Opinion ID: 2224702
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Robert Johnson, Jr.

Text: Robert Johnson had been serving as a volunteer fireman for the City of Plainview approximately four years at the time of his death. He was on call seven days a week, attended all department meetings and training sessions, and also performed other tasks such as repairing fire trucks. Johnson received $8.00 per hour for the first hour of an emergency call, $5.00 per hour for every hour thereafter, and $2.50 for attending departmental training meetings. Johnson participated in approximately 30 emergency calls each year, and received $180.50 for the six months preceding his death. In addition to being a volunteer fireman, Johnson was managing partner with his father in the Bob Johnson Sports Center, where he earned approximately $142.71 per week. On February 10, 1985, at about 5:30 a.m., Johnson was called to a fire at the Dittrich residence about a mile and a half outside of Plainview. Johnson arrived at the fire approximately 5:38 a.m. and was involved with three other men in setting up a 1,000 gallon portable drop tank, consisting of 5-foot high pipes holding up canvas liners and weighing approximately 80 pounds. While Johnson was attaching a 55-pound hose to the bottom of the tank, he collapsed. CPR was unsuccessful and Johnson was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary's Hospital. Medical experts testified that Johnson experienced an acute rupture of an aneurysm of his ascending aorta. This rupture was due in part to the fact that Johnson had severe coronary atherosclerosis, a condition he was unaware of at the time of his death. Several experts also testified that the physical and emotional stress involved in fighting the fire was a contributing factor in Johnson's death.