SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa. — The Harford Volunteer Fire Company announced that Assistant Fire Chief Chip Chidester died on April 27 from injuries sustained while battling a brush fire in March.
“It’s one of those things where it feels like you see it on the news, but now we are the news, now he is the news,” Fire Chief Chad Batzel told WNEP. “It literally cannot get any closer to home than being right here in our own building.”
On March 11, the Harford Volunteer Fire Company responded to a mutual aid call from the Clifford Township Volunteer Fire Company for a large brush fire in Lenox Township, WBNG reported.
“That fire covered more than 30 acres—it was one of the biggest we’ve seen this year,” Batzel said. “The terrain was extremely rough, and much of the fire attack had to be carried out on foot and with ATVs.”
During the operation, Chidester fell and suffered a severe leg fracture.
In a social media post, the department said Chidester was a dedicated 40-year member of the department who never hesitated to put others first, often setting aside his own needs to care for those around him.
Following Chidester’s death, the governor ordered all flags at municipal buildings in Susquehanna County to be lowered to half-staff.
