sponsored 

brush clearing operation; and a military firefighter 

suffered a cardiac event while on standby duty.

Six firefighters suffered heart attacks during their 

response to non-fire emergencies: three firefighters 

became ill while working at the scene of motor 

vehicle crashes; two firefighters suffered heart 

attacks at emergency medical incidents; and one fire 

police officer suffered a heart attack while directing 

traffic at a carbon monoxide alarm response.

Six firefighters died of heart attacks that struck 

during training: two firefighters suffered heart 

attacks during or shortly after completion a pack 

(work capacity) test for wildland firefighting 

certification; two firefighters, one in Colorado 

and one in Idaho, suffered heart attacks while 

participating in physical fitness duties; a 

Connecticut firefighter was struck with a heart 

attack during maze training at a training facility; 

and a Florida firefighter suffered a heart attack and 

died while attending a firefighter certification class 

at a local community college.

The median age of the firefighters who died 

of an onduty heart attack in 2004 was 52.9 

years old. The youngest victim was 23 

years old, and the oldest was 78 years old.

Five firefighters suffered heart attacks while 

responding to an emergency: two firefighters 

collapsed in the fire station prior to response to 

incidents; two firefighters became ill while riding 

in fire apparatus; and one firefighter became ill 

while a passenger in a responding POV.

Four firefighters became ill and later died of heart 

attacks while returning from an emergency: a 

fire chief suffered a heart attack in his car while 

preparing to leave the scene of a controlled burn; 

two firefighters became ill while returning to 

the fire station on fire apparatus; and a fire chief 

became ill while driving a vehicle back from a 

response (the vehicle left the road and came to a 

stop, and other firefighters came to the chief’s side 

and provided medical assistance).

Internal Trauma

In 2004, 31 firefighters died due to internal 

physical trauma. This grouping includes most 

firefighters who are killed in vehicle crashes and 

those who receive physical injuries. 

 Table 12. Internal Trauma Firefighter Deaths 

Year Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 31

2003 41

2002 34

2001 28*

2000 36

1999 25

1998 27

1997 32

1996 32

1995 24

1994 21

* Does not include the firefighter deaths of September 11, 2001, in New 

York City.
23

Thirteen traumatic deaths were the result of motor 

vehicle crashes. Six firefighters were struck by 

motor vehicles and died of physical trauma. Four 

firefighters died in aircraft crashes.

Four firefighters died from traumatic wounds 

suffered in falls from vehicles, and one died from 

injuries received in a fall from a horse. One 

firefighter died from traumatic injuries received in 

a building collapse, one firefighter was injured by 

a falling section of tree and later died, and a fire 

officer was struck by gunfire.

Crushed

In 2004, eight firefighters died when they were 

crushed: two Wood River, Nebraska, firefighters 

were crushed under the weight of an ice-covered 

roof that collapsed; two Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 

firefighters died when they were crushed by 

debris from a fallen bell tower at a major fire in 

an historic church; two firefighters were crushed 

by fire apparatus, one on the scene of a structure 

fire and one at the fire station; one firefighter was 

crushed in a motor vehicle crash; and an Alabama 

firefighter was crushed by a fallen tree while 

driving his pickup truck.

Asphyxiation

Asphyxiation was the fourth leading medical 

reason for firefighter deaths in 2004, responsible 

for five deaths: four firefighters died of 

asphyxiation after becoming trapped in structure 

fires, two in Philadelphia and one each in Missouri 

and Texas; and a California firefighter died of 

smoke inhalation when her position was overrun 

in a wildland fire. Table 13 provides an historical 

perspective on asphyxiation deaths.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Four firefighters died in 2004 as a result of strokes 

(CVA’s): two firefighters complained of not 

feeling well during an incident and then sought 

treatment after going home; a firefighter did not 

feel well at the scene of an incident, then suffered 

a CVA while driving his personal vehicle in the fire 

station parking lot; and a firefighter suffered a CVA 

while onduty in the fire station.

Table 13. Firefighter Deaths due to Asphyxiation

Year Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 5

2003 6

2002 15

2001 18

2000 13

1999 16

1998 15

1997 15

1996 5

1995 20

1994 29

Burns

Three firefighters died as a result of burns in 2004. 

All of these injuries occurred during structural 

firefights: a Texas firefighter died of burns received 

in an arson-caused fire in a nightclub; a New Jersey 

chief officer died of burns received in a multiple 

residence fire; and a Philadelphia fire officer received 

burns in a partial floor collapse and entrapment.

Drowning

Two firefighters drowned in 2004: a Florida 

firefighter drowned after a tire blowout sent his 

brush truck into a water-filled ditch upside down, 

and a New Hampshire fire officer died during 

SCUBA training.

Other

Three firefighters died in situations where the 

nature of their deaths does not fall into any of the 

categories described above: a Pennsylvania fire 

officer died of a ruptured aorta; a Pennsylvania fire 

police officer contracted a bloodborne infection 

while doing extensive duty in contaminated 

floodwaters; and an Alabama fire chief died as a 

result of an unintentional overdose of prescribed 
24

medications while attending a business conference 

in Florida.

FIREFIGhTER AGES

Figure 13 shows the percentage distribution of 

firefighter deaths by age and nature of the fatal 

injury. Table 14 provides counts of firefighter 

fatalities by age and the nature of the fatal injury.

As in most years, younger firefighters were more 

likely to have died as a result of traumatic injuries 

such as injuries from an apparatus accident or after 

becoming caught or trapped during firefighting 

operations. Stress plays an increasing role in 

firefighter deaths as age increases. 

Table 14. Firefighter Ages and

Nature of Fatal Injury

Age Range

Nontrauma 

Total Trauma Total

under 21 0 6

21 to 25 1 5

26 to 30 1 3

31 to 35 1 5

36 to 40 4 8

41 to 45 9 4

46 to 50 15 2

51 to 60 23 10

Years of Service: Firefighters who died 61 & over 14 6

onduty in 2004 had a median of 16 years 

of service. This compares to 14 years of 

service for firefighters who died in 2003, 

11 years of service for firefighters who 

died in 2002, and 11.5 years of service for 

firefighters who died in 2001, not including 

those who died at the World Trade Center.

The youngest firefighter killed in 2004 

was Junior Firefighter Joshua Martin of 

Louisiana, age 15. The oldest firefighter 

killed was Fire Police Captain Thomas 

Conway of New Jersey, age 81.

Figure 13. Fatalities by Age and Nature (2004)
2

FIxED pROpERTy USE FOR 

STRUCTURAL FIREFIGhTING 

DEAThS

There were 22 firefighter fatalities in 2004 where 

the firefighters became ill while on the scene or 

engaged in structural firefighting. Table 15 shows 

the distribution of these deaths by fixed property 

use. As in most years, residential occupancies 

accounted for the highest number of these 

fireground fatalities, with 15 deaths. 

Table 16 shows the number of firefighter deaths 

in residential occupancies for the past 11 years. 

Residential occupancies usually account for 70 

percent to 80 percent of all structure fires and a 

similar percentage of the civilian fire deaths each 

year*. Historically, the frequency of firefighter 

deaths in relation to the number of fires is much 

higher for nonresidential structures.

Table 15. Structural Firefighting Deaths by Fixed 

property Use in 2003

Fixed Property Number Percent

Use

Residential 15 68

Commercial 7 32

Table 16. Firefighter Deaths In Residential 

Occupancies

Year Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 15

2003 10

2002 21

2001 17

2000 21

1999 23

1998 17

1997 16

1996 19

1995 18

1994 25

TypE OF ACTIVITy

Table 17 and Figure 14 show the types of 

fireground activities in which firefighters were 

engaged at the time they sustained their fatal 

injuries or illnesses. This total includes all 

firefighting duties such as wildland firefighting 

and structural firefighting. In 2004 there were a 

total of 30 firefighter deaths on the fireground.

Table 17. Type of Activity – 2004

Nature Number

Fire Attack 16

Search and Rescue 4

Water Supply 3

Scene Safety 2

Incident Command 2

Ventilation 2

Suppression Support 1

Total 30

Fire Attack

In 2004, 16 firefighters were killed as they engaged 

in direct fire attack, such as advancing or operating 

a hoseline at a fire scene. In years past, most 

fireground firefighter deaths occurred while the 

firefighter was engaged in fire attack (see Table 18).

One multiple-firefighter fatality incident took 

the lives of two Philadelphia firefighters engaged 

in fire attack in a residential basement. A 

Philadelphia fire officer died in a residential fire 

earlier in the year when he became caught in a 

structural collapse.

Four firefighters died in the interior of fireinvolved structures while engaged in fire attack 

duties: a Texas firefighter died in a residential 

fire; another Texas firefighter died in a fire in a 

commercial building; a Missouri firefighter died 

* Complete 2004 NFIRS fire incidence data were not available at the time 

of this report, but residential fires typically account for between 70 percent 

and 80 percent of all civilian fatalities each year according to the NFPA.
26

.

Figure 14. Fatalities by Type of Activity (2004)

in a commercial building; and a Pennsylvania 

fi refi ghter died in the collapse of a historic church

Four fi refi ghters suffered heart attacks while 

engaged in fi re attack duties: a fi refi ghter in 

New York and a fi refi ghter in Illinois died while 

advancing hoselines on the exterior of a fi re 

involved structure; a Kentucky fi refi ghter became 

ill at the scene of a fi re in a manufactured home; 

and a South Carolina fi refi ghter became ill at the 

scene of a fi re in a community center. 

Four fi refi ghters died while engaged in fi re attack 

at wildland incidents: a SEAT pilot crashed after 

a fi re retardant drop at a fi re in Utah; a fi refi ghter 

in California was killed when fi re overran her 

position as she and other fi refi ghters attacked a 

fi re; and fi refi ghters in Alabama and Texas suffered

heart attacks at wildland fi res.

A California fi refi ghter was struck and killed by 

a passing vehicle as he prepared to advance a 

hoseline on a car and grass fi re.

The body of Firefi ghter Eva Marie Schicke is placed into 

her crew’s helicopter by members of her helitack crew.

She was killed when fi re overran her position as she and 

other fi refi ghters attacked a wildfi re in California.

Photo by Al golub, the MoDesto bee
27

Table 18. Firefi ghter Deaths While Engaged in Fire 

Attack

Year Number of Firefighter 

Deaths

2004 16

2003 11

2002 13

2001 13

2000 13

1999 16

1998 18

1997 21

1996 9

1995 18

1994 7

Search and Rescue

Four fi refi ghters were killed in 2004 as they 

engaged in search and rescue activities: two Wood 

River, Nebraska, fi refi ghters were killed as they 

searched a residence for a fi re victim when the icecovered roof of an addition to the home collapsed; 

an Ohio fi refi ghter became ill after completing 

search and rescue activities at a structural fi re and 

later suffered a heart attack; and a New Jersey chief 

offi cer was killed as he notifi ed building residents 

of a fi re when he was engulfed in a fi reball 

resulting from venting propane cylinders.

Water Supply

Three fi refi ghters died in 2004 while engaged in 

water supply duties: a New York fi refi ghter was 

killed when he was crushed between a pumper 

and a tanker at a structure fi re; a Pennsylvania 

fi refi ghter died after receiving a severe head injury 

when he fell while removing supply line from the 

rear of a pumper at a structure fi re; and a North 

Dakota fi refi ghter died of a heart attack suffered 

while operating the pump on a tanker (tender).

Scene Safety

A Pennsylvania fi re police offi cer suffered a heart 

attack while directing traffi c at a structural fi re in 

an industrial occupancy, and a Mississippi-based 

fi refi ghter suffered a heart attack in Florida during 

the performance of safety duties at a wildland fi re.

Incident Command

Two Incident Command offi cers were killed in 

2004, both in church structural collapses: a 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, chief offi cer was killed in 

the collapse of a historic church; and a Tennessee 

fi re chief was killed when the front wall of a 

church collapsed and struck him.

Ventilation

Two fi refi ghters died in 2004 while engaged 

in ventilation duties, both at fi res in residential 

occupancies.

Suppression Support

One fi refi ghter was killed in 2004 while engaged 

in suppression support. A California fi refi ghter 

was killed when he was struck by a falling portion 

of a tree as he prepared to cut down dangerous 

trees at a wildland fi re.

A ladder arch awaits the arrival of the funeral procession 

of Firefi ghter Jackson Huber Gerhart after his funeral.

Photo by chARles ARMstRong, the Public oPinion
2

TIME OF INjURy

Figure 15 illustrates the distribution of all 2004 

firefighter deaths according to the time of day 

when the fatal injury occurred. The time of fatal 

injury for six firefighters either was not known or 

was not reported. 

MONTh OF yEAR 

Figure 16 illustrates firefighter fatalities by month 

of the year. 

STATE AND REGION

Table 19 shows the distribution of firefighter 

deaths by State. Firefighters based in 41 States 

died in 2004.

The highest number of firefighter deaths based 

on the location of the fire service organization in 

2004 occurred in Pennsylvania with 18 deaths. 

Figure 15. Fatalities by T me of Fatal Injury (2004)

Figure 16. Deaths by M nth of the Year (2004)
Table 19. Firefighter Fatalities by State by Location of Fire Service* 

29

Number State Percent

Total

of

1 Alaska 0.85%

3 Alabama 2.56%

1 Arkansas 0.85%

1 Arizona 0.85%

5 California 4.27%

2 Colorado 1.70%

1 Connecticut 0.85%

5 Florida 4.27%

3 Georgia 2.56%

2 Iowa 1.70%

2 Idaho 1.70%

7 Illinois 5.98%

1 Indiana 0.85%

3 Kansas 2.56%

8 Kentucky 6.83%

1 Louisiana 0.85%

2 Massachusetts 1.70%

2 Maryland 1.70%

1 Michigan 0.85%

4 Missouri 3.41%

Number State Percent

Total

of

3 Mississippi 2.56%

1 Montana 0.85%

3 North Carolina 2.56%

1 North Dakota 0.85%

2 Nebraska 1.70%

1 New Hampshire 0.85%

6 New Jersey 5.12%

1 New Mexico 0.85%

4 New York 3.41%

3 Ohio 2.56%

1 Oklahoma 0.85%

1 Oregon 0.85%

18 Pennsylvania 15.3%

1 Rhode Island 0.85%

4 South Carolina 3.41%

2 Tennessee 1.70%

4 Texas 3.41%

1 Utah 0.85%

2 Virginia 1.70%

1 Washington 0.85%

2 Wisconsin 1.70%

* This list attributes the deaths according to the State in which the fire department or unit is based, as opposed to the State in which the death occurred. They 

are listed by those States for statistical purposes and for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the National Emergency Training Center.
30

Figure 17. Firefighter Fatalities by Region (2004)
31
ANALySIS OF URBAN/RURAL/SUBURBAN pATTERNS IN 

FIREFIGhTER FATALITIES 

32

The United States Bureau of the Census defines 

urban as “a place having a population of at least 

2,500 or lying within a designated urban area.” 

Rural is defined as any community that is not 

urban. Suburban is not a census term but may be 

taken to refer to any place, urban or rural, that lies 

within a metropolitan area defined by the Census 

Bureau, but not within one of the central cities of 

that metropolitan area.

Fire department areas of responsibility do not 

always conform to the boundaries used for the 

census. For example, fire departments organized 

by counties or special fire protection districts 

may have both urban and rural coverage areas. In 

such cases, it may not be possible to characterize 

the entire coverage area of the fire department as 

rural or urban, and firefighter deaths were listed as 

urban or rural based on the particular community 

or location in which the fatality occurred.

The following patterns were found for 2004 

firefighter fatalities. These statistics are based on 

answers from the fire departments and, when 

no data from the departments were available, the 

data are based upon population and area served as 

reported by the fire departments.

Table 20. Firefighter Deaths by Coverage Area Type

Urban/

Suburban

Rural Federal or State

Wildland

Parks/ Total

Firefighter 

Deaths 58 48 11 117
33

IN CONCLUSION

2004 was another year of unacceptable loss for 

the fire service, for firefighters who lost their 

brothers and sisters in 2004, and—most of all—

for the families and friends of the firefighters who 

died in 2004.

The fire service is currently engaged in an 

introspective look at the causes of firefighter 

fatalities and methods to reduce or to eliminate 

firefighter fatalities in the future. The National 

Fallen Firefighters Foundation is leading an effort 

to involve the entire fire service community in the 

solutions to the firefighter fatality problem.

The Foundation is working from a list of initiatives 

that was developed at a large gathering of fire 

service safety experts in Tampa, Florida, in the 

spring of 2003. The initiatives developed at that 

meeting were to:

 1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural 

change within the fire service relating to 

safety, incorporating leadership, management, 

supervision, accountability, and personal 

responsibility. 

 2. Enhance the personal and organizational 

accountability for health and safety throughout 

the fire service. 

 3. Focus greater attention on the integration of 

risk management with incident management 

at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and 

planning responsibilities. 

 4. Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe 

practices. 

 5. Develop and implement national standards 

for training, qualifications, and certification 

(including regular recertification) that are 

equally applicable to all firefighters, based on 

the duties they are expected to perform.

 6. Develop and implement national medical 

and physical fitness standards that are equally 

applicable to all firefighters, based on the 

duties they are expected to perform. 

 7. Create a national research agenda and data 

collection system that relate to the initiatives. 

 8. Use available technology wherever it can 

produce higher levels of health and safety. 

 9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, 

injuries, and near misses. 

 10. Ensure that grant programs support the 

implementation of safe practices and/

or mandate safe practices as an eligibility 

requirement.

United States Firefigh r Disorientation Study: te

A report prepared by Captain William Mora of the San Antonio Fire Department analyzed 17 incidents 

where firefighters became disoriented in structures, that resulted in a total of 23 firefighter fatalities.

The study revealed a disorientation sequence common to all of these incidents that included 

light smoke showing upon arrival, an aggressive interior attack, deteriorating interior conditions, and 

firefighters becoming separated from handlines. 

The study recommends SOP’s and training that includes a cautious initial assessment and a managed 

initial attack, if warranted.

The full study is available at: http://www.sanantonio.gov/safd/pdf/FirefighterDisorientationStudy.pdf 

or through a link at the USFA firefighter fatality Web site http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fatalities/
can be found at the Foundation’s Web site at www.

firehero.org

Something can be learned from each firefighter 

f

t

i

i

t

i

i

l

atality. We owe it to the firefighters who gave 

heir lives while onduty to seek out the lessons 

n their deaths and to pass that information on to 

other firefighters to prevent future tragedies.

The following section of this report provides 

nformation on two approaches for preventing 

firefighter deaths; one approach is long-term, and 

he other can have an immediate impact on safety. 

The solution to the firefighter fatality problem 

s not contained in any one tactical change or 

policy. It is going to take a concerted effort by the 

fire service over a period of time to make major 

change. Starting with the easy stuff will provide 

mmediate benefits, but a commitment for the 

ong term will be needed to address some causes 

of death.

 11. Develop and champion national standards for 

Information on chronic exposure to diesel 

exhaust for firefighters can be found at http://

www.richter-foundation.org/home.html

The last firefighter to die in 2004 was 

Firefighter Jared Michael Moore of Kansas. 

His car was struck by a law enforcement 

vehicle while responding to a motor 

vehicle crash.

34

Opposite page: Firefighters carry the body of Firefighter 

Jaime Leah Foster at her funeral

Photo by Rick McClure, Los Angeles City Fire D


37

SPECIAL 

Eati

If the horrible toll of September 11, 2001, is set 

momentarily aside, 1,047 firefighters have died 

while onduty in the United States in the last 

decade. 460 of those firefighters died from heart 

attacks, the largest nature of fatal injury category 

for firefighter fatalities. These firefighters ranged 

in age from their 20’s through their 80’s with the 

largest number of them in their 50’s.

That’s a firefighter death due to a heart attack 

every 8 days. In addition to the deaths caused by 

heart attacks, the NFPA reports an average of just 

over 300 nonfatal heart attacks are suffered by 

firefighters each year while working on the scene 

of a fire incident in the last decade. Many of these 

illnesses are career-ending and life-changing, 

whether the firefighter is volunteer or career.

According to the American Heart Association 

(AHA), 130 million Americans are overweight and 

nearly 62 million of them are obese. People who 

are overweight or obese are more likely to develop 

heart disease and stroke, even if they have no other 

risk factors.

The AHA says that obesity is unhealthy because 

excess weight increases the strain on the heart. 

Obesity is linked with coronary heart disease 

mainly because it raises blood pressure and blood 

cholesterol and can make it more likely to develop

diabetes.

Some risk factors for heart attack, such as 

advancing age and male gender, cannot be 

controlled. However, many heart attack risk 

factors such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol, 

smoking, and physical activity are much more 

within an individual’s control to manage.

Healthy eating can have a positive impact on body 

weight, nutrition, blood pressure, and the control 

or avoidance of chronic diseases such as diabetes. 

It can be an important part of an overall plan 

for a healthy life that includes exercise, smoking 

cessation, and other risk controlling measures.

Firefighters face unique challenges when it 

comes to food. Meal times can be compressed 

by training and emergency responses. Meals are 

communal events that bring firefighters together, 

both career firefighters while onduty in their fire 

stations, and volunteer firefighters for fundraising 

and social events. Part of the fire service culture 

revolves around food preparation and eating 

together. Taking meals together is a time that 

firefighters have traditionally used to bond with 

one another and build the teamwork that is 

needed during response to emergency incidents.

Don’t dig your grave with your

own knife and fork.

~ English Proverb

In general, mankind, since the

improvement of cookery, eats twice

as much as nature requires.

~ Benjamin Franklin
3

Eating healthy is not a simple prospect for anyone. 

As Americans, we are faced with an almost 

unimaginable array of food choices. We are 

bombarded with food advertising almost from the 

day that we are born.

If food is your best friend, it’s also

your worst enemy.

~ “Grandpa” Edward Jones, 1978

Healthy eating is not something that can be done 

only while onduty, it has to become a way of life 

for firefighters and those that they share meals 

with when they are offduty. This section offers 

some simple basics for healthy eating that will 

contribute to an overall healthier firefighter.

Plan at Work, Plan at Home – Convenience foods, 

especially prepackaged foods, tend to be less 

healthy than other foods. It’s often easier to stop 

by a fast food restaurant and grab a bite on the 

run than go through the effort of planning and 

preparing a meal. Proper planning in advance for 

the meal can diminish some of the allure of fast 

food. If a crew knows in advance that they will be 

away from the fire station at lunch time, they may 

choose to prepare and pack a lunch to bring along 

rather than stopping for fast food on the run.

The key to healthy eating in the fire station is the 

cook. The cook may be a member of the onduty 

crew in a career fire station, a volunteer with a 

special flair in the kitchen, or a member of a fire 

department support group. If firefighters hope 

to have input into what is being prepared, they 

have to do so through the cook. It is a good idea 

to offer alternatives to the cook for healthier 

meals. The International Association of Firefighters 

(IAFF) recently launched a Web site called “Fit to 

SURVIVE.” This site offers advice on fitness and 

recipes for more healthful meals. Use of the site 

is free, and site can be accessed at http://www.

foodfit.com/iaff/

Planning meals is also important at home and 

while offduty. If the firefighter is also the cook 

at home or if another family member does the 

cooking, it is important to carry healthful eating 

habits started at the fire station to the home. 

Even for a career firefighter, most meals are eaten 

away from the fire station so these meals play an 

important role.

Read the Label – When choosing foods to eat or 

shopping for ingredients to be included in a 

recipe, read the Nutrition Facts Label. Don’t be 

fooled by claims made on the front of the box as 

to the healthiness of the food, look at the label. 

The food label is presented in a standard format 

and provides information on the nutritional value 

of the food. 

When reading food labels, pay attention to the 

serving size and the number of servings in the 

package. That little snack bag that you have chosen 

to eat may actually contain more than one serving 

of the food and that affects the amount of calories 

and nutrients that you will be eating. 

More information about reading and interpreting 

food labels can be found at http://www.cfsan.fda.

gov/~dms/foodlab.html

New Pyramid - In early 

2005, the Food and 

Drug Administration 

(FDA) released a 

revised version of the 

Food Guide Pyramid. 

The FDA has provided 

nutritional advice for 

more than 100 years, the original pyramid was 

developed in 1992. The new pyramid was 

developed to improve the effectiveness of the 

pyramid as a motivator for consumers to make 

healthier food choices and to reflect the latest 

nutritional science.
39

Along with the release of the new pyramid, the 

FDA launched a Web site filled with advice on 

healthy eating and exercise. The site includes 

interactive tools and the information provided by 

the site can be personalized to each user. The FDA 

site can be found at http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Simpl

Many of the situations in which firefighters die are 

somewhat out of control – such as a structure fire. 

Incident Command Systems attempt to organize 

our response to fires and other incidents to bring 

some measure of control to the chaos. We use 

risk management planning in advance of the 

emergency and at the scene of an emergency to 

measure the risk of action against the likely benefit 

of those actions.

Some firefighter deaths come in extremely hard to 

predict situations, such as building collapses, rapid 

changes in fire behavior, and extreme weather. 

Most of the time, however, there are simple steps 

to safety that – if implemented – could save the 

lives of firefighters every year.

This section will propose some simple steps to 

safety during the emergency response such as 

firefighters who do not feel well while onduty, 

floor collapses, and working near moving traffic.

Emerg

The fire service is in the emergency response 

business. We begin our response to every incident 

with the belief that our rapid arrival on the scene 

will contribute to a positive outcome for those 

impacted by the emergency situation. For this 

reason, we choose to accept the risks that are 

inherent in an emergency response.

Tasks such as driving emergency vehicles at speeds 

higher than the posted speed limit, negotiating 

through traffic, and proceeding through 

intersections are risky. While local laws and 

procedures vary, firefighters are generally allowed to 

move through traffic during an emergency response 

in ways that normal traffic is not allowed to.

Each year, firefighters are killed when their 

vehicles are involved in crashes. Most firefighter 

deaths in vehicle crashes are in personally 

owned vehicles. As stated earlier in this report, 

58 firefighters have died in personal vehicle 

crashes since 1990. Each year, firefighters also 

die in crashes that involve fire apparatus such as 

pumpers, tankers, and brush trucks.

Three common threads can be seen in many of 

these fatal crashes; excessive speed, driving off of 

the right side of the roadway, and a lack of 

seatbelt use.

Excessive Speed – Most State laws and local fire 

department standard operating procedures (SOP’s) 

allow firefighters to exceed the posted speed limit 

while responding to emergencies. This privilege 

should be managed to make sure that the risk of 

higher speeds provides a reasonable benefit to 

those needing assistance. Some suggestions for 

emergency response:

Limit speeds, under any circumstances, to 

10 miles-per-hour above the posted speed 

limit. Especially in fire apparatus, speeds that 

are significantly above the posted speed limit 

are dangerous. Stopping distances are increased 

dramatically and high vehicle speeds in curves 

often have negative outcomes. This speed limit 

maximum should apply equally to fire apparatus, 

ambulances, and personal vehicles.

Wheels Off the Right – An analysis of fatal firefighter 

vehicle crashes reveals that one of the most 

common scenarios in these crashes starts with the 

right-hand wheels of the vehicle leaving the paved 

surface of the road.

The reason for the wheels leaving the roadway 

varies. In some situations, the side of a poorly 

maintained road collapses under the weight of 
40

the vehicle. Sometimes the vehicle leaves the road 

due to driver inattention or the fact that the driver 

of the vehicle is focusing his or her attention on 

something inside of the vehicle such as the radio 

or warning lights. A far more common reason is 

excessive speed. Especially on curves, the driver 

in unable to hold the vehicle on the road and the 

right wheels go off. Speed also contributes to 

situations where wheels leave the road without the 

complications of a curve.

Once a vehicle’s right wheels leave the road, the 

natural inclination of most drivers is to do what 

they would do in their personal car or family 

vehicle – jog the steering wheel sharply to the 

left for a moment to bring the vehicle back on 

the road. While this likely works well with most 

personal vehicles, the results for a larger vehicle 

can be disastrous. 

The center of gravity for fire apparatus is much 

higher than it is for passenger cars. When the 

driver of a piece of fire apparatus jogs the wheel 

sharply in any direction, the vehicle reacts much 

differently than a smaller vehicle. In situations 

where the vehicle’s right wheels go off of the road 

and the driver jogs the steering wheel sharply to 

the left, the vehicle often comes back onto the 

road and veers into the oncoming lane of traffic. 

The driver again jogs the wheel sharply to the 

right to bring the apparatus back into its lane 

– many times the left side of the apparatus comes 

around and the vehicle begins to slide or roll. 

Once this critical loss of control occurs, the vehicle 

may crash on the road surface or leave the roadway 

and hit objects on either side of the road.

Wheels Off of the Road – Slow Then Steer. 

When the wheels of a vehicle leave the paved 

surface of the roadway, it’s much safer to slow 

down as much as possible with the wheels on 

the shoulder and then bring the vehicle back 

onto the road. 

Seatbelts – The number of firefighters who are 

killed in otherwise survivable vehicle crashes each 

year is an outrage. As firefighters who respond to 

vehicle crashes, we know the value of seatbelts, yet 

we somehow cannot project those benefits onto 

ourselves. 

In 2004, two firefighters who were riding in the 

open beds of pickup trucks died as the result 

of falls from the trucks during nonemergency 

circumstances. One firefighter died when she fell 

from the back step of an engine as it backed out of 

an emergency scene.

If a vehicle is not equipped with properly 

operating seatbelts, it should be taken out of 

service until the belts are provided. No firefighter 

should ride on a moving vehicle unless in a 

designated seat with a properly operating seatbelt.

No Belt – No Ride. If seatbelts are not 

provided, don’t ride in any vehicle. If seatbelts 

are provided, use them.

Firefi

On

In 2004, there were at least six firefighter deaths 

where the firefighter complained of not feeling 

well on the emergency scene or after returning 

to the fire station. These firefighters went home 

and then suffered fatal heart attacks within a short 

period of time after arriving home. In some of 

these cases, these firefighters were exhibiting 

classic signs of cardiac distress while onduty.

Many firefighters will minimize their injuries 

and illnesses, especially when talking with other 

firefighters or while onduty. If a firefighter is 

feeling unwell on the scene of an emergency, 

other firefighters should urge or compel the 

sick firefighter to seek immediate appropriate 

medical care.
41

The Col

In the past decade, a number of firefighters have 

died when the floors of structures collapsed and 

propelled them into a basement that was involved 

in fire. 

Firefighters inherently do not trust the safety of 

the roof of a fire-involved structure. It’s common 

to see firefighters testing or “sounding” a roof 

as they conduct ventilation duties. It’s far less 

common to see firefighters concerned with the 

integrity of floors in fire-involved structures.

Firefighters in Alabama, New York, North Carolina, 

and Ohio, to name just four examples, have died 

when floors in residential structures experiencing 

fires in their basements have failed. These fires are 

typically well-advanced and have been burning 

for some time. These collapses may be more 

prominent in newer structures where lightweight 

building materials have been used in the place of 

traditional full-thickness lumber.

Don’t Trust the Floors – If a fire is working 

inside of a structure, the entire structure is 

simultaneously weakening – including the 

floors. It’s best to crawl through a fire-involved 

structure, feeling ahead of yourself to make 

sure that the floor is intact. Sound floors as you 

would a roof to check for integrity.

Worki

Each year, firefighters are killed when they are 

struck by passing vehicles at the scene of an 

emergency. Drivers may be blinded by emergency 

lighting, be more concerned with getting a look 

at the scene than paying attention to the road, or 

impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Firefighters can increase their chances of survival 

by using their vehicles as shields at the scene, 

working with law enforcement officials to close 

roadways or lanes of the road to provide for safety, 

and managing onscene lighting at nighttime 

emergencies.

A Web site specifically developed to prevent 

firefighter deaths from passing traffic has been 

developed. The site contains sample SOP’s, 

news, and training materials. Please see www.

respondersafety.com

Act Like All Traffic is Out to Kill You – If 

firefighters approached their interactions with 

moving traffic as if all drivers passing the scene 

were on a mission to kill them, we would have 

fewer firefighter deaths each year. Firefighters 

need to structure the emergency scene to 

provide protection, work with law enforcement 

to make the scene safer, and then remain 

constantly aware of their proximity to traffic.

Su

The effort to reduce and eliminate firefighter 

fatalities while onduty must be accomplished 

with a combination of long-term and immediate 

steps. Improvements in the overall health of 

firefighters and the management of the level of 

risk while responding and when on the scene of 

an emergency can both contribute to this goal.

Ap p e n d i x A

su m m a r y o f 2004 In C I d e n T s

January 4, 2004 – 0533hrs

Leslie W. Gant, Jr., Lieutenant

Age 46, Volunteer

Winslow Township Fire Department - Sicklerville 

Fire Company, New Jersey

Lieutenant	Gant	and	members	of	his	fi	re	

department.responded.to.a.crash.on.the.Atlantic.

City	Expressway.	Lieutenant	Gant	was	the	driver	

of	an	engine	company.	Firefi	ghters	found	a	vehicle	

overturned.in.the.woods.with.a.report.of.one.

unaccounted-for.occupant..Lieutenant.Gant.assisted.

by.using.a.chain.saw.at.the.scene..After.returning.to.

the	fi	re	station,	Lieutenant	Gant	experienced	some	

dizziness.and.left.to.rest.at.home.

When.he.arrived.home,.Lieutenant.Gant.told.his.

wife.that.something.was.wrong..His.wife.took.him.

to.the.hospital.where.he.was.treated.for.anxiety.

and	sent	home.	At	1138hrs,	EMS	was	summoned	

to.Lieutenant.Gant’s.home..He.was.found.to.be.

unresponsive.and.was.transported.to.a.local.

hospital..He.was.transferred.to.a.regional.hospital.in.

Philadelphia.where.he.was.diagnosed.as.suffering.a.

stroke..

Lieutenant.Gant.lost.consciousness.at.the.hospital..

Aggressive.measures.were.taken.to.save.his.life..

Despite.treatment.at.the.hospital,.Lieutenant.Gant.

died.on.January.8,.2004.

January 8, 2004 - 650hrs

c

Derrick T. Harvey, Lieutenant

Age 45, Career

Philadelphia Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Lieutenant.Harvey.and.the.members.of.his.engine.

company.were.dispatched.with.other.companies.

to	the	report	of	a	structure	fi	re	in	a	two-story	row	

house.	Upon	arrival,	Lieutenant	Harvey	entered	

the.structure.without.his.self-contained.breathing.

apparatus	(SCBA)	to	investigate.	He	reported	a	fi	re	

in.the.basement.to.the.Incident.Commander.(IC).

Lieutenant.Harvey.ordered.the.members.of.his.

crew.to.advance.a.hoseline.into.the.front.door.of.

the	structure.	Firefi	ghters	reported	a	very	hot	and	

spongy	fl	oor	as	they	advanced.	Firefi	ghters	at	the	

basement.door.at.the.rear.of.the.structure.were.

delayed.because.of.accumulated.debris.

Firefi	ghters	operating	the	handline	from	Lieutenant	

Harvey’s.engine.were.directed.by.the.IC.to.prevent.

the	fi	re	from	extending	into	the	fi	rst	fl	oor	from	the	

basement..Lieutenant.Harvey.was.working.inside.

with	his	fi	refi	ghters,	still	without	the	benefi	t	of	a	

SCBA..As.Lieutenant.Harvey.exited.the.structure.for.

a	third	time,	he	fell	partially	through	the	fl	oor	and	

was.trapped.

Firefi	ghters	from	Lieutenant	Harvey’s	crew	became	

concerned.when.they.did.not.hear.from.him..One.

fi	refi	ghter	crawled	back	toward	the	front	of	the	home	

but	could	not	reach	the	front	due	to	fl	oor	failure.	

Firefi	ghters	were	able	to	exit	the	building	through	

the	basement;	fi	re	control	was	being	achieved.

Once	outside,	fi	refi	ghters	informed	the	IC	

that.Lieutenant.Harvey.was.missing..A.rapid.

intervention.crew.entered.the.structure.and.located.

Lieutenant.Harvey..He.was.found.face.down.with.

one	leg	through	a	hole	in	the	fl	oor.	At	this	point,	

approximately.18.minutes.had.passed.since.

Lieutenant.Harvey.left.his.crew.

43

continued on next page
Lieutenant.Harvey.was.removed.from.the.building.and.transported.to.

the.hospital..Lieutenant.Harvey.suffered.from.burns.on.approximately.

32.percent.of.his.body,.smoke.inhalation,.and.carbon.monoxide.

inhalation..He.was.treated.at.the.hospital.and.then.transferred.to.a.burn.

unit..Despite.aggressive.treatment.for.his.injuries,.Lieutenant.Harvey.

died.on.January.15,.2004..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.smoke.and.

soot.inhalation.and.burns.

The	fire	was	caused	when	combustibles	were	stored	too	close	to	an	oilburning.heater.

For.additional.information.regarding.this.incident,.please.refer.to.NIOSH.

Firefighter	Fatality	Investigation	and	Prevention	Program	report	F2004-

05.(www.cdc.gov/niosh/face200405.html).

January 9, 2004 – 1043hrs

c

Gregory Harold Vieth, Lieutenant

Age 53, Career

Davenport Fire Department, Iowa

While	on	duty,	Lieutenant	Vieth	complained	to	other	firefighters	that	

he.was.not.feeling.well..After.going.off.duty,.he.was.completing.regular.

physical	fitness	exercises	when	he	experienced	an	unwitnessed	collapse	

at.approximately.1043hrs.

Passersby.noticed.Lieutenant.Vieth.lying.on.the.sidewalk.near.his.

home	and	called	9-1-1.	Responding	firefighters	found	Lieutenant	

Vieth.pulseless.and.not.breathing..Advanced.life.support.(ALS)-level.

care.was.provided,.and.Lieutenant.Vieth.was.transported.to.the.

hospital..Lieutenant.Vieth.did.not.respond.to.any.treatments.and.was.

pronounced.dead.as.a.result.of.a.heart.attack.at.1211hrs.

 January 15, 2004 – 0500hrs

c

Richard Allen Jones, Firefighter

Age 65, Volunteer

Maryland Line Volunteer Protection Association - Baltimore County Fire 

Dept. Maryland

Firefighter	Jones	responded	to	two	fire	incidents	on	January	14,	2004.	

For	each	incident,	Firefighter	Jones	responded	to	the	fire	station	to	

staff.equipment.on.a.standby.basis..He.returned.home.and.went.to.

bed	at	the	end	of	the	day.	Firefighter	Jones	died	during	the	night	of	

hypertensive.atherosclerotic.cardiovascular.disease.(a.heart.attack).

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January 21, 2004 – 2111hrs

Keith Allen Firment, Captain

Age 39, Volunteer

Marguerite Volunteer Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Captain.Firment.had.been.working.on.restoring.heat.to.a.portion.of.the.

fire	station.	This	task	involved	digging	several	feet	into	the	ground	to	

reach.an.oil.tank.

Captain.Firment.responded.to.a.motor.vehicle.crash.and.assisted.with.

extrication.at.the.scene.

Captain	Firment	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	later	

responded	to	reports	of	a	structure	fire.	Once	on	scene,	the	incident	

was	found	to	be	a	false	alarm.	Upon	returning	to	the	fire	station,	

Captain	Firment	told	another	firefighter	that	he	was	not	feeling	well	and	

went.home.

Within.a.few.minutes.of.his.arrival.at.home,.Captain.Firment.collapsed..

He.was.transported.to.the.hospital.and.died.the.next.day..The.cause.of.

death.was.listed.as.a.ruptured.aorta.

January 22, 2004 – 1214hrs

Charles “Charlie” T. Hatch, Jr., Firefighter/Paramedic

Age 48, Career

West Bridgewater Fire Department, Massachusetts

On	January	21,	2004,	at	0958hrs,	Firefighter	Hatch	and	other	offduty	

members	of	his	department	were	called	in	for	fire	station	coverage	

as.onduty.members.of.his.department.responded.to.a.mutual-aid.

structure	fire.

While	on	standby	in	the	fire	station,	Firefighter	Hatch	stocked	a	new	

ambulance.and.performed.other.physical.tasks.involving.lifting.and.

moving	heavy	objects.	When	onduty	firefighters	returned	to	quarters,	

Firefighter	Hatch	was	released	from	duty.	The	time	of	the	release	was	

approximately.1428hrs.

On	January	22,	2004,	at	approximately	1214hrs,	Firefighter	Hatch	was	

working.in.the.shop.of.his.personal.business..He.complained.of.not.

feeling.well.and.collapsed..A.bystander.performed.cardiopulmonary.

resuscitation	(CPR)	until	paramedics	arrived.	Firefighter	Hatch	did	not	

recover.and.died.later.that.day.as.the.result.of.a.heart.attack.

Firefighter	Hatch	became	ill	approximately	21	hours	after	being	released	

from	standby	duty.	Firefighter	Hatch	had	a	history	of	heart	difficulties	but	

was	certified	for	duty	by	a	physician	in	December	of	2003.

For.additional.information.regarding.this.incident,.please.refer.to.NIOSH.

Firefighter	Fatality	Investigation	and	Prevention	Program	report	F2004-

08.(www.cdc.gov/niosh/face200408.html).
46

January 24, 2004 – 1544hrs

Kevin Michael Shea, Fire Chief

Age 54, Volunteer

Elsmere Fire Department, New York

Chief	Shea	and	members	of	his	fire	department	responded	to	a	

structure	fire	alarm	in	a	local	nursing	home.	The	alarm	was	unfounded	

and	all	units	returned	to	the	fire	station.

As	firefighters	were	leaving	the	station,	they	noticed	that	Chief	Shea	was	

leaning	over	the	center	console	in	his	vehicle.	Firefighters	discovered	

that.Chief.Shea.was.unconscious.and.in.distress..Chief.Shea.was.

removed	from	the	vehicle,	and	CPR	was	started.	Upon	arrival	of	

emergency	medical	services	(EMS)	and	paramedics,	advanced	cardiac	

life.support.(ACLS).measures.were.initiated,.and.Chief.Shea.was.

transported.to.the.hospital.

Despite.treatment.in.the.ambulance.and.at.the.hospital,.Chief.Shea.was.

pronounced.dead..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.a.heart.attack.

January 27, 2004 – 1432hrs

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David Andrew Mackie, Firefighter/Paramedic

Age 35, Career

Orange City Fire Department, Florida

Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	was	attending	a	class	at	a	local	

community	college	that	would	lead	to	State	firefighter	certification.	He	

had.been.attending.training.all.day.and.participated.in.a.light.jog.after.

lunch..

Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	returned	to	the	classroom	and	was	

there.for.a.short.period.of.time.when.he.collapsed..Other.students.and.

staff.provided.emergency.medical.care,.including.CPR.and.the.use.of.

a	defibrillator.	Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	was	transported	to	the	

hospital.where.efforts.to.revive.him.were.continued.for.30.minutes..

These	efforts	were	unsuccessful,	and	Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	was	

pronounced.dead.

An	autopsy	revealed	that	Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	had	a	

problem.with.a.heart.valve.that.led.to.his.collapse.and.death..Cardiac.

abnormalities.had.been.noted.in.previous.physical.examinations,.but.

Firefighter/Paramedic	Mackie	had	been	cleared	for	duty.

For.additional.information.regarding.this.incident,.please.refer.to.NIOSH.

Firefighter	Fatality	Investigation	and	Prevention	Program	report	F2004-

12.(www.cdc.gov/niosh/face200412.html).

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January 28, 2004 – 0700hrs

Jean L. Nuckols, Firefighter

Age 47, Career

Navy Regional Fire Rescue, Norfolk, Virginia

Firefighter	Nuckols	suffered	a	stroke	(CVA)	while	on	duty	in	the	fire	

station..He.had.participated.in.strenuous.training.activities.while.on.

duty.the.day.before.his.collapse.

Firefighter	Nuckols	was	transported	to	the	hospital	and	died	on	January	

31,.2004.

February 3, 2004 – 1754hrs

Michael Edward Lynch, Firefighter

Age 32, Volunteer

Penrose Volunteer Fire Department, Colorado

Firefighter	Lynch	was	directing	traffic	at	the	scene	of	an	earlier	motor	

vehicle.crash.on.a.median-divided.highway.with.two.lanes.in.each.

direction.	He	was	equipped	with	a	traffic	vest,	a	stop/slow	sign,	and	a	

flashlight.

Firefighter	Lynch	was	in	the	right-hand	lane	near	a	vehicle	that	had	

slowed.abruptly.in.the.left.lane..A.pickup.truck.approached.the.scene.

in.the.left.lane,.and.then.swerved.into.the.right.lane.to.avoid.hitting.the.

vehicle	in	the	left	lane.	The	pickup	truck	struck	Firefighter	Lynch	and	

threw.him.off.of.the.right.side.of.the.road..He.came.to.rest.136.feet.

from.the.point.of.impact.

Firefighter	Lynch	was	transported	to	the	hospital	and	was	pronounced	

dead..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.major.trauma.

The.driver.of.the.pickup.truck,.a.minor,.pleaded.guilty.to.a.charge.of.

careless.driving.involving.a.death.

February 4, 2004 – 1500hrs

Glenn Christopher “Galdo” Galderisi, Firefighter

Age 52, Volunteer

Wayne Township, Pompton Falls Volunteer Fire Department #3, New 

jersey

Firefighter	Galderisi	and	members	of	his	department	had	returned	

to	the	station	after	a	response	to	a	false	alarm.	Firefighter	Galderisi	

adjusted.some.hose.on.the.apparatus.that.had.shifted.during.the.

response.and.then.suffered.a.heart.attack.

Firefighters	immediately	provided	assistance,	including	CPR,	and	

summoned	an	ambulance.	Firefighter	Galderisi	was	transported	to	a	

local.hospital.where.he.was.pronounced.dead.
4

February 13, 2004 – 1545hrs

Brenda Denise Cowan, Lieutenant

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Age 40, Career

Lexington Division of Fire & Emergency Services, Kentucky

Lieutenant.Cowan.and.her.engine.company.were.dispatched.with.an.

ambulance.to.a.report.of.a.possible.shooting.in.which.a.female.subject.

was.down.and.bleeding.from.the.head..A.neighbor.had.reported.the.

incident.

The.engine.was.staged.away.from.the.scene,.and.Lieutenant.Cowan.

and.a.member.of.her.crew.walked.up.the.road.to.attempt.to.locate.

the	victim.	Lieutenant	Cowan	and	the	firefighter	located	the	victim	and	

assessed.injuries..The.victim.appeared.to.be.expired,.and.an.automatic.

external	defibrillator	(AED)	was	being	applied	to	confirm	death.	The	

ambulance.arrived.at.the.scene.and.drove.to.the.victim’s.location.

As	the	ambulance	arrived,	shots	were	fired	at	the	responders.	

Lieutenant	Cowan	and	the	firefighter	were	struck	and	took	cover	behind	

a.tree..Lieutenant.Cowan.was.struck.a.second.time.

A	police	officer	who	had	responded	to	the	initial	call	attempted	to	provide	

cover	for	fire	and	EMS	responders	by	placing	his	vehicle	between	the	

source	of	the	gunfire	and	the	responders.	His	vehicle	also	took	fire.

Once	sufficient	law	enforcement	personnel	had	arrived	on	the	scene,	

the	firefighter	and	Lieutenant	Cowan	were	extricated	from	the	scene	

by.a.police.rescue.team..Once.out.of.the.danger.area,.life-saving.

procedures.were.initiated.on.Lieutenant.Cowan..She.was.transported.by.

ambulance.to.a.local.hospital.where.she.was.pronounced.dead.from.her.

wounds.

The	firefighter’s	injuries	were	less	severe,	and	he	was	released	from	the	

hospital.2.days.after.the.incident.

The.initial.shooting.was.related.to.a.domestic.dispute..The.husband.of.

the.initial.victim.was.taken.into.police.custody.approximately.6.hours.

after.the.start.of.the.incident..He.was.charged.with.2.counts.of.murder.

and.2.counts.of.attempted.murder..Prosecution.of.the.charges.has.been.

delayed.due.to.the.mental.condition.of.the.alleged.assailant..

February 14, 2004 – 0715hrs

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Robert E. Heminger, Captain

Age 39, Volunteer

Wood River Fire & Rescue, Nebraska

Kenneth A. Woitalewicz, Captain

Age 38, Volunteer

Wood River Fire & Rescue, Nebraska
49

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Captain.Heminger.and.Captain.Woitalewicz.responded.with.other.

members	of	their	fire	department	to	a	structure	fire	in	a	single-story	

residence.	Upon	their	arrival	on	the	scene,	firefighters	discovered	a	

working	fire	and	received	reports	of	a	trapped	occupant.

Captain.Heminger.and.Captain.Woitalewicz.advanced.an.attack.line.into.

the	residence	for	search	and	rescue	and	fire	control.	During	the	search,	

the	firefighters	entered	a	room	that	had	been	added	to	the	home.	

Without	warning,	the	roof	of	the	addition	collapsed	on	the	firefighters	in	

a	pancake-type	collapse.	Both	firefighters	were	trapped	in	the	collapse	

that.occurred.17.minutes.after.they.arrived.on.scene.

Firefighters	were	unable	to	see	either	Captain	under	the	collapsed	roof,	

but.personal.accountability.safety.system.(PASS).device.alarms.could.

be.heard..A.front-end.loader.was.brought.to.the.scene.and.was.used.

to	lift	the	roof	far	enough	for	access	to	the	trapped	firefighters.	Both	

firefighters	were	removed	and	found	to	be	in	respiratory	and	cardiac	

arrest.	Both	were	transported	to	a	local	hospital.	The	firefighters	had	

been.trapped.for.approximately.12.minutes.

Captain.Heminger.died.the.following.morning,.and.Captain.Woitalewicz.

died.the.afternoon.of.February.17,.2004..Both.deaths.were.attributed.

to.asphyxia/anoxia.secondary.to.their.entrapment.

The.collapse.was.caused.by.multiple.factors.including.a.buildup.of.

ice.on.the.roof.of.the.addition,.an.unsloped.roof.on.the.addition,.

rusted.fasteners.used.to.attach.the.addition.to.the.original.structure,.

poor	construction	practices,	and	fire	exposure.	The	occupant	who	

was.trapped.in.the.structure.died.of.smoke.inhalation..The.deceased.

occupant.had.been.on.oxygen.for.a.medical.condition,.and.the.

presence.of.supplemental.oxygen.supplies.in.the.home.was.thought.to.

have	contributed	to	the	intensity	of	the	fire.

February 16, 2004 – 1117hrs

Ernest “Ernie” Heatherman, Fire Police Captain

Age 45, Volunteer

Brisbin Fire Department, New York

Fire	Police	Captain	Heatherman	and	members	of	his	fire	department	

responded	to	a	mutual-aid	chimney	fire.	Upon	their	return	to	the	fire	

station,.Fire.Police.Captain.Heatherman.complained.of.not.feeling.well.

and	told	the	fire	chief	that	he	was	going	home.

Approximately	45	minutes	after	leaving	the	fire	station,	Fire	Police	

Captain	Heatherman	suffered	a	heart	attack.	Firefighters	and	

emergency.workers.responded.to.his.residence.and.provided.aid..Fire.

Police.Captain.Heatherman.was.transported.to.the.hospital.where.he.

was.later.pronounced.dead.

When.the.right.wheels.of.the.apparatus.left.the.right.side.of.the.

roadway,.Fire.Commissioner.Davis.overcorrected.to.the.left.causing.

the.left.wheels.of.the.apparatus.to.leave.the.left.side.of.the.road..Fire.

Commissioner.Davis.corrected.again,.and.the.apparatus.began.to.roll..

Fire.Commissioner.Davis.was.partially.ejected.from.the.apparatus.

and.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.scene..A.passenger.in.the.truck.was.

treated	for	non-life-threatening	injuries.	Neither	firefighter	was	wearing	

seatbelt.at.the.time.of.the.crash..The.passenger.reported.to.police.that.

the.apparatus.had.been.traveling.too.fast.

Fire.Commissioner.Davis.was.an.alderman.in.Gloster.Ward.and.was.in.

charge	of	the	town’s	fire	and	ambulance	departments.

February 23, 2004 – 1330hrs

Richard L. Gabrielli, Fire Police Officer

Age 70, Volunteer

George G. McMurtry Volunteer Fire Department, Vandergrift, 

pennsylvania

Fire	Police	Officer	Gabrielli	was	directing	traffic	at	the	entrance	to	a	

steel	plant.	A	working	fire	was	in	progress	within	the	plant	site,	and	Fire	

Police	Officer	Gabrielli	was	present	to	direct	responding	fire	apparatus	

into.the.scene.

Witnesses	observed	Fire	Police	Officer	Gabrielli	collapse	onto	the	street.	

An	ambulance	that	routinely	responds	on	fire	calls	was	summoned,	and	

Fire	Police	Officer	Gabrielli	was	transported	to	the	hospital.

Fire	Police	Officer	Gabrielli	died	as	the	result	of	a	heart	attack.

February 23, 2004 – 1630hrs

Edward P. Conricote, Firefighter

Age 55, Volunteer

Liberty Fire Department, Ohio

Firefighter	Conricote	responded	to	the	scene	of	a	residential	structure	

fire	in	his	personal	vehicle	and	arrived	just	before	the	first	engine	

company.	Firefighter	Conricote	assisted	the	engine’s	driver/operator	

with	supply	line	hookups	to	a	fire	hydrant	and	opened	the	hydrant.	

A	police	officer	observed	Firefighter	Conricote	trip	over	an	object	and	

asked	if	he	was	alright.	Firefighter	Conricote	replied	that	he	was	fine	

and	continued	working.	A	firefighter	left	the	fire-involved	structure	in	

search	of	a	pike	pole	to	hold	open	an	overhead	garage	door.	Firefighter	

Conricote.stepped.up.onto.the.back.of.the.engine.to.retrieve.the.tool.

Firefighter	Conricote	suddenly	bent	over	and	wrapped	his	arms	around	

his	midsection.	The	other	firefighter	asked	if	he	was	alright	and	received	

no	answer.	Firefighter	Conricote	fell	backwards	and	landed	on	the	

roadway. continued on next page

As.he.drove.on.a.State.road,.Forest.Ranger.Peters’.vehicle.experienced.

a.blowout.or.tire.separation.on.the.right.front.tire..The.vehicle.traveled.

off	of	the	right-hand	side	of	the	road,	hit	a	culvert,	and	flipped	upside	

down..Forest.Ranger.Peters.was.trapped.underwater.inside.the.vehicle.

and.drowned..The.depth.of.the.water.was.approximately.2.feet;.Forest.

Ranger.Peters.was.wearing.his.seatbelt.

Other.drivers.who.either.witnessed.or.came.upon.the.crash.scene.

removed.Forest.Ranger.Peters.from.the.vehicle..It.was.estimated.that.

he	had	been	submerged	for	approximately	10	minutes.	EMS	responders	

pronounced.Peters.dead.at.the.scene.

March 11, 2004 – 1445hrs

Mark Eugene Miller, Lieutenant

Age 43, Career

Laconia Fire Department, New Hampshire

Lieutenant	Miller	and	another	firefighter	were	at	a	local	lake	testing	

some.new.diving.equipment.that.had.been.purchased.by.the.Laconia.

Fire.Department..Lieutenant.Miller.had.worn.the.suit.at.least.eight.

times.before.

Lieutenant.Miller.was.not.tethered.to.the.other.diver.as.they.began.their.

dive.in.open.water..The.divers.did.not.intend.to.make.any.part.of.the.

dive.under.ice..The.divers.gave.each.other.a.“thumbs.up”.to.surface..

The	firefighter	training	with	Lieutenant	Miller	surfaced,	but	Lieutenant	

Miller.failed.to.surface.

A.search.was.begun.immediately.but.had.to.be.stopped.on.account.of.

darkness.after.approximately.4.hours..The.search.began.again.in.the.

morning,.and.Lieutenant.Miller’s.body.was.recovered.at.about.1300hrs.

A.New.Hampshire.Marine.Patrol.investigation.did.not.cite.any.

procedural	errors,	and	it	did	not	find	that	any	health	condition	or	

substance.caused.the.accident.

Lieutenant.Miller’s.dream.was.to.establish.a.dive.rescue.team.for.his.

department.	After	his	death,	the	fire	chief	pledged	to	make	the	team	a	

reality..The.team.went.into.operation.by.the.fall.of.2004.thanks.to.the.

efforts.of.many.and.the.support.of.the.community.

March 13, 2004 – 0732hrs

Donald Eugene Ward, Firefighter

Age 46, Career

Columbus Division of Fire, Ohio

Firefighter	Ward	reported	for	duty	for	a	12-hour	overtime	shift	on	March	

12,.2004..He.was.assigned.to.a.heavy.rescue.company.and.ran.seven.

emergency	calls	during	the	shift,	including	a	working	structure	fire.

After	lunch,	Firefighter	Griffin	and	the	other	members	of	his	group	

completed.a.wood.chopping.exercise.while.using.SCBA’s.and.advanced.

to	the	maze	station.	Firefighter	Griffin	completed	one	trip	through	the	

maze	and	then	took	a	break.	As	Firefighter	Griffin	neared	the	end	of	his	

second	trip	through	the	maze,	instructors	observed	him	having	difficulty.	

When.asked,.he.requested.assistance..Another.student.and.instructors.

assisted	Firefighter	Griffin	and	then	removed	him	from	the	maze	when	

he.became.unconscious.

CPR	was	initiated,	and	EMS	was	called	to	respond.	Upon	arrival	of	

the	ambulance,	Firefighter	Griffin	was	transported	to	the	hospital.	He	

was.pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital.after.intervention.efforts.were.

attempted.

The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.sudden.death.associated.with.

rheumatic.heart.disease.

March 13, 2004 – 1654hrs

Mario Felipe Cunha, Fire Engineer

Age 32, Paid-on-Call

City of Soledad Fire Department, California

Fire	Engineer	Cunha	and	the	members	of	his	engine	company	were	

preparing	to	fight	a	vehicle	and	brush	fire	on	a	local	highway.	Fire	

Engineer	Cunha	was	stretching	an	attack	line.

As	Firefighter	Cunha	worked,	a	passenger	car	drove	through	the	smoke	

from	the	fires	and	attempted	to	pass	through	the	scene.	The	car	

struck	Fire	Engineer	Cunha	and	threw	him	onto	the	top	of	the	engine.	

Firefighter	Cunha	was	pronounced	dead	at	the	scene.

The.driver.of.the.car.was.arrested.and.charged.with.several.counts,.

including.leaving.the.scene.of.the.crash.

March 16, 2004 – 0935hrs

James Edward Towell, Jr., Pilot

Age 63, Wildland Contractor

Western Pilot Service under contract to the Bureau of Land 

Management, Arizona

Pilot.Towell.was.participating.in.the.Bureau.of.Land.Management’s.

Single-Engine	Air	Tanker	(SEAT)	Pilot	Academy	near	Safford,	Arizona.	

Pilot.Towell.was.practicing.a.water.drop.under.the.supervision.of.an.IC.

on.the.ground.

He.requested.and.received.permission.to.do.a.dry.run.prior.to.the.water.

drop..As.the.aircraft.proceeded.through.the.dry.run,.it.crashed..Initial.

unconfirmed	reports	blamed	engine	trouble.	The	plane	was	destroyed	

on.impact,.and.Pilot.Towell.was.killed.

Assistant.Chief.Lehnen.was.transferred.to.a.regional.hospital.where.his.

condition.continued.to.worsen..He.died.as.a.result.of.the.CVA.on.March.

21,.2004.

March 21, 2004 – 1421hrs

Robert Lee Smith, Firefighter

Age 68, Volunteer

West Shelby Fire and Rescue District, Alabama

Firefighter	Smith	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	responded	to	

the	scene	of	an	intentionally	set	wildland	fire.	The	fire	was	caused	when	

a	small	brush	and	trash	pile	fire	was	ignited	while	the	owners	of	the	

property.were.away.

The	fire	was	brought	under	control.	Approximately	23	minutes	into	

the	incident,	Firefighter	Smith	collapsed	of	an	apparent	heart	attack.	

Firefighter	Smith	was	attended	to	by	emergency	medical	technicians	

(EMT’s)	and	paramedics	and	transported	to	the	hospital.	He	was	

pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital.

March 21, 2004 – 1815hrs

Terri Lynn Eiland, Lieutenant

Age 40, Volunteer

Forts Lake/Franklin Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Mississippi

Lieutenant	Eiland	was	the	driver	of	a	medium-sized	brush/rescue	truck	

(F350)	responding	to	the	report	of	a	brush	fire.	An	engine	company	was	

also.responding.to.the.incident.but.was.delayed.by.a.train.

The.right.front.tire.of.the.brush/rescue.vehicle.left.the.paved.surface.

of	the	road,	Lieutenant	Eiland	overcorrected	to	the	left,	and	the	vehicle	

entered.into.a.clockwise.spin..The.brush/rescue.truck.entered.a.ditch.

and	flipped	end-over-end	and	came	to	rest	on	its	roof.	Another	firefighter	

passenger.was.able.to.get.out.of.the.vehicle.

Other	firefighters	arrived	on	the	scene	but	were	not	able	to	remove	

Lieutenant	Eiland	from	the	vehicle.	The	department’s	extrication	tools	

were.not.accessible.due.to.the.level.of.damage.that.the.brush/rescue.

vehicle.had.incurred..Mutual.aid.was.requested.for.extrication.

Lieutenant	Eiland	was	in	and	out	of	consciousness	during	the	rescue	

effort..She.was.removed.from.the.vehicle.approximately.30.minutes.

after.the.crash.and.transported.by.ambulance.to.a.local.hospital..She.

was.pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.

cardiac.and.pulmonary.results.of.compression.asphyxia.

Lieutenant	Eiland	and	the	firefighter	passenger	were	wearing	seatbelts,	

and	the	rescue	airbags	operated.	Excessive	speed	was	cited	in	the	law	

enforcement.crash.investigation.

59

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March 28, 2004 – 1630hrs

James Harold Pennington, Fire Chief

Age 63, Volunteer

Unity-Frost Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, Arkansas

Chief.Pennington.and.members.of.his.department.responded.to.a.

wildland	fire.	Chief	Pennington	arrived	in	his	personal	vehicle	and	

operated	the	pumper	when	it	arrived	on	scene.	After	the	fire	was	

extinguished,.Chief.Pennington.complained.of.chest.pains..He.left.the.

scene.and.went.home.to.rest.

About.an.hour.and.a.half.after.leaving.the.scene,.Chief.Pennington.

collapsed	at	home	of	an	apparent	heart	attack.	Firefighters	who	were	

at.Chief.Pennington’s.home.responded.immediately,.and.CPR.was.

initiated..An.ambulance.transported.Chief.Pennington.to.the.hospital.

where.he.was.pronounced.dead.

Children	playing	with	matches	caused	the	fire.

March 28, 2004 – 1900hrs

Rickford L. Wilbur, Fire Chief

Age 56, Volunteer

Eaton Rapids Township Fire Department, Michigan

Chief	Wilbur	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	responded	to	a	

report	of	a	structure	fire.	When	firefighters	arrived	on	the	scene,	they	

found.a.controlled.burn.in.a.brush.pile;.the.land.owners.were.not.aware.

that.they.needed.a.permit.to.burn.brush.

The	fire	was	not	extinguished	by	the	fire	department	and	members	left	

the	scene	to	return	to	their	station.	Shortly	thereafter,	firefighters	were	

dispatched.back.to.the.same.address.for.a.medical.emergency.

Chief.Wilbur.had.begun.to.leave.the.scene.and.suffered.a.heart.attack..

Firefighters	had	to	break	into	his	vehicle	to	access	him.	CPR	was	

initiated	and	an	AED	was	applied.	He	was	transported	by	ambulance	to	

a.local.hospital.where.he.was.pronounced.dead.

April 1, 2004 – 1211hrs

Joseph Scott Northup, Firefighter

Age 49, Volunteer

Jessamine County Fire District, Kentucky

At	0830hrs,	Firefighter	Northup	and	members	of	his	fire	department	

responded	to	a	fire	call.	Firefighter	Northup	responded	in	his	personal	

vehicle,.but.the.call.was.cancelled.by.the.IC.prior.to.reaching.the.scene.

Firefighter	Northup	was	not	feeling	well	and	called	his	wife	to	say	

that	he	was	coming	home.	Firefighter	Northup	went	to	an	EMS	office	

complaining.of.chest.pain.at.approximately.1000hrs..He.was.placed.on.

a	cardiac	monitor,	and	the	results	were	normal.	He	was	advised	by	EMS	
60

to.go.to.the.hospital.but.refused.and.said.that.he.would.go.in.if.he.felt.

worse.later.

Just	after	noon,	Firefighter	Northup’s	wife	found	him	unresponsive	on	the	

couch	at	home.	EMS	was	called	and	found	Firefighter	Northup	pulseless	

and.not.breathing..He.was.treated.at.the.scene,.in.the.ambulance,.and.

upon.arrival.at.the.hospital,.but.he.could.not.be.revived.

The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.a.heart.attack.

April 4, 2004 – 0555hrs

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Kevin Wayne Kulow, Probationary Firefighter

Age 32, Career

Houston Fire Department, Texas

Firefighter	Kulow	and	the	members	of	his	engine	company	responded	to	

a	structure	fire	in	a	nightclub.	Upon	arrival,	Firefighter	Kulow	and	other	

firefighters	advanced	a	hoseline	into	the	interior	of	the	structure,	based	

on.reports.of.people.trapped.

At	some	point	in	the	firefight,	firefighters	were	ordered	to	evacuate	the	

building.	Firefighter	Kulow	did	not	emerge	and	was	later	found	inside	

the.structure..His.death.was.caused.by.burns.

The	fire	was	caused	when	one	or	more	arsonists	poured	and	ignited	

accelerants.in.an.attempt.to.cause.the.death.of.a.nightclub.employee.

as.a.part.of.a.domestic.dispute..Three.individuals.were.charged.with.

murder.

Firefighter	Kulow	had	arrived	early	for	duty	and	responded	with	the	

onduty	crew.	In	addition	to	the	death	of	Firefighter	Kulow,	three	

firefighters	were	injured	while	working	at	the	scene.

Details.related.to.this.incident.are.not.available.due.to.pending.

litigation.

A.report.on.this.incident.will.be.prepared.by.the.Texas.State.Fire.

Marshal.	The	report	will	be	available	at	http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/fire/

fmloddinvesti.html

April 6, 2004 – 1856hrs

Phillip Stephen Hulen, Firefighter

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Age 19, Volunteer

Vann Crossroads Fire Department, Inc., North Carolina

Firefighter	Hulen	stopped	by	his	fire	station	to	pick	up	his	protective	

clothing	while	en	route	to	firefighter	training	at	a	local	community	

college.	Firefighter	Hulen	was	preparing	to	attend	his	last	night	of	class	

for	Firefighter	I	&	II	certification.
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As	Firefighter	Hulen	entered	a	curve	in	his	personal	vehicle,	the	right	

wheels.of.the.vehicle.left.the.roadway.and.struck.a.sign..The.vehicle.

came.back.onto.the.roadway.and.then.left.the.roadway.again.on.the.

left	side,	it	overturned,	and	then	struck	a	tree.	Firefighter	Hulen	was	

pronounced.dead.at.the.scene.

Firefighter	Hulen	was	not	wearing	a	seatbelt;	however,	an	air	bag	was	

deployed.as.a.result.of.the.crash..The.law.enforcement.crash.report.

stated.that.the.speed.of.the.vehicle.prior.to.the.crash.was.65.miles.per.

hour.in.a.55.miles-per-hour.zone.

April 8, 2004 – 1044hrs

Edward Hayes Stallings, Fire Chief

Age 71, Volunteer

Carthage Fire Department, Tennessee

Chief	Stallings	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	responded	to	a	

report	of	a	structure	fire	in	a	church.	A	heat	gun	being	used	to	remove	

old.paint.from.a.window.had.ignited.materials.inside.the.wall..

When	firefighters	arrived,	flames	were	visible	from	the	exterior	of	

the.structure..The.front.entry.to.the.church.was.forced.open,.and.

firefighters	found	flames	showing	from	an	interior	wall.	In	the	meantime,	

the	fire	had	extended	into	the	attic	of	the	church.	The	attic	had	an	

accumulation.of.approximately.two.inches.of.coal.dust.from.the.time.

when.the.church.was.heated.with.a.coal.furnace.

Chief.Stallings.was.standing.outside.the.building.observing.operations..

Chief	Stallings	saw	a	rapidly	developing	fire	and	moved	toward	

the.building..As.he.was.doing.so,.the.front.façade.of.the.building.

fell.outward.and.collapsed.on.top.of.Chief.Stallings.and.two.other.

firefighters.

Chief.Stallings.took.the.brunt.of.the.collapse.since.he.was.further.away.

from.the.building..Chief.Stallings.was.transported.by.helicopter.to.a.

regional.hospital..He.died.as.a.result.of.his.injuries.on.August.1,.2004.

April 8, 2004 – 1122hrs

Leslie Keith Gillum, Firefighter

Age 71, Volunteer

Norton Branch Volunteer Fire Department, Kentucky

Firefighter	Gillum	and	the	members	of	his	department	responded	

to	a	motor	vehicle	crash	to	assist	with	extrication.	Firefighter	Gillum	

set.up.the.department’s.hydraulic.extrication.tool.and.then.began.to.

experience.severe.chest.pains.

Firefighter	Gillum	was	evaluated	by	emergency	medical	personnel	on	

the.scene.and.advised.that.he.should.be.transported.by.ambulance.to.

the	hospital.	Firefighter	Gillum	refused	transportation	and	assisted	with	
62

the.set.up.of.a.landing.zone.for.a.helicopter..After.the.landing.zone.was.

set,	Firefighter	Gillum	signed	a	refusal	for	treatment	with	EMS.

At	the	conclusion	of	the	incident,	Firefighter	Gillum	was	driven	to	the	

hospital	by	his	wife.	Firefighter	Gillum	was	admitted	to	the	hospital	and	was	

scheduled.for.heart.surgery..He.died.during.the.surgery.on.April.14,.2004.

April 10, 2004 – 1300hrs

Kenneth Eugene Sterling, Firefighter/EMT

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Age 43, Career

Westview-Fairforest Fire and EMS Department, South Carolina

Firefighter/EMT	Sterling	responded	to	an	incident	at	approximately	

0700hrs.	After	returning	from	the	incident,	Firefighter	Sterling	went	off	

duty.

At	approximately	1300hrs,	Firefighter	Sterling	was	driving	his	personal	

vehicle.when.the.vehicle.swerved.off.of.the.road.and.came.to.rest..

Firefighter	Sterling	was	observed	slumped	over	the	steering	wheel.	Local	

firefighters	responded	but	were	unable	to	revive	Firefighter	Sterling.	His	

death.was.caused.by.a.heart.attack.

April 15, 2004 – 0930hrs

Michael Joseph Fenster, Acting Fire Chief

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Age 57, Career

Capital City Fire & Rescue, Alaska

Chief.Fenster.became.ill.at.home.shortly.after.leaving.work..He.

called	the	fire	station	and	requested	that	firefighters	respond	to	his	

residence.to.treat.him.since.he.did.not.feel.that.he.could.drive.

Firefighters	arrived	and	found	Chief	Fenster	in	cardiac	distress.	He	was	

treated	with	ALS	protocols	and	transported	to	the	hospital.	Upon	arrival	

at.the.hospital,.Chief.Fenster.suffered.a.heart.attack..Despite.efforts.to.

revive.him,.Chief.Fenster.was.pronounced.dead.

For.additional.information.regarding.this.incident,.please.refer.to.NIOSH.

Firefighter	Fatality	Investigation	and	Prevention	Program	report	F2004-

24.(www.cdc.gov/niosh/face200424.html).

April 18, 2004 – Time Unknown

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Kevin R. McIntyre, District Chief

Age 45, Career

Rockford Fire Department, Illinois

District.Chief.McIntyre.reported.for.duty.on.April.18,.2004..During.the.

day,.he.served.as.the.IC.for.a.dive-rescue.drill.at.a.local.dam..About.

1800hrs,	Chief	McIntyre	called	the	fire	department	alarm	office	and	
63

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informed.them.that.he.was.not.feeling.well.and.that.he.was.going.

home..District.Chief.McIntyre.told.others.that.he.was.experiencing.back.

pain.

An.onduty.captain.drove.District.Chief.McIntyre.to.his.home..At.

approximately.1700hrs.on.April.19,.2004,.a.friend.found.District.Chief.

McIntyre.deceased.in.his.home..The.cause.of.death.was.a.heart.attack.

April 22, 2004 – 1558hrs

Edgar Bruce Rogers, Lieutenant

Age 56, Volunteer

Chesterfield Fire Department, South Carolina

Lieutenant	Rogers	and	members	of	his	fire	department	were	fighting	a	

major	fire	in	a	community	center.	Lieutenant	Rogers	was	assisting	with	

hoseline.deployment.on.a.sloping.hillside.while.wearing.full.structural.

personal.protective.clothing..

Firefighters	in	another	area	called	for	assistance,	and	Lieutenant	

Rogers.descended.a.set.of.stairs.to.join.them..At.the.bottom.of.the.

stairs,	Lieutenant	Rogers	told	other	firefighters	that	he	did	not	feel	well,	

sat	down	on	a	bench,	and	collapsed.	Firefighters	removed	Lieutenant	

Rogers	from	the	hazard	area	and	handed	him	over	to	the	care	of	EMS	

responders.at.the.scene.

ALS-level.care.was.provided.on.the.scene.and.continued.as.Lieutenant.

Rogers	was	transported	by	ambulance	to	a	local	hospital.	Emergency	

room.staff.at.the.hospital.continued.medical.efforts,.but.Lieutenant.

Rogers.was.pronounced.dead.approximately.an.hour.after.becoming.ill.

April 23, 2004 – Time Unknown

Alan David Toepke, Firefighter

Age 30, Wildland (Part-Time)

Midewin Agency Hotshot Crew, Illinois

Firefighter	Toepke	and	the	members	of	his	hotshot	crew	were	returning	

to	their	home	base	after	assisting	with	firefighting	efforts	in	the	

Apalachicola.National.Forest.in.Florida..The.crew.stopped.in.Arkansas.

to.rest.for.the.evening..

Witnesses	saw	Firefighter	Toepke	and	two	other	firefighters	running	to	

cross	Interstate	40.	As	the	two	leading	firefighters	entered	the	roadway,	

they	were	struck	by	a	passing	tractor-trailer	truck.	Firefighter	Toepke	

was	killed,	the	second	firefighter	was	seriously	injured,	and	the	third	

firefighter	was	uninjured.

A.law.enforcement.report.on.the.incident.indicated.that.the.truck.driver.

did	not	have	time	to	react	or	avoid	hitting	the	firefighters.
64

April 27, 2004 – 1741hrs

Jeffrey Charles Bergstrom, Firefighter/Paramedic

Age 34, Part-Time (Paid)

Stone Park Fire Department, Illinois

Firefighter/Paramedic	Bergstrom	was	riding	in	the	right	front	seat	of	an	

engine	company	responding	to	a	structure	fire.

An.engine.company.from.Northlake.Fire.Protection.District.was.

responding	to	the	same	structure	fire.	The	Stone	Park	engine	was	

northbound.approaching.an.intersection,.and.the.Northlake.engine.was.

eastbound.approaching.the.same.intersection.

The	Northlake	engine	entered	the	intersection	first,	and	the	Stone	Park	

engine.struck.the.Northlake.engine.near.the.right.rear.tire..The.force.of.

the	collision	threw	Firefighter/Paramedic	Bergstrom	forward,	causing	

a	fatal	injury	to	his	head.	Firefighter/Paramedic	Bergstrom	was	not	

wearing.a.seatbelt.

After.the.collision,.the.Stone.Park.engine.entered.into.a.clockwise.rotation.

and	the	engine	came	to	rest	on	its	right	side.	Firefighter/Paramedic	

Bergstrom.was.ejected.from.the.vehicle.during.the.rotation..Responding.

firefighters	and	EMS	personnel	provided	treatment	on	the	scene,	and	

Firefighter/Paramedic	Bergstrom	was	transported	to	the	hospital.

The.driver.of.the.Stone.Park.engine.received.severe.injuries,.the.rear.

passenger.received.minor.injuries,.and.the.three.occupants.of.the.

Northlake.engine.received.minor.injuries.

The.intersection.was.controlled.by.an.emergency.vehicle.preemption.

system.that.gives.the.green.light.to.properly.equipped.response.

vehicles..A.computer.log.of.the.operation.of.the.intersection.indicated.

that.the.Northlake.engine.had.the.green.light.at.the.time.of.the.crash.

Firefighter/Paramedic

Fire.Department.

April 30, 2004 – 0905hrs

Irwin E. “Buzz” Gross, Firefighter

	Bergstrom	was	also	a	paramedic	for	the	Chicago	

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Age 58, Career

Brookline Fire Department, Massachusetts

Firefighter	Gross	and	the	members	of	his	engine	company	were	

dispatched	to	a	report	of	a	gas	odor	in	a	structure.	Firefighter	Gross	was	

a	rear-seat	passenger	on	the	left	side	of	the	engine.	Firefighter	Gross	

was	seen	by	other	firefighters	in	a	seated	position	and	was	engaged	in	

preparing.a.gas.meter.for.use.on.the.incident..A.witness.to.the.incident.

told	police	that	Firefighter	Gross	was	standing	inside	the	vehicle.

The	engine	made	a	right-hand	turn	from	the	fire	station.		As	the	apparatus	

entered	the	street,	it	flexed	and	the	left-hand	rear	door	opened.	Firefighter	

Gross.was.ejected.from.the.vehicle...He.sustained.a.fatal.head.injury.as.

a	result	of	the	fall.		Firefighter	Gross	was	transported	to	the	hospital.		He	

died.on.May.3,.2004,.as.a.result.of.his.injuries.
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The.apparatus.was.a.1976.Pircsh.that.served.as.a.spare.apparatus..

The.rear.of.the.cab.was.equipped.with.doors..Police.investigators.found.

a	seatbelt	tucked	under	the	seat	used	by	Firefighter	Gross;	the	seatbelt	

did.not.appear.as.if.it.had.been.used.for.quite.some.time..None.of.the.

four.crew.members.on.board.the.engine.at.the.time.of.the.incident.was.

using.a.seatbelt.

In	October	2004,	a	lawsuit	was	filed	on	behalf	of	the	family	of	Firefighter	

Gross.seeking.damages.from.the.Town.of.Brookline..There.were.also.

news.reports.of.problems.with.the.door.latch.on.the.rear.door.closest.to.

Firefighter	Gross.

May 3, 2004 – 1908hrs

Grady Roy Austin, Captain

Age 74, Volunteer

Henderson County Fire Department, Tennessee

Captain	Austin	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	were	

conducting.regular.monthly.training..The.subject.of.the.night’s.training.

was.going.to.be.pumping.and.drafting..There.was.not.enough.room.in.

the	fire	station	parking	lot	for	the	exercise,	so	the	training	was	relocated	

to	a	school	parking	lot	a	few	hundred	feet	from	the	fire	station.

Some	firefighters	rode	in	apparatus	from	the	station	to	the	school	

parking.lot,.and.others.rode.in.personal.vehicles..Captain.Austin.was.a.

passenger.on.the.tailgate.of.a.pickup.truck.

As.the.truck.prepared.for.a.turn,.Captain.Austin.slipped.from.the.tailgate.

and.struck.his.head.on.the.pavement..He.received.a.severe.head.injury..

Firefighters	who	witnessed	the	fall	called	for	medical	assistance	and	

began	treatment.	CPR	was	initiated	by	firefighters	and	continued	through	

the.arrival.of.paramedics.and.transportation.to.the.hospital.

Upon	his	arrival	at	the	hospital,	Captain	Austin	was	pronounced	dead	as	

a.result.of.his.head.injury.

May 11, 2004 – 1035hrs

Joseph Edward “Pappy” Boles, Firefighter

Age 57, Part-Time (Paid)

West Area Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., North Carolina

Firefighter	Boles	had	reported	for	the	start	of	his	shift	at	0900hrs.	He	

initially.complained.of.a.sharp.pain.in.his.left.side.rib.area.but.said.

that	it	had	gone	away.	Firefighter	Boles	assisted	other	firefighters	with	

station.and.apparatus.maintenance.duties.

When	firefighters	took	a	break	from	their	work,	Firefighter	Boles	sat	on	a	

couch	and	took	a	drink	of	water.	A	few	moments	later,	firefighters	found	

Firefighter	Boles	on	the	couch	slumped	over	and	unresponsive.
66

Firefighter	Boles	was	moved	to	the	floor	for	treatment.	CPR	was	

initiated,	and	an	AED	was	applied.	Paramedics	arrived	and	assisted	

with	treatment.	Firefighter	Boles	was	transported	by	ambulance	to	

the.hospital..He.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital.after.additional.

measures.failed.to.revive.him..The.death.was.caused.by.a.heart.attack.

May 13, 2004 – 1700hrs

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Randy Rayford Henderson, Forestry Technician

Age 42, Wildland (Full-Time)

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Bienville 

Ranger District, Mississippi

Forestry.Technician.Henderson.was.detailed.to.the.Osceola.National.

Forest.in.Florida..He.was.assigned.as.the.Forest’s.Fire.Management.

Officer.

Forestry	Technician	Henderson	and	other	firefighters	were	fighting	the	

Mailbox.Fire.near.Lake.City,.Florida..Forestry.Technician.Henderson.was.

assigned	as	a	Safety	Officer	on	the	incident.

The	duties	of	the	Safety	Officer	included	monitoring	firefighters,	

firefighting	activities,	and	the	weather.	Forestry	Technician	Henderson	

was.in.radio.contact.with.the.IC.

After.Forestry.Technician.Henderson.did.not.respond.to.radio.calls,.a.

search.was.initiated..Forestry.Technician.Henderson.was.found.lying.

on	the	ground	facing	the	fire.	He	had	sustained	burns.	His	collapse,	

however,.was.caused.by.a.fatal.heart.attack.

May 13, 2004 – 1752hrs

Jeffrey Warnick Howell, Firefighter

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Age 42, Volunteer

Sharon Springs Fire Department, New York

Firefighter	Howell	and	members	of	his	fire	department	were	fighting	a	

lightning-caused	fire	in	a	residence.	Firefighter	Howell	arrived	ahead	

of	responding	fire	apparatus	and	helped	the	occupants	of	the	house	

remove.personal.belongings.

Upon	the	arrival	of	fire	apparatus,	Firefighter	Howell	donned	his	

personal	protective	equipment	(PPE)	and	assisted	with	the	deployment	

of.hoselines.from.an.engine.

Firefighter	Howell.was.not.feeling.well.and.sat.down..The.on-scene.

safety	officer	asked	EMS	responders	to	assess	Firefighter	Howell’s	

condition.	Firefighter	Howell	walked	to	the	rear	of	a	rescue	truck,	sat	

down,.and.collapsed.
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CPR	was	initiated	immediately,	and	Firefighter	Howell	was	transported	

by	ambulance	to	the	hospital.	Firefighter	Howell	was	pronounced	dead	

shortly.after.his.arrival.at.the.hospital..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.

a.heart.attack.as.a.consequence.of.physical.exertion.in.a.hot,.humid.

environment.

May 13, 2004 – 0730hrs

Harry Edward Suggs II, Fire Chief

Age 28, Volunteer

Green Pond Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, Alabama

Chief	Suggs	was	attending	an	EMS	conference	in	Florida.	He	became	ill	

and.died.at.the.conference..The.death.was.as.a.consequence.of.taking.

prescribed.medications.for.a.recent.surgery.

May 14, 2004 – 0608hrs

Michael Stokes Martin, Firefighter

Age 18, Volunteer

Ebenezer Volunteer Fire Department, South Carolina

Firefighter	Martin	was	responding	to	an	EMS	incident	in	his	personal	

vehicle,.a.2004.Ford.pickup.truck.

As	Firefighter	Martin	responded	to	the	incident,	the	right	wheels	of	the	

vehicle.left.the.roadway..The.vehicle.came.back.onto.the.roadway.and.

then.left.the.roadway.again.on.the.left.side,.struck.a.culvert,.and.came.

to	rest	against	a	tree.	Firefighter	Martin	was	pronounced	dead	at	the	

scene.

Firefighter	Martin	was	not	wearing	a	seatbelt,	although	an	air	bag	was	

deployed.as.a.result.of.the.crash..The.law.enforcement.crash.report.

stated.that.the.speed.of.the.vehicle.prior.to.the.crash.was.65.miles.per.

hour.in.a.45.miles-per-hour.zone.

May 17, 2004 – 1500hrs

Connie C. Bornman, Firefighter/EMT

Age 57, Volunteer

Middle River Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Company, Maryland

Firefighter/EMT	Bornman	responded	to	an	EMS	incident.	She	assisted	

with.patient.treatment.then.went.outside.to.get.some.fresh.air..She.sat.

in	the	front	of	the	EMS	vehicle	with	the	air-	conditioning	running.

A.family	member	of	the	original	patient	noticed	that	Firefighter/EMT	

Bornman	was	sick.	Another	firefighter	went	to	check	on	her	and	found	

her.unresponsive..She.was.treated.at.the.scene.and.transported.to.a.

hospital.in.Baltimore.
6

Despite.efforts.at.the.scene,.in.the.ambulance,.and.at.the.hospital,.

Firefighter/EMT	Bornman	died	of	a	heart	attack.

Firefighter/EMT	Bornman	was	the	first	Baltimore	County	female	

firefighter	to	die	in	the	line	of	duty.

June 5, 2004 – 1030hrs

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Lawrence Joseph “Larry” Hoffman, Protection Unit Supervisor

Age 51, Wildland (Full-Time)

Oregon Department of Forestry

Protection	Unit	Supervisor	Hoffman	was	completing	the	most	arduous	

version	of	the	annual	recertification	work	capacity	“pack”	test.	The	

test.requires.a.hike.of.3.miles.with.a.45-pound.pack.in.less.than.45.

minutes.

About	two-thirds	of	the	way	through	the	test,	Protection	Unit	Supervisor	

Hoffman	collapsed.	Other	firefighters	taking	the	test	and	on	standby	

for	the	test	provided	immediate	medical	assistance.	Protection	Unit	

Supervisor.Hoffman.was.transported.to.the.hospital.but.still.succumbed.

to.the.cardiac-related.illness.

June 8, 2004 – 1930hrs

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William Richard Grudzinski, Assistant Chief

Age 46, Volunteer

Bridger Volunteer Fire Department, Montana

Assistant	Chief	Grudzinski	and	other	members	of	his	fire	department	

were.completing.the.low-intensity.version.of.the.annual.work.capacity.

“pack”.test..The.test.requires.a.hike.of.1.mile.without.a.pack.in.less.

than.16.minutes.

After.the.completion.of.the.test.in.14.minutes.and.1.second,.Assistant.

Chief.Grudzinski.commented.that.the.test.had.“kind.of.kicked.his.

butt.”	Firefighters	went	back	to	the	firehouse.	While	at	the	fire	station,	

Assistant.Chief.Grudzinski.was.seen.checking.his.pulse.frequently..At.

the.time,.the.frequent.checks.did.not.cause.any.concern.

Approximately.1.hour.and.45.minutes.after.completing.the.test,.

Assistant	Chief	Grudzinski	collapsed	due	to	a	heart	attack.	Firefighters	

who.heard.the.dispatch.rushed.to.Assistant.Chief.Grudzinski’s.home.to.

assist	EMS	responders.	Despite	all	efforts	to	revive	him,	Assistant	Chief	

Grudzinski.died.

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June 17, 2004 – 1746hrs

Wayne Carl Turner, Pilot

Age 58, Wildland Contract

New Frontier Aviation under contract to the Bureau of Land 

Management, Utah

Pilot	Turner	was	operating	a	SEAT	on	a	complex	of	wildland	fires	near	

Brookside,	Utah.	Pilot	Turner	had	just	completed	a	fire	retardant	drop	on	

his.third.pass.over.the.target.area..

Immediately.after.the.drop,.the.airplane’s.nose.pitched.down.about.

45.degrees..The.aircraft.maintained.this.attitude.until.it.crashed..Pilot.

Turner.was.killed.instantly.

For.additional.information.about.this.crash,.consult.the.National.

Transportation.Safety.Board.Web.site.at.http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/

query.asp	-	NTSB	identification	LAX04GA243.

June 17, 2004 – 1830hrs

Willie J. Lacy, Firefighter

Age 47, Career

Augusta Fire Department, Georgia

Firefighter	Lacy	had	participated	in	training	for	most	of	the	day	and	had	

responded	with	the	members	of	his	engine	company	to	several	EMS	calls.

After	returning	to	the	fire	station,	other	firefighters	discovered	Firefighter	

Lacy	unconscious	in	the	fire	station	dorm.	Emergency	medical	

treatment	was	provided,	and	Firefighter	Lacy	was	transported	to	the	

hospital.	Firefighter	Lacy	died	of	a	cardiac-related	illness.

June 19, 2004 – 1700hrs

Joshua St. Jermaine Martin, Junior Firefighter

Age 15, Volunteer

Duson Volunteer Fire Department, Louisiana

Junior	Firefighter	Martin	was	a	front-seat	passenger	in	a	personallyowned	2000	Ford	Explorer	being	driven	by	another	firefighter.	The	

firefighters	were	responding	to	an	apartment	fire	and	were	operating	

grille-mounted.red.lights..

The.driver.lost.control.of.the.vehicle,.it.rotated.counter-clockwise,.

crossed.the.center.line.of.the.roadway,.and.was.struck.on.the.right.side.

by.a.vehicle.traveling.in.the.opposite.direction..The.crash.occurred.in.

daylight.while.light.rain.was.falling..Water.accumulation.on.the.roadway.

may.have.played.a.role.in.the.loss.of.control.

Junior	Firefighter	Martin	was	killed	in	the	crash.	Neither	the	driver	nor	

Junior	Firefighter	Martin	was	wearing	his	seatbelt	at	the	time	of	the	crash.
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June 19, 2004 – 1400hrs

Gary Dean Archibeque, Firefighter

Age 39, Paid-on-Call

Show Low Fire District, Arizona

Firefighter	Archibeque	and	other	firefighters	were	participating	in	a	

“Fuels.Reduction”.program.sponsored.by.the.Show.Low.Fire.District..

Residents.in.the.wildland.interface.clear.brush.from.their.land,.and.the.

fire	district	sends	a	crew	to	chip	and	haul	away	the	trees	and	brush	that	

have.been.cleared.

Firefighter	Archibeque	was	assigned	as	a	crew	leader	for	chipper	

operations.	The	crew	began	operations	at	0700hrs.	Firefighter	

Archibeque.began.to.complain.of.indigestion.later.in.the.morning,.and.

some.homeowners.gave.him.antacids..At.approximately.1400hrs,.as.he.

was	feeding	tree	limbs	into	the	chipper,	Firefighter	Archibeque	went	to	

his.knees..He.signaled.the.crew.to.kill.the.chipper,.members.of.his.crew.

and.bystanders.helped.him.to.the.ground.

Firefighter	Archibeque	was	checked	and	found	to	be	pulseless.	CPR	

was	initiated	and	an	ambulance	was	called.	Firefighter	Archibeque	

was	defibrillated	at	least	three	times	on	scene	and	transported	to	the	

hospital..He.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital..The.cause.of.death.

was.a.heart.attack.

June 22, 2004 – 2300hrs

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Kenneth W. Lipyance, Lieutenant

Age 46, Volunteer

Churchill Volunteer Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Lieutenant	Lipyance	responded	with	members	of	his	fire	department	to	

a	motor	vehicle	crash	that	involved	a	piece	of	fire	apparatus.	Extrication	

was.required.at.the.scene,.and.Lieutenant.Lipyance.told.other.

firefighters	that	he	was	not	feeling	well.

As	the	responders	arrived	back	at	their	fire	station,	they	came	upon	

another.motor.vehicle.crash.a.short.distance.from.the.station..

Firefighters,	including	Lieutenant	Lipyance,	provided	assistance	on	

the.scene.of.the.second.crash..Lieutenant.Lipyance.again.told.other.

firefighters	that	he	was	not	feeling	well,	and	then	walked	to	the	fire	

station.

Firefighters	witnessed	Lieutenant	Lipyance	drive	slowly	out	of	the	fire	

station	parking	lot	and	then	continue	across	four	lanes	of	traffic	until	

the.vehicle.hit.the.curb.and.came.to.rest..Lieutenant.Lipyance.was.

treated	at	the	scene	and	then	flown	to	a	hospital	by	medical	helicopter.

Lieutenant.Lipyance.died.on.June.30,.2004,.as.a.result.of.a.CVA.and.

heart.disease.

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June 23, 2004 – 0927hrs

Thomas DeAngelis, Captain

Age 40, Volunteer

Independent Hose Company #2, Stowe Township, Pennsylvania

Captain	DeAngelis	responded	with	members	of	his	fire	department	to	

an.odor.of.gas.report.at.2120hrs.on.June.22,.2004..After.sampling.the.

air	in	the	area,	the	fire	chief	discovered	that	a	utility	company	crew	was	

working.on.a.gas.line.repair.on.a.nearby.street..After.consulting.with.the.

repair	crew,	fire	companies	returned	to	the	station	and	went	into	service	

at.2146hrs.

At	0218hrs	on	June	23,	2004,	Captain	DeAngelis’	fire	department	

was	dispatched	to	a	mutual-aid	fire	incident.	Captain	DeAngelis	did	

not.respond.to.the.incident..Captain.DeAngelis’.lack.of.response.was.

unusual..His.wife.later.reported.that.he.did.not.feel.well.enough.at.the.

time.of.dispatch.to.respond.to.the.incident.

At.0830hrs.on.June.23,.2004,.it.was.reported.that.Captain.DeAngelis.

had.suffered.a.serious.heart.attack.and.was.at.a.local.hospital..Prior.to.

the	arrival	of	firefighters	at	the	hospital,	Captain	DeAngelis	died.

July 9, 2004 – 1528hrs

Gary Don Fox, Fire Chief

Age 60, Volunteer

Bluegrove Volunteer Fire Department, Texas

The.Bluegrove.Volunteer.Fire.Department.(VFD).received.a.report.from.

a	passerby	of	a	burning	vehicle	in	a	hay	field.	Chief	Fox	responded	

alone.to.the.call.in.a.1-ton.brush.truck.carrying.300.gallons.of.water..

Upon	arrival	at	the	fire	at	1539hrs,	the	burning	vehicle,	a	pickup	truck	

with.a.round.hay.bale-carrying.attachment,.was.well-involved..Chief.Fox,.

assisted.by.the.property.owner,.turned.his.attention.to.extinguishing.the.

fire	in	the	field.	Fox	was	not	wearing	any	firefighter	protective	equipment	

and.was.dressed.in.jeans.and.a.long-sleeve.shirt..

Mutual-aid.assistance.from.the.Henrietta.Fire.Department.was.

requested.at.1558hrs,.the.approximate.time.that.the.Bluegrove.

Volunteer	Fire	Department	brush	truck	ran	out	of	water.	Upon	arrival	of	

the.Henrietta.units,.Chief.Fox.left.the.scene,.complaining.that.he.had.

become	overheated,	and	returned	to	the	fire	station	with	the	Bluegrove	

VFD.brush.truck..

A	Clay	County	deputy	sheriff	had	spoken	with	Fox	at	the	fire	and	described	

Fox.as.appearing.pale.and.sweating.profusely..Henrietta.Fire.Department.

units	remained	on	the	scene	and	extinguished	the	field	and	vehicle	fire.	

Bluegrove	firefighters	visited	with	Chief	Fox	at	his	home	approximately	

30	minutes	after	he	returned	the	brush	truck	to	the	fire	station.	They	

described.him.as.still.appearing.sweaty.and.hot..Fox.declined.any.

assistance	and	said	he	would	wait	for	his	wife’s	arrival.	The	firefighters	
72

spoke.with.Fox’s.wife.outside.the.home.when.she.arrived.10.minutes.

later..She.told.them.that.Chief.Fox.had.called.her.to.come.home.

because.he.had.gotten.overheated..

After.Fox’s.wife.entered.the.home,.she.observed.Fox.slumped.on.the.

couch,.unresponsive,.not.breathing,.and.without.a.pulse..She.called.

for	help	from	the	firefighters	outside	and	called	9-1-1.	Fox’s	wife	(an	

EMT)	and	the	firefighters	initiated	and	continued	CPR	until	the	arrival	of	

the.ALS.ambulance.15.minutes.later..The.ambulance.took.Fox.to.Clay.

County.Medical.Center.where.he.was.pronounced.dead..The.attending.

emergency.room.physician.stated.that.Fox.had.a.heart.attack.that.could.

have.been.brought.on.from.heat-related.illness..No.autopsy.was.ordered.

The.summary.above.comes.from.a.thorough.report.on.this.incident.that.

was.prepared.by.the.Texas.State.Fire.Marshal..The.report.is.available.at.

http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/fire/fmloddinvesti.html

July 11, 2004 – 2007hrs

Harold Dean Chappell, Firefighter

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Age 53, Volunteer

Arlington Fire and Rescue, Inc., North Carolina

Firefighter	Chappell	responded	with	members	of	his	fire	department	to	

a.motor.vehicle.crash.involving.an.overturned.vehicle..While.on.scene,.

Firefighter	Chappell	assisted	with	traffic	control	and	scene	safety.

After	the	conclusion	of	the	incident,	Firefighter	Chappell	complained	of	

not	feeling	well.	He	told	another	firefighter	that	he	felt	weak	and	that	he	

was	experiencing	indigestion.	Firefighter	Chappell	went	home	and	took	

some.antacids.

Firefighter	Chappell	rose	the	next	day	and	was	doing	work	at	his	

residence.when.he.collapsed..He.was.transported.by.ambulance.to.the.

hospital.where.he.was.pronounced.dead.

The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.atherosclerotic.cardiovascular.disease.

July 13, 2004 – 0800hrs

Daniel Earl Elkins, Captain

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Age 47, Career

Los Angeles County Fire Department, California

On	July	12,	2004,	Captain	Elkins	worked	overtime	at	the	Pine	Fire	

Command	Post	(CP).	When	he	was	called	in	to	work	the	fire,	Captain	

Elkins	drove	to	the	CP	in	his	personal	vehicle.	At	0715hrs	on	July	13,	

2004,	Captain	Elkins	was	released	from	duty	at	Pine	Fire	and	headed	to	

his.normal.work.assignment.at.Los.Angeles.County.Fire.Station.117.

As	he	drove	to	the	fire	station,	Captain	Elkins’	vehicle	drifted	off	of	the	

road,.struck.a.berm/culvert,.went.airborne.for.approximately.94.feet,.

and.overturned.several.times.before.coming.to.rest..Although.he.was.
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wearing	a	seatbelt,	and	airbags	did	deploy,	Captain	Elkins	was	killed	in	

the.crash.

July 21, 2004 – 0030hrs

Lester Phillips, Fire Chief

Age 72, Volunteer

Sunshine Volunteer Fire Department, Kentucky

Chief.Phillips.and.the.members.of.his.department.responded.to.a.

working	fire	in	a	manufactured	home.	The	cause	of	the	fire	was	arson.	

Chief	Phillips	complained	of	not	feeling	well	at	the	scene.	Firefighters	

helped.Chief.Phillips.to.his.personal.vehicle.to.get.him.away.from.the.

smoke.	Chief	Phillips	drove	back	to	the	fire	station	and	then	to	his	home.

After.consulting.with.family.members,.Chief.Phillips.consented.to.go.

to.the.hospital..Chief.Phillips.did.not.recover.from.his.heart.attack.and.

died.on.August.4,.2004.

July 29, 2004 – 1900

Thomas Conway, Fire Police Captain

Age 78, Volunteer

Haddon Heights Fire Department, New Jersey

Fire	Police	Captain	Conway	and	members	of	his	fire	department	

responded.to.a.carbon.monoxide.alarm.activation..Fire.Police.Captain.

Conway	directed	traffic	around	responding	fire	apparatus.	While	on	

scene,	he	complained	to	other	firefighters	that	he	was	not	feeling	well.

Fire	Police	Captain	Conway	declined	an	offer	from	other	firefighters	for	

an	evaluation	by	EMS	personnel;	he	said	that	he	did	not	want	to	worry	

his.wife..At.the.conclusion.of.the.incident,.Fire.Police.Captain.Conway.

drove.home.

Within.minutes.of.arriving.home,.Fire.Police.Captain.Conway.called.911.

and.requested.medical.help..He.was.transported.to.the.hospital.by.

ambulance..After.initial.treatment.at.a.local.hospital,.Fire.Police.Captain.

Conway.was.transferred.to.a.regional.hospital..His.condition.deteriorated.

and.he.died.on.August.2,.2004,.of.cardiac-related.problems.

July 31, 2004 – 1513hrs

George Henry Raber, Crew Chief

Age 69, Volunteer

Hebron Fire Protection District, North Dakota

Crew.Chief.Raber.was.operating.a.2,500-gallon.water.tanker.at.the.

scene	of	a	wildland	fire.	A	hay	bailer	had	started	the	fire.	This	was	the	

second	time	that	firefighters	had	responded	to	the	scene	that	day.
74

When.the.engine.running.the.pump.on.the.apparatus.stopped.

operating,.Crew.Chief.Raber.stopped.the.truck.and.set.the.parking.

brake..As.he.exited.the.truck,.Crew.Chief.Raber.fell.to.the.ground.and.

did.not.get.up.

A	farmer	on	the	scene	witnessed	the	fall,	and	firefighters	immediately	

came.to.Crew.Chief.Raber’s.assistance..Crew.Chief.Raber.was.

transported.by.ambulance.to.the.hospital..He.was.pronounced.dead.at.

the.hospital..The.death.was.due.to.a.heart.attack.

August 4, 2004 – 2100hrs

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Michael Benton McAdams, Firefighter

Age 69, Volunteer

Sapello-Rociada Volunteer Fire Company, New Mexico

On	August	3,	2004,	Firefighter	McAdams	and	the	members	of	his	fire	

department.had.completed.a.regularly.scheduled.training.session..The.

department.was.dispatched.to.a.rollover.vehicle.crash.about.15.miles.

from	the	fire	station.

Firefighters	assessed	the	injuries	received	by	the	driver	of	the	vehicle,	

and.found.an.intoxicated.individual.who.was.not.in.need.of.medical.

treatment..Law.enforcement.personnel.transported.the.driver.from.the.

scene,	and	firefighters	returned	to	service.

Firefighter	McAdams	went	home	and	went	to	bed.	He	rose	before	

0800hrs.the.next.morning.and.began.to.prepare.breakfast..He.

complained.to.his.wife.of.a.sharp.pain.in.his.back.and.fell.over..Family.

members,	who	were	members	of	the	fire	department,	started	CPR,	and	

they.called.an.ambulance.

The.ambulance.broke.down.en.route.to.the.McAdams.residence,.so.law.

enforcement	personnel	brought	EMS	personnel	to	the	home.	Firefighter	

McAdams.was.pronounced.dead.shortly.after.their.arrival.at.the.home..

The.cause.of.death.was.arteriosclerotic.cardiovascular.disease.

August 10, 2004 – 1730hrs

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Barbara Louise Bordenkircher, Firefighter

Age 52, Volunteer

Wickliffe Rural Fire Department, Kentucky

Firefighter	Bordenkircher	was	the	driver	of	an	engine	apparatus	

responding	to	a	wildland	fire.	The	fire	was	caused	when	a	tire	came	

off.of.a.boat.trailer.as.it.was.being.towed;.the.resulting.sparks.ignited.

nearby.brush.
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After	the	right	wheels	of	the	apparatus	left	the	roadway,	Firefighter	

Bordenkircher.steered.left.to.bring.the.truck.back.on.the.road.and.the.

then.lost.control.of.the.vehicle..The.engine.crashed.into.a.tree,.and.

Firefighter	Bordenkircher	was	ejected.

Another	firefighter	who	was	a	passenger	in	the	engine	was	severely	

injured..The.law.enforcement.report.on.the.crash.cited.a.shift.in.the.

water.load.as.the.cause.of.the.incident.

August 11, 2004 – 1025hrs

Mike Ward, Pilot

Age 55, Wildland Contract

Shasta Aviation under contract to the United States Forest Service, 

Washington

Pilot	Ward	was	ferrying	supplies	to	firefighters	working	in	the	Alpine	Lakes	

Wilderness..The.supplies.were.carried.below.the.helicopter.in.a.sling..There.

were.loads.for.two.drop.sites.in.the.sling.

The	helicopter	arrived	at	the	first	site	and	lowered	the	sling	to	the	

ground.	Firefighters	released	the	load	intended	for	the	first	site	and	

reattached.the.second.load.meant.to.be.dropped.at.the.other.site.

The	helicopter	rotated	as	it	began	to	leave	the	first	drop	site,	and	the	

aircraft’s.tail.rotor.contacted.a.dead.tree..The.helicopter.began.to.

spin.and.fell.to.the.ground..As.the.helicopter.fell,.the.aircraft.began.to.

disintegrate,	and	a	fire	erupted.	Pilot	Ward	was	killed	in	the	crash.	

For.additional.information.about.this.crash,.consult.the.National.

Transportation.Safety.Board.Web.site.at.http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/

query.asp	-	NTSB	identification	SEA04TA158.

August 14, 2004 – 1342hrs

Jaime Leah Foster, Firefighter

Age 25, Career

Los Angeles City Fire Department, California

Firefighter	Foster	and	the	members	of	her	company	responded	to	a	

working	fire	in	a	residence.	Firefighter	Foster	was	working	overtime	at	

her	regularly	assigned	fire	station.	Once	firefighting	operations	were	

completed,	Firefighter	Foster’s	company	was	released	from	the	scene.	

In	order	to	leave	the	scene,	Firefighter	Foster’s	apparatus	had	to	back	

out.of.a.side.street.onto.another.street.

Firefighter	Foster	took	a	position	on	the	tailboard,	or	back	step,	of	

the.engine.near.the.buzzer.used.to.signal.the.apparatus.driver..The.

Company	Officer	(CO)	was	behind	the	apparatus	in	view	of	the	driver’s	

rearview	mirror.	Upon	receiving	the	standard	signal	from	Firefighter	

Foster,.the.apparatus.driver.began.to.back.up.at.a.speed.estimated.at.

2-1/2.miles.per.hour..
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The	CO	turned	away	to	control	traffic	as	the	apparatus	neared	the	

intersection.	When	the	officer	turned	back	to	look	at	the	engine,	

Firefighter	Foster	was	no	longer	seen	on	the	back	of	the	apparatus.	The	

officer	ran	toward	the	apparatus	and,	upon	seeing	Firefighter	Foster	on	

the.ground,.yelled.for.the.apparatus.driver.to.stop.

Firefighters	on	the	scene	quickly	ran	to	aid	Firefighter	Foster.	An	ambulance	

that.had.responded.to.the.original.incident.returned.to.the.scene.and.

transported	Firefighter	Foster	to	the	hospital.	A	total	of	12	minutes	passed	

between	Firefighter	Foster’s	injury	and	her	arrival	at	the	hospital.

Firefighter	Foster	was	pronounced	dead	at	the	hospital.	The	cause	of	

death.was.listed.as.multiple.blunt.trauma.injuries.

August 16, 2004 – Time Unknown

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Robert M. Weber, Jr., Corporal

Age 23, Career

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina

Corporal	Weber	was	on	duty	and	riding	in	an	Aircraft	Rescue	Firefighting	

(ARFF).vehicle..Corporal.Weber.and.the.other.members.of.his.crew.were.

standing.by.near.a.runway.as.aircraft.operations.occurred.

Corporal	Weber	collapsed	suddenly.	Firefighters	provided	medical	

treatment,	including	the	use	of	an	AED.	Corporal	Weber	was	transported	

to.the.hospital.where.he.was.pronounced.dead..The.death.was.due.to.a.

heart.attack.

August 20, 2004 – 2020hrs

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John Daniel Taylor, Jr., Captain

Age 53, Career

Philadelphia Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Rey Rubio, Firefighter

Age 42, Career

Philadelphia Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Captain	Taylor	and	Firefighter	Rubio	were	members	of	an	engine	

company	crew	that	was	dispatched	to	a	fire	in	a	residential	structure.	

Upon	arrival	on	the	scene,	a	working	fire	was	found.

Captain	Taylor,	Firefighter	Rubio,	and	another	firefighter	deployed	an	

attack.line.into.the.basement.of.the.structure..While.in.the.basement,.

conditions.deteriorated.rapidly,.and.Captain.Taylor.ordered.his.crew.to.

evacuate.the.basement.

As	the	crew	began	its	withdrawal,	Firefighter	Rubio’s	SCBA	became	

entangled..He.was.unable.to.leave..Captain.Taylor.ordered.the.third.

firefighter,	a	rookie,	to	leave	as	he	attempted	to	free	Firefighter	Rubio.
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Rescue	efforts	to	assist	the	trapped	firefighters	were	delayed	by	the	volume	

of	fire.	Once	the	fire	was	knocked	down,	firefighters	entered	the	basement	

and	removed	Captain	Taylor	and	Firefighter	Rubio.	Despite	their	best	

efforts,	Captain	Taylor	and	Firefighter	Rubio	died	of	smoke	inhalation.

Electrical	wiring	being	used	to	provide	lighting	for	an	illegal	marijuanagrowing	operation	caused	the	fire.	A	man	was	charged	with	murder	as	a	

result	of	the	firefighter’s	deaths.

August 22, 2004 – 1427hrs

Robert E. Woolf, Firefighter

Age 63, Volunteer

Phillipsburg Fire Department, Ohio

Firefighter	Woolf	and	members	of	his	fire	department	were	in	the	

process	of	cleaning	up	after	a	fundraising	event.	The	fire	department	

had.borrowed.tables.and.chairs.from.a.local.community.center,.and.

firefighters	had	returned	a	number	of	them	in	one	firefighter’s	personal	

pickup.truck.

Firefighter	Woolf	and	another	firefighter	were	riding	back	to	the	fire	

station.on.the.lowered.tailgate.of.the.pickup.truck..The.straps.that.hold.

the	tailgate	in	position	failed	and	both	firefighters	fell	to	the	ground	

while.the.vehicle.was.in.motion.

Another	firefighter	driving	a	vehicle	following	the	pickup	witnessed	

the	fall	and	stopped	immediately.	Other	firefighters	began	medical	

treatment	immediately;	Firefighter	Woolf	was	motionless	and	

unresponsive..He.was.transported.quickly.to.the.hospital.

Hospital	staff	performed	surgery	on	Firefighter	Woolf	the	same	day	as	the	

fall..He.did.not.recover.and.died.of.his.head.injury.on.August.25,.2004..

The	injuries	received	by	the	other	firefighter	were	non-life-threatening.

August 23, 2004 – 1725hrs

Benjamin Matthew Lang, Firefighter/EMT

Age 22, Career

Polk County Fire Department, Florida

Firefighter	Lang	was	working	an	overtime	shift	for	the	fire	department	

and.was.a.passenger.in.the.rear.of.an.ambulance.transporting.a.patient.

to.the.hospital..The.ambulance.was.traveling.in.an.emergency.mode,.

using.emergency.lights.and.the.siren.

The.road.was.wet.from.recent.rains,.and.there.still.was.some.shower.

activity..The.driver.of.the.ambulance.lost.control;.the.ambulance.left.

the.roadway,.slid.into.a.grass.area,.overturned,.and.struck.a.large.

tree.	The	impact	with	the	tree	inflicted	major	damage	on	the	patient	

compartment.of.the.ambulance.
7

Firefighter/EMT	Lang	was	severely	injured	and	trapped	in	the	wreckage	of	

the.ambulance..His.death.was.caused.by.blunt.force.trauma.to.the.head.

Firefighter	Lang	was	sitting	in	the	rear-facing	seat	at	the	patient’s	head	

at	the	time	of	the	crash.	It	is	unknown	if	Firefighter	Lang	was	wearing	a	

seatbelt.

August 25, 2004 – 1815hrs

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David Edward Vinisky, Firefighter

Age 49, Volunteer

Raccoon Township Independent Volunteer Fire Department #1, 

pennsylvania

Firefighters	had	completed	an	evening	of	training	on	a	new	pumper	that	

had	been	delivered	recently.	Firefighter	Vinisky	and	another	firefighter	

were.photographing.the.apparatus.

Firefighter	Vinisky	and	the	other	firefighter	walked	to	the	rear	of	the	

apparatus.	At	the	same	time,	another	firefighter	entered	the	cab	of	

the	apparatus	and	began	to	back	the	truck	into	the	fire	station.	Both	

firefighters	at	the	rear	of	the	truck	were	knocked	off	of	their	feet.	The	

second	firefighter	managed	to	grab	the	rear	of	the	apparatus	and	was	

dragged	along	under	the	vehicle.	This	firefighter	yelled	for	the	driver	to	

stop.the.vehicle.

Hearing	the	yelling	from	the	firefighter	under	the	rear	of	the	apparatus,	

the.driver.stopped,.placed.the.vehicle.in.forward.gear,.and.pulled.

forward	a	few	feet.	Firefighter	Vinisky	was	crushed	under	the	wheels	of	

the.apparatus.as.it.backed.up.and.then.crushed.again.as.the.apparatus.

pulled.forward.

Firefighters	and	EMS	personnel	responded	to	the	scene.	Firefighter	

Vinisky.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.scene.due.to.massive.trauma.

The.driver.of.the.pumper.did.not.have.a.valid.operator’s.license..He.was.

charged	by	law	enforcement	officials	with	causing	the	accident;	however	

the	charges	were	dropped	at	the	request	of	the	fire	department	and	the	

Vinisky.family.

August 28, 2004 – 1600hrs

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Cordell W. “Cory” French, Firefighter/EMS Director

Age 44, Volunteer

Towanda Fire/Rescue, Kansas

Firefighter	French	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	participated	

in.a.drill.involving.hoseline.usage,.map.training,.and.vehicle.

maintenance..The.drill.was.completed.at.approximately.1600hrs.
79

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Firefighter	French	returned	home	and	suffered	a	heart	attack	at	

approximately	2000hrs.	Fellow	firefighters	responded	and	provided	

treatment	for	Firefighter	French.	Despite	their	efforts,	Firefighter	French	

was.pronounced.dead.at.2130hrs.as.the.result.of.a.heart.attack.

September 3, 2004 – 0304hrs

James J. D’heron, Deputy Chief

Age 51, Career

New Brunswick Fire Department, New Jersey

Deputy	Chief	D’heron	and	members	of	his	fire	department	were	

dispatched	to	a	fire	in	a	multiple-family	residence.	Deputy	Chief	D’heron	

arrived	first,	reported	a	working	fire,	and	took	command.	Not	seeing	any	

occupants.outside.or.leaving.the.structure,.he.entered.the.structure.to.

alert	residents	to	the	fire.	Deputy	Chief	D’heron	was	not	wearing	any	

personal.protective.clothing.or.equipment.

Deputy	Chief	D’heron	was	banging	on	doors	to	alert	residents	of	the	fire	

when.an.explosion.occurred..Deputy.Chief.D’heron.was.mortally.burned.

in	the	explosion	and	ensuing	fire.	Arriving	firefighters	found	him	on	

the	second-floor	landing	and	removed	him	from	the	structure.	He	was	

pronounced.dead.at.the.scene.

A	homeless	man	who	slept	in	the	hallway	of	the	building	caused	the	fire.	

The.man.discarded.a.cigarette.near.some.plastic.shower.curtains.and.

a.plastic.container.of.gasoline..The.curtains.and.the.gasoline.ignited,.

producing	sufficient	heat	to	cause	three	nearby	propane	cylinders	to	

vent.their.contents..The.accumulated.propane.gas.is.thought.to.be.the.

source.of.the.explosion.that.killed.Deputy.Chief.D’heron.

September 5, 2004 – 1715hrs

Gerald Kerr “Mac” McGowan, Acting Captain

Age 57, Career

Kansas City Fire Department, Missouri

Acting.Captain.McGowan.and.the.members.of.his.engine.company.were.

responding	to	an	apartment	fire	in	their	first-due	area.	The	company	

was.responding.with.emergency.lights.and.siren.in.operation.on.a.fourlane.highway.

Traffic	in	the	right-hand	lane	stopped	to	yield	for	the	responding	engine,	

and.a.car.stopped.in.the.left-hand.lane..As.the.engine.crossed.the.

center	line	to	go	around	the	stopped	traffic,	the	car	in	the	left-hand	lane	

attempted.to.execute.a.left-hand.turn..The.engine.veered.to.the.left.

in.an.attempt.to.avoid.a.collision,.struck.the.turning.vehicle,.struck.a.

vehicle	parked	in	the	opposing	direction	of	traffic,	struck	a	utility	pole,	

and.then.struck.a.large.tree..The.area.where.Acting.Captain.McGowan.

was.seated.bore.the.brunt.of.the.collision.

aboard.their.helicopter,.seven.members.of.the.team.were.dropped.off,.

and.two.members.remained.with.the.helicopter.to.begin.water.drops.

Firefighters	established	safety	zones	and	began	their	descent	into	a	

steep	canyon.	The	fire	was	moving	up	the	canyon	away	from	them	and	

had.displayed.mild.behavior.at.this.point.in.the.incident..While.the.crew.

was	working,	a	wind	shift	blew	the	fire	toward	the	crew.

With	only	moments	to	react	due	to	the	speed	of	the	fire,	firefighters	

were	forced	to	run	to	their	safety	zones.	Firefighter	Schickee	and	

another	firefighter	attempted	to	run	uphill	to	the	roadside	safety	zone.	

The	first	firefighter	made	it	to	safety;	the	fire	overran	Firefighter	Schickee	

before.she.could.reach.the.safety.of.the.road.

The	cause	of	death	for	Firefighter	Schickee	was	smoke	inhalation.	

Firefighter	Schickee	was	the	first	female	CDF	firefighter	to	be	killed	in	

the.line.of.duty.

September 14, 2004 – Time Unknown

Kevin L. Slain, Captain

Age 47, Career

Dixon Rural Fire Protection District, Illinois

Captain	Slain	attended	a	regular	meeting	of	the	fire	protection	district’s	board	

of	directors.	After	the	meeting,	firefighters	were	standing	in	the	apparatus	bay	

talking..Captain.Slain.told.others.that.he.was.not.feeling.well.

Captain.Slain.walked.to.the.ambulance.located.in.the.station.and.was.

treated	and	transported	to	the	hospital	by	firefighters.	Captain	Slain	was	

pronounced.dead.at.2116hrs.as.the.result.of.a.cardiac-related.illness.

September 16, 2004 – 1934hrs

Clinton L. Romine, Firefighter

Age 25, Volunteer

Good Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Alabama

Firefighter	Romine	was	working	with	the	members	of	his	fire	

department.and.others.to.remove.fallen.trees.from.roadways.in.the.

wake.of.Hurricane.Ivan..

Firefighter	Romine	went	to	a	merchant	to	purchase	a	replacement	chain	

for	his	personal	saw.	As	he	drove	back	to	the	fire	station,	a	portion	of	

a.storm-damaged.tree.fell.onto.his.personal.vehicle..The.fallen.tree.

was.approximately.2-1/2.feet.in.diameter.and.fell.directly.on.the.cab.of.

Firefighter	Romine’s	truck.	He	was	killed	instantly.	A	passenger	in	the	

truck.received.non-life-threatening.injuries.

October 2, 2004 – 1246hrs

Daniel Paul Holmes, Forestry Technician - Hotshot

Age 26, Wildland (Part-Time)

National Park Service, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 

California

Forestry.Technician.Holmes.was.a.member.of.the.Arrowhead.

Interagency.Hotshot.Crew..He.was.working.as.a.saw.team.member.

cutting.dead.trees.in.an.unburned.section.of.a.prescribed.burn.in.the.

Kings.Canyon.National.Park.

A.dead.tree.near.the.perimeter.of.the.controlled.burn.area.was.burning.

near.its.top,.and.falling.embers.from.the.tree.threatened.to.spread.the.

fire	past	the	perimeter.	Forestry	Technician	Holmes	and	the	members	of	

his.saw.team.were.assessing.how.best.to.drop.the.tree.and.prevent.the.

spread	of	the	fire.

Firefighters	watching	the	team	and	the	tree	noticed	that	a	section	of	the	

tree	was	breaking	free	and	starting	to	fall.	These	firefighters	called	to	

Forestry.Technician.Holmes.and.his.team.and.told.them.of.the.danger..

Forestry.Technician.Holmes.reacted.immediately.but.was.only.able.to.

take.a.couple.of.steps.before.being.struck.by.the.falling.tree.

Other	firefighters	provided	medical	assistance	to	Forestry	Technician	

Holmes,.and.an.ambulance.was.used.to.transport.him.to.a.helicopter.

landing.zone.for.evacuation..Forestry.Technician.Holmes.went.into.

cardiac.arrest.during.the.ambulance.ride.to.the.landing.zone..After.

consulting.with.medical.control,.he.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.

helicopter.landing.zone..The.cause.of.death.was.due.to.head.injuries.

October 7, 2004 – 1230hrs

Michael J. Kilpatrick, Assistant Fire Chief

Age 58, Volunteer

North Lake Fire Department, Wisconsin

Assistant	Chief	Kilpatrick	and	other	firefighters	were	standing	by	at	a	

fire	station	in	a	neighboring	community	during	a	major	fire	incident.	

Assistant.Chief.Kilpatrick.became.ill.and.collapsed.

EMS	personnel	standing	by	in	the	same	fire	station	transported	

Assistant.Chief.Kilpatrick.to.the.hospital..Despite.the.efforts.of.

firefighters,	EMS	personnel,	and	hospital	personnel,	Assistant	Chief	

Kilpatrick.died..The.cause.of.death.was.a.heart.attack.

October 16, 2004 – 2015hrs

Jordan Lee Nonnemaker, Firefighter

Age 18, Volunteer

Amity Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Firefighter	Nonnemaker	was	in	his	fire	station	with	other	firefighters.	He	

left	the	station	with	another	firefighter	to	rent	movies	to	watch	at	the	fire	

station.

Firefighter	Nonnemaker	was	the	front-seat	passenger	in	a	car	driven	

by	another	firefighter.	The	firefighter	lost	control	of	the	vehicle.	It	

crossed.the.center.line.of.the.road,.and.an.oncoming.vehicle.struck.the.

passenger	side	of	the	firefighter’s	vehicle.	Firefighter	Nonnemaker	was	

killed.instantly.

October 20, 2004 – 0043hrs

Robert D. Heighton, Firefighter/Paramedic

Age 45, Career

South Walton Fire District, Florida

Firefighter	Heighton	was	a	member	of	the	three-person	medical	

helicopter.crew..The.South.Walton.Fire.District.staffed.a.paramedic.spot.

on.the.helicopter.through.a.joint.airmedical.service.agreement.with.the.

Sacred.Heart.Health.System..

Firefighter	Heighton	was	on	duty	when	his	helicopter	was	dispatched	

for.an.interfacility.transfer.of.a.patient..After.a.weather.check.by.the.

pilot,.the.helicopter.lifted.off.at.0041hrs..At.0043hrs,.the.pilot.called.

his.dispatcher.and.reported.that.they.were.returning.to.base.due.to.

weather...The.dispatcher.did.not.receive.any.further.contact.from.the.

helicopter.and,.assuming.the.aircraft.had.arrived.back.safely,.cleared.

the.call.from.the.dispatch.computer.

At.0610hrs,.the.pilot.for.the.oncoming.crew.noticed.that.the.helicopter.

was.not.present..The.pilot.spoke.to.the.dispatch.center,.and.a.search.

for.the.helicopter.was.initiated..The.wreckage.of.the.helicopter.was.

located.at.about.0820hrs..The.wreckage.was.in.about.10.feet.of.water.

The	body	of	Firefighter	Heighton	was	the	last	to	be	found.	It	was	located	

on.October.21,.2004.at.1120hrs..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.

multiple.trauma.

For.additional.information.about.this.crash,.consult.the.National.

Transportation.Safety.Board.Web.site.at.http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/

query.asp	-	NTSB	identification	MIA05FA008.

November 2, 2004 – 2005hrs

Donald Nathan Carlson, Firefighter

Age 60, Volunteer

Ute Fire Department, Iowa

Firefighter	Carlson	and	two	other	firefighters	were	in	a	fire	department	

equipment.van.responding.to.the.scene.of.a.rollover.motor.vehicle.crash..

As	the	vehicle	responded,	firefighters	noticed	that	Firefighter	Carlson	was	

leaning.against.a.door.and.then.dropped.into.the.stepwell.of.the.door.

The	vehicle	was	stopped,	firefighters	removed	Firefighter	Carlson	from	the	

truck,.and.an.ambulance.was.summoned..CPR.and.ALS-level.treatment.

were	provided,	and	Firefighter	Carlson	was	transported	to	the	hospital.

Despite	all	efforts,	Firefighter	Carlson	died	of	a	heart	attack.

November 6, 2004 – 1809hrs

Charles Colbert “Littleman” Webb, Lieutenant

Age 63, Volunteer

Mayking Volunteer Fire Department, Kentucky

Lieutenant.Webb.was.a.passenger.in.a.pumper.responding.to.the.report.

of	a	forest	fire.	The	driver	pulled	the	apparatus	off	of	the	road	when	he	

was.told.that.Lieutenant.Webb.was.ill.

Firefighters	treated	Lieutenant	Webb	for	an	apparent	heart	attack,	and	

he.was.transported.to.the.hospital..ALS-level.treatment.was.provided.by.

paramedics..He.was.pronounced.dead.at.the.hospital.after.all.treatment.

efforts.failed.to.revive.him.

November 13, 2004 – 1900hrs

Edward George Schnauss, Captain

Age 54, Volunteer

Morrison Volunteer Fire Department, Missouri

Captain	Schnauss	was	performing	routine	maintenance	on	fire	

apparatus	inside	the	fire	station.	When	he	failed	to	contact	family	

members,	his	wife	went	to	the	fire	station	to	look	for	him	and	found	him	

deceased	underneath	a	fire	engine.

Captain.Schnauss.had.suffered.a.fatal.heart.attack.

November 15, 2004 – 0900hrs

Donald H. Kersting, Battalion Chief

Age 47, Career

Wichita Fire Department, Kansas

Chief	Kersting	arrived	at	work	in	the	fire	department	administrative	

offices	and	went	through	his	regular	morning	routine.	At	approximately	

0900hrs,	firefighters	walking	by	Chief	Kersting’s	office	found	him	

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Firefighter.Gerhart.remained.in.a.coma.until.his.death.on.December.5,.

2004..The.cause.of.death.was.listed.as.blunt.force.trauma.to.the.head.

as.a.result.of.the.fall.

Firefighter	Gerhart	was	a	life	member	of	the	Junior	Hose	and	Truck	

Company,.a.volunteer.company.that.is.a.part.of.the.Chambersburg.Fire.

Department,.and.had.a.32-year.career.with.the.District.of.Columbia.Fire.

Department.and.the.International.Association.of.Fire

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fighters.

December 13, 2004 – 1740hrs

James Larry Rogers, Fire Chief

Age 55, Career

Claxton Volunteer Fire Department, Georgia

Chief	Rogers	was	driving	a	fire	department	rescue	truck	back	to	the	

station	from	the	scene	of	a	working	fire	in	a	commercial	chicken	house.	

This.incident.was.the.third.response.of.the.day.for.Chief.Rogers.and.his.

department.

Another	firefighter	following	the	apparatus	witnessed	it	leave	the	road	

to.the.left,.travel.through.a.ditch,.and.come.to.rest..While.still.on.the.

scene.of.the.crash,.Chief.Rogers.collapsed.of.an.apparent.heart.attack.

Treatment.was.provided.on.the.scene,.but.Chief.Rogers.was.

pronounced.dead.at.1815hrs.

December 14, 2004 – 1300hrs

William Jess “Bill” Briggs, Captain

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Age 52, Career

INEEL Fire Department, Idaho

Captain.Briggs.complained.of.not.feeling.well.while.on.duty.on.

December.13,.2004..He.suffered.a.heart.attack.while.performing.

physical	fitness	activities	the	next	day	and	died.

December 14, 2004 – 0224hrs

Michael R. Dunlap, Firefighter

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Age 47, Volunteer

Hydetown Volunteer Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Firefighter	Dunlap	responded	to	five	emergency	incidents	during	a	9-

hour.period.during.a.heavy.snow.storm..The.last.of.these.incidents.was.

a	mutual-aid	EMS	response.	During	the	work	at	this	incident,	Firefighter	

Dunlap	told	other	firefighters	that	he	felt	tired	but	did	not	complain	of	

any.other.medical.conditions.

continued on next page
90

Later	in	the	day,	Firefighter	Dunlap	called	a	relative	to	say	that	he	was	

having.chest.pains..He.was.found.a.short.time.later,.having.suffered.a.

heart.attack..He.was.transported.to.the.hospital.but.was.not.revived.

December 17, 2004 – 1700hrs

Herbert C. “Herbie” Caldwell III, Firefighter

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Age 49, Volunteer

Newberry Township Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Firefighter	Caldwell	and	a	passenger	were	responding	in	Firefighter	

Caldwell’s.personal.vehicle.to.a.report.of.smoke.in.a.residence..As.they.

drove,	Firefighter	Caldwell	began	to	cough	up	blood.	He	pulled	the	car	to	

the.side.of.the.road,.and.the.passenger.summoned.assistance.using.a.

fire	department	radio.	Despite	efforts	at	the	scene,	in	transit,	and	at	the	

hospital,	Firefighter	Caldwell	died.

Firefighter	Caldwell	suffered	from	a	thoracic	aneurysm,	the	failure	of	a	

blood.vessel.

December 20, 2004 – 1519hrs

Nito Rene Guajardo, Firefighter

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Age 24, Career

Baytown	Fire	&	Rescue,	Texas

Firefighter	Guajardo	and	the	members	of	his	quint	company	responded	

to	a	fire	in	a	residential	structure.	Upon	arrival	on	the	scene,	they	found	

a	working	fire.

Firefighters,	including	Firefighter	Guajardo,	advanced	an	attack	line	into	

the	interior	of	the	structure.	When	conditions	deteriorated,	firefighters	

withdrew.from.the.structure.and.conducted.an.accountability.check..

Firefighter	Guajardo	was	found	to	be	missing.

Firefighters	could	not	immediately	reenter	the	structure	due	to	

fire	conditions.	Once	conditions	allowed,	Firefighter	Guajardo	was	

discovered.near.the.front.door.of.the.residence.and.removed.to.the.

exterior.	Firefighter	Guajardo	had	been	out	of	contact	for	19	minutes	

prior.to.being.discovered..Treatment.was.initiated.but.was.not.

successful	in	reviving	Firefighter	Guajardo.	Asphyxiation	and	burns	

caused.his.death.

A.report.on.this.incident.will.be.prepared.by.the.Texas.State.Fire.

Marshal.	The	report	will	be	available	at	http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/fire/

fmloddinvesti.html

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December 20, 2004 – 1657hrs

Theodore Arthur “Ted” Myhre, Firefighter

Age 73, Volunteer

Bishop Hill Fire Department, Illinois

Firefighter	Myhre	was	a	passenger	in	a	fire	department	vehicle	as	it	

responded	to	a	motor	vehicle	crash.	Upon	arrival	on	the	scene,	law	

enforcement	personnel	told	firefighters	that	their	services	were	not	

needed.and.released.them.from.the.incident.

The.pumper.turned.into.a.driveway.in.order.to.turn.around.and.return.

to	station.	Firefighter	Myhre	got	out	of	the	apparatus	to	control	traffic.	

Firefighter	Myhre	was	struck	by	a	passing	pickup	truck	as	he	stood	in	

the	roadway.	Firefighter	Myhre	was	transported	to	the	hospital	but	died	

of.his.injuries..He.was.pronounced.dead.at.1748hrs.

Firefighter	Myhre	was	carrying	a	flashlight	but	was	not	wearing	protective	

clothing	or	reflective	materials.	The	driver	of	the	vehicle	that	struck	

Firefighter	Myhre	said	that	he	saw	Myhre	too	late	to	avoid	hitting	him,	

despite.braking.and.swerving.to.avoid.contact..The.driver.was.not.charged.

December 23, 2004 – 1930hrs

Jason Todd Rowe, Fire Chief

c

Age 30, Volunteer

Elkhorn City Fire Department, Kentucky

Chief.Rowe.was.conducting.a.training.session.on.the.use.of.airbags.

to	lift	a	fire	truck	to	allow	the	installation	of	snow	chains.	An	airbag	

dislocated.and.caused.the.truck.to.roll.forward..A.wheel.block.securing.

the.front.tire.was.also.dislocated..Chief.Rowe.was.under.the.rear.of.the.

apparatus.when.these.actions.occurred.

Firefighters	asked	Chief	Rowe	if	he	was	alright	and	did	not	receive	a	

response..They.found.Chief.Rowe.unconscious.and.suffering.from.a.

severe.head.injury.and.blood.loss..

Chief.Rowe.was.pronounced.dead.at.a.local.hospital.approximately.20.

minutes.after.the.incident..

December 25, 2004 – 0003hrs

c

John M. “Jackie” Stoudt, Chief Engineer

Age 66, Volunteer

Diligence Fire Company #1, Summit Hill, Pennsylvania

Chief.Engineer	Stoudt	and	the	members	of	his	fire	department	

responded.to.three.emergency.incidents.on.December.24,.2004..Just.

after	midnight	on	Christmas	morning,	firefighters	were	dispatched	to	a	

structure	fire.
92

Chief	Engineer	Stoudt	responded	to	the	fire	station	and	was	climbing	

aboard	a	ladder	truck	when	he	fell	backwards	and	hit	the	floor.	

Firefighters	came	to	his	aid,	and	he	was	soon	flown	by	helicopter	to	a	

regional	hospital.	Chief	Engineer	Stoudt	was	pronounced	dead	as	the	

result.of.a.heart.attack.approximately.2.hours.after.collapsing.

December 27, 2004 – 2255hrs

c

James Harrison Fugate, Jr., Firefighter

Age 20, Volunteer

Collinsville Fire Department, Oklahoma

Firefighter	Fugate	was	responding	in	his	personal	vehicle	to	a	fire	alarm	

in	a	residence.	Firefighter	Fugate	lost	control	of	the	vehicle	as	it	crested	

a.hill..The.vehicle.skidded.197.feet,.went.off.of.the.left-hand.side.of.the.

roadway,	flipped	twice,	and	came	to	rest	138	feet	from	the	point	of	first	

contact.with.the.ditch.

Firefighter	Fugate	was	not	wearing	a	seatbelt	at	the	time	of	the	crash,	and	

he	was	ejected	during	the	first	rollover.	He	was	transported	to	the	hospital	

by.helicopter.but.died.on.January.11,.2005.as.a.result.of.his.injuries.

The.law.enforcement.report.on.the.crash.cited.unsafe.speed.as.a.factor.

in.the.incident..The.report.estimated.the.speed.of.the.vehicle.at.the.

time.of.the.crash.at.80.miles.per.hour.in.a.50.mile-per-hour.zone.

December 29, 2004 – 0003hrs

Jared Michael Moore, Firefighter

c

Age 19, Volunteer

Fairmont Township Fire Department, Kansas

Firefighter	Moore	was	responding	in	his	personal	vehicle	to	the	scene	of	

a	single-vehicle	rollover	motor	vehicle	crash.	The	emergency	flashers	on	

Firefighter	Moore’s	vehicle	were	in	operation.	Firefighter	Moore	slowed	

to.begin.a.left-hand.turn.onto.the.road.where.the.incident.was.located.

and.was.struck.from.behind.by.a.sheriff’s.cruiser.responding.to.the.

same.incident.

Firefighter	Moore	was	not	wearing	his	seatbelt	and	was	ejected	from	his	

vehicle.	Firefighter	Moore	was	unconscious	at	the	scene	and	was	flown	

by.medical.helicopter.to.a.regional.hospital..He.was.pronounced.dead.

after.arriving.at.the.hospital.

The	deputy	sheriff	driving	the	cruiser	that	struck	Firefighter	Moore’s	

vehicle	was	charged	with	vehicular	homicide.	A	law	enforcement	traffic	

investigation.placed.the.cruiser’s.estimated.speed.at.between.84.and.

87.miles.per.hour.at.the.time.of.the.crash..According.to.a.news.account,.

the.deputy.was.confused.as.to.the.location.of.the.original.crash.and.was.

in	the	process	of	passing	Firefighter	Moore.

c
93

CIdenTs PrIor To 2004

h 15, 2003 – 1457hrs

ence J. Sweetnich, Firefighter

51, Career

eld Heights Fire Department, Ohio

ghter	Sweetnich	was	the	officer	in	charge	at	his	fire	station.	

ing.on.the.station’s.quint.apparatus.was.conducted.including.

,.climbing.the.aerial.ladder,.and.pump.operations.

oximately	30	minutes	after	training	was	completed,	Firefighter	

tnich.experienced.upper.abdominal.pain..The.pain.subsided.

ly.	Approximately	15	minutes	later,	Firefighter	Sweetnich	went	out	

ear	of	the	fire	station	to	meet	his	wife	in	the	parking	lot.

refighter	Sweetnich	walked	across	the	parking	lot,	he	collapsed	

enly.	His	wife	called	for	help,	and	firefighters	and	EMS	workers	

nded	from	inside	the	fire	station.	Firefighter	Sweetnich	was	

ed.on.the.scene,.during.the.trip.to.the.hospital,.and.upon.his.arrival.

e.emergency.room..He.was.later.pronounced.dead.as.a.result.of.a.

t.attack.

In

Marc

Lawr

Age 

Garfi

Firefi

Train

setup

Appr

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quick

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hear

July 4, 2003 – 2140hrs

Raymond L. Peterman, Fire Captain

c

Age 62, Career

Los Angeles City Fire Department, California

Captain	Peterman	and	his	crew	returned	from	fighting	a	wildland	fire	at	

approximately	1900hrs.	At	approximately	2130hrs,	firefighters	noticed	

that	Captain	Peterman	was	sick.	He	was	transported	by	fire	department	

ambulance.to.the.hospital.and.diagnosed.as.having.had.a.heart.attack.

Captain.Peterman.underwent.emergency.bypass.surgery..He.suffered.

multiple-system.failure.after.the.surgery.and.never.recovered..Captain.

Peterman.died.on.January.17,.2004.

95

Ap p e n d i x B

N

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 

the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 

(NFFF), the United States Fire Administration 

(USFA), and other organizations collect 

information on firefighter fatalities in the United 

States. Each organization uses a slightly different 

set of inclusion criteria that are based at least in 

part on the purposes of the information collection 

for each organization and data consistency.

As a result of these differing inclusion criteria, 

statistics about firefighter fatalities may be 

provided by each organization that do not 

coincide with one another. This section will 

explain the inclusion criteria for each organization 

and provide information about these differences.

The USFA includes firefighters in this report who 

die while onduty, become ill while onduty and 

later die, and firefighters who die within 24-hours 

of an emergency response or training regardless of 

whether the firefighter complained of illness while 

onduty. The USFA counts firefighter deaths that 

occur in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, 

and United States protectorates such as Puerto 

Rico and Guam. Detailed inclusion criteria for this 

report appear starting on page 96 of this report.

For 2004, the USFA reported 117 onduty 

firefighter fatalities.

Firefighter Fatalities in 2004
96

Inclsion

Annual F

St

Introduction

Each year, the National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA) collects data on all firefighter fatalities 

in the United States that resulted from injuries 

or illnesses that occurred while the victims were 

onduty. The purpose of the study is to analyze 

trends in the types of illnesses and injuries 

resulting in death that occur while firefighters 

are on the job. This annual census of firefighter 

fatalities in its current format dates back to 1977. 

(Between 1974 and 1976, NFPA published a study 

of onduty firefighter fatalities that was not as 

comprehensive.) 

What is a Firefighter?

For the purpose of the NFPA study, the term 

firefighter covers all uniformed members of 

organized fire departments, whether career, 

volunteer or combination, or contract; full-time 

public service officers acting as firefighters; State 

and Federal government fire service personnel; 

temporary fire suppression personnel operating 

under official auspices of one of the above; 

and privately employed firefighters including 

trained members of industrial or institutional fire 

brigades, whether full- or part-time.

Under this definition, the study includes, besides 

uniformed members of local career and volunteer 

fire departments, those seasonal and full-time 

employees of State and Federal agencies who have 

fire suppression responsibilities as part of their job 

description, prison inmates serving on firefighting 

crews, military personnel performing assigned fire 

suppression activities, civilian firefighters working 

at military installations, and members of industrial 

fire brigades. Impressed civilians also would be 

included if called on by the officer in charge of 

the incident to carry out specific duties. The NFPA 

study includes fatalities that occur in the 50 States 

and the District of Columbia. 

What does ‘onduty’ mean?

The term onduty refers to being at the scene of 

an alarm, whether a fire or non-fire incident; 

being en route while responding to or returning 

from an alarm; performing other assigned duties 

such as training, maintenance, public education, 

inspection, investigations, court testimony, and 

fundraising; and being on call, under orders or 

on stand-by duty other than at home or at the 

individual’s place of business. Fatalities that 

occur at a firefighter’s home may be counted if 

the actions of the firefighter at the time of injury 

involved firefighting or rescue.

Onduty fatalities include any injury sustained in 

the line of duty that proves fatal, any illness that 

was incurred as a result of actions while onduty 

that proves fatal, and fatal mishaps involving 

nonemergency occupational hazards that occur 

while onduty. The types of injuries included in 

the first category are mainly those that occur at an 

incident scene, in training, or in accidents while 

responding to or returning from alarms. Illnesses 

(including heart attacks) are included when the 

exposure or onset of symptoms are tied to a specific 

incident of onduty activity. Those symptoms must 

have been in evidence while the victim was onduty 

for the fatality to be included in the study. 

Fatal injuries and illnesses are included even in 

cases where death is considerably delayed. When 

the onset of the condition and the death occur in 

different years, the incident is counted in the year 

of the condition’s onset. Medical documentation 

specifically tying the death to the specific injury is 

required for inclusion of these cases in the study.
97

Categories not included in the study

The NFPA study does not include members of fire 

department auxiliaries; nonuniformed employees 

of fire departments; emergency medical technicians 

who are not also firefighters; chaplains; or civilian 

dispatchers. The study also does not include 

suicides as onduty fatalities, even when the suicide 

occurs on fire department property.

The NFPA recognizes that a comprehensive study 

of firefighter onduty fatalities would include 

chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular disease 

and certain cancers) that prove fatal and that 

arose from occupational factors. In practice, there 

is as yet no mechanism for identifying onduty 

fatalities that are due to illnesses that develop over 

long periods of time. This creates an incomplete 

picture when comparing occupational illnesses to 

other factors as causes of firefighter deaths. This 

is recognized as a gap the size of which cannot be 

identified at this time because of the limitations 

in tracking the exposure of firefighters to toxic 

environments and substances and the potential 

long-term effects of such exposures.

2004 Experience

In 2004, a total of 103 onduty firefighter deaths 

occurred in the United States, according to NFPA’s 

inclusion criteria. 

Inclsio

Annual F

St

In 1997, fire service leaders formulated new 

criteria to determine eligibility for inclusion on 

the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial. Line-ofduty deaths shall be determined by the following 

standards:

1. (a) Deaths of firefighters meeting the 

Department of Justice’s Public Safety Officers’ 

Benefits (PSOB) program guidelines, and those 

cases that appear to meet these guidelines 

whether or not PSOB staff has adjudicated the 

specific case prior to the annual National Fallen 

Firefighters Memorial Service; and

(b) Deaths of firefighters from injuries, heart 

attacks, or illnesses documented to show a 

direct link to a specific emergency incident or 

department-mandated training activity.

2. While PSOB guidelines cover only public safety 

officers, the Foundation’s criteria also include 

contract firefighters and firefighters employed 

by a private company, such as those in an 

industrial brigade, provided that the deaths 

meet the standards listed above.

3. Some specific cases will be excluded from 

consideration, such as deaths attributable to 

suicide, alcohol or substance abuse, or other 

gross abuses as specified in the PSOB guidelines.

The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial was 

built in 1981 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The 

names listed there begin with those firefighters 

who died in the line-of-duty that year. The 

United States Congress created the National Fallen 

Firefighters Foundation to lead a nationwide effort 

to remember America’s fallen firefighters. Since 

1992, the tax-exempt, nonprofit Foundation has 

developed and expanded programs to honor our 
98

fallen fire heroes and assist their families and 

coworkers by providing them with resources to 

rebuild their lives. Since 1997, the Foundation has 

managed the National Memorial Service held each 

October to honor the firefighters who died in the 

line-of-duty the previous year.

During October 2005 Memorial Weekend, the 

Foundation will be honoring 107 firefighters who 

died in the line of duty. The following is a list of 

those to be honored:

Gary Archibeque, Firefighter

Grady Roy Austin, Captain 

Jeffrey C. Bergstrom, Firefighter/Paramedic 

William E. Bierbower, Firefighter 

Barbara L. Bordenkircher, Firefighter 

Connie C. Bornman, Firefighter/EMT 

Bob L. Boyles, Jr., Firefighter *

Charles G. Brace, Battalion Chief 

Steven C. Brack, Firefighter 

Herbert C. Caldwell III, Firefighter 

Donald N. Carlson, Firefighter 

Harold D. Chappell, Firefighter 

Edward P. Conricote, Firefighter 

Thomas Conway, Fire Police Captain 

Brenda D. Cowan, Lieutenant 

Patrick J. Cramer, Firefighter 

Mario F. Cunha, Fire Engineer 

Elliott Davis, Jr., Fire Commissioner 

Robert J. DeAngelis, Firefighter *

Thomas DeAngelis, Captain 

James D’heron, Deputy Fire Chief 

Michael R. Dunlap, Firefighter 

Terri L. Eiland, Lieutenant 

Daniel E. Elkins, Captain 

Steven W. Fierro, Firefighter 

Keith A. Firment, Captain 

Jaime L. Foster, Firefighter 

Gary D. Fox, Fire Chief 

Cordell W. French, Firefighter/EMS Director 

Richard L. Gabrielli, Fire Police Officer 

Glenn C. Galderisi, Firefighter 

Leslie W. Gant, Jr., Lieutenant 

Thomas Chester Gentry, Firefighter *

Jackson H. Gerhart, Firefighter 

Leslie Keith Gillum, Firefighter 

Robert A. Griffin, Firefighter 

Irwin E. Gross, Firefighter 

Willie Grudzinski, Assistant Chief

Nito Rene Guajardo, Firefighter 

Derrick T. Harvey, Lieutenant 

Charles T. Hatch, Jr., Firefighter/Paramedic 

Ernest Heatherman, Fire Police Captain 

Robert D. Heighton, Firefighter/Paramedic 

Robert E. Heminger, Captain 

Randy R. Henderson, Forestry Technician 

Lawrence J. “Larry” Hoffman, Unit Protection 

Supervisor

Daniel P. Holmes, Forestry Tech - Hotshot 

Jeffrey W. Howell, Firefighter 

Phillip S. Hulen, Firefighter 

Richard A. Jones, Firefighter 

Michael J. Kilpatrick, Assistant Fire Chief 

Kevin W. Kulow, Probationary Firefighter 

Willie J. Lacy, Firefighter 

Benjamin Matthew Lang, Firefighter/EMT 

Charles M. Lehnen, Assistant Chief 

William J. Lightbody, Rescue Member/Firefighter 

Kenneth W. Lipyance, Lieutenant 

Michael E. Lynch, Firefighter 

David A. Mackie, Firefighter/Paramedic 

Michael Stokes Martin, Firefighter 

Michael McAdams, Firefighter 
99

Gerald K. McGowan, Acting Captain 

Kevin R. McIntyre, District Chief 

Lewis R. McNally, Assistant Fire Chief 

Mark E. Miller, Lieutenant 

Jared Michael Moore, Firefighter 

Theodore A. Myhre, Firefighter 

Bret E. Neff, Deputy Chief 

Barrie J. Niebergall, Driver/Operator/Engineer 

Joseph S. Northup, Sr., Firefighter 

Richard O’Brien, Firefighter 

James Harold Pennington, Fire Chief 

Joseph S. Pepe III, Firefighter 

Raymond L. Peterman, Fire Captain

Edward O. Peters, Forest Ranger 

Lester Phillips, Fire Chief 

George H. Raber, Crew Chief 

Edgar B. Rogers, Lieutenant 

James L. Rogers, Fire Chief 

Clinton L. Romine, Firefighter 

Steven M. Rosenfeld, EMS Captain 

Jason T. Rowe, Fire Chief

Rey Rubio, Firefighter 

George O. Sandfield, Firefighter *

Paul Parsons Satterfield, Battalion Chief *

Eva M. Schicke, Firefighter 

Kevin M. Shea, Fire Chief 

Kevin L. Slain, Captain

Robert L. Smith, Firefighter 

Edward “Ed” Stallings, Fire Chief 

Richard A. Stefanakis, Master Firefighter 

Kenneth E. Sterling, Firefighter/EMT 

John J. Stoudt, Chief Engineer 

Lawrence J. Sweetnich, Firefighter *

John D. Taylor, Jr., Captain 

Kenneth M. Temke, Firefighter 

Gary A. Tilton, Fire Chief 

Alan D. Toepke, Firefighter 

James E. Towell, Pilot 

Wayne C. Turner, SEAT Pilot 

David E. Vinisky, Firefighter 

Donald Eugene Ward, Firefighter 

Mike Ward, Pilot 

Charles C. Webb, Lieutenant 

William Weborg, Assistant Fire Chief 

Rick L. Wilbur, Fire Chief 

Kenneth A. Woitalewicz, Captain

* - Denotes a previous year fatality being honored this year.

Ap p e n d i x C

ho m e T ow n he ro e s

su r v I vo r s be n e fI T s aC T o f 2003

101

Dating back to the time of 

the Crusades, it is a symbol 

of charity, loyalty, chivalry, 

gallantry, generosity to firend 

and foe, protection of the weak, 

and dexterity in service.

Today, firefighters everywhere 

are proud to wear the timehonored Maltese Cross as 

part of their uniform.

The Maltese Cross and the Fire Service, American Fire 

Journal, v. 50 (4), p. 14, April 1998
FA-299/August 2005