Line-of-Duty Death (LODD)
The FireRescue1 line-of-duty death page provides ongoing coverage and resources related to firefighter deaths that occur while on duty. The page compiles breaking news, incident updates and memorial coverage honoring firefighters who died during emergency response, training or other job-related duties, while helping the fire service stay informed and reflect on lessons that may help prevent future tragedies.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation supports the families of firefighters who die in the line of duty through resources, programs and remembrance efforts that honor fallen fire heroes and help their loved ones rebuild their lives. Learn more about how to support firefighter families through the NFFF.
A U.S. district judge vacated Richared Brown’s life sentence nearly 30 years after his conviction in a deadly Kansas City arson that killed six firefighters
Tri Lakes Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter Jeff Derrick became disoriented and was overcome by heavy smoke while trying to escape
Burnsville remembers two officers and a firefighter/paramedic who were killed on Feb. 18, 2024, during an hours-long standoff
Camden Firefighter Julius Snyder responded to eight calls during a 24-hour shift in early 2020 and suffered a medical emergency shortly after
The city will honor the Worcester 6, who died in the 1999 Cold Storage blaze, with additional ceremonies planned for Firefighters Jon Davies Sr. and Christopher Roy
Summarizing the lessons learned from two investigations
Fire service leaders remember that fateful day when six firefighters lost their lives at the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire
Northampton Captain Michael Booke suffered a cardiovascular event during a water rescue training course
NIOSH investigators found that dense fog, lack of road markings, inattentive driving and self-dispatching in a privately owned vehicle contributed to the crash
Investigators found that compromised size-up, poor risk/benefit decisions, weak crew integrity and missed 911 information all contributed to the Leonardtown incident
Honolulu Firefighter Jeff Fiala died after entering a burning home without a hoseline, a tactic now under investigation following a state safety probe
A jury found two Rock Falls fire chiefs and the city liable, ruling their decisions led to Sterling Lieutenant Garrett Ramos’ fall through a floor and into a basement
Prosecutors say an external ignition source started the blaze, which led to a collapse that killed three Baltimore City firefighters and injured three others
Deliberations begin in a wrongful death case alleging Rock Falls chiefs showed willful, wanton disregard in the 2021 fire that killed Sterling Lt. Garrett Ramos
Brittney Ramos testifies that safety lapses led to her husband’s 2021 line-of-duty death
The 11-year FDNY veteran suffered cardiac arrest while operating on the roof during an all-hands fire
Brittney Ramos is suing the city of Rock Falls and two fire chiefs, alleging their reckless actions led to her husband falling through a floor and running out of air
Columbia County Fire Recruit Kalif Leslie Daly became ill during physical training and later died at a hospital
The course turns NIOSH findings from the Greene County explosion into tactics and policy updates for rapid reefer ID, construction/insulation risks, reefer-specific size-up and chief readiness
Washington County–Johnson City EMS is mourning the loss of veteran EMT Fred Kemp after a training accident
The 1966 blaze was the deadliest fire in the history of the FDNY until the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
On duty but not on a call, Bristol Firefighter/Paramedic Brandon Clawson suffered a medical emergency at the station
Moncks Corner Deputy Chief Jimmy Townsend suffered a fatal cardiac event within 24 hours of two emergency calls
A falling tree struck the seasonal firefighter on the Tinker Bugs fire in the Nez Perce–Clearwater National Forests
Master Firefighter Preston Fant is the first DeKalb County firefighter to die in the line of duty
Firefighter/Paramedic Scott fell ill while transporting a patient, was flown to Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center for surgery and later died
Brenna Kulikowsk and Damon Thompson were returning to Show Low after an interfacility transfer
The other vehicle crossed the centerline and struck the Timber Mesa ambulance head-on near Show Low
CAL FIRE plans new training and protocol updates as lawsuits from the 2023 helicopter collision moves forward
Firefighter/Equipment Operator J. Hank Hester collapsed during suppression repair and hazardous tree removal at the Dragon Bravo Fire
The Warren Township firefighter suffered a cardiac event at home and died, less than a day after a training session
Guidance for managing the emotions associated with the anniversaries of traumatic incidents
343 FDNY firefighters, plus one New York fire patrolman, were killed in the terrorist attacks, along with dozens of other public safety personnel
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- Conn. firefighter dies after being struck by piece of fire apparatus at house fire
- N.C. firefighter killed, 2 injured in training accident
- LODD: Ga. firefighter dies after battling warehouse fire
- Ga. assistant chief killed after tree falls on vehicle during storm
- NIOSH: Activation of mental health crisis team beneficial in S.C. LODD