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.
The Kansas City Fire Department skipped formal after-action reviews after two LODDs, citing trauma and threshold criteria despite guidelines and NFFF’s “always debrief” stance
The agency levied a $640 penalty after determining safety lapses contributed to the death of a Wethersfield firefighter when a utility terrain vehicle flipped during a brush fire
Investigation highlights the risks of post-suppression overhaul and origin-and-cause operations
Fridley Fire Chief Mike Spencer, 53, will be honored with a display of red lights across the county on Monday
Carrollton Fire Rescue Capt. Frazier Holbert died four days after suffering a stroke following an emergency call
Retired FDNY Firefighter Timmy Burke, 51, died on Friday due to 9/11-related complications, family members said
The former James Gordon Bennett Medal was renamed to honor fallen Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Jr. and to reject the racist views of its previous namesake, officials said
While it’s nearly impossible to compare 9/11 and COVID-19, there is one strong similarity
Capt. Tommy Searcy, who served for 18 years, is the third Houston firefighter to die from the virus
Firefighter Sara Madsen was working on a Hotshot crew for the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana prior to the crash
Cresson Firefighter-EMT Diana Jones, 63, was inspired by her son, a fire captain, to pursue a second career in public safety
Cresson Firefighter-EMT Diane Jones was killed battling the August Complex fire at Mendocino National Forest
Goffstown Fire Capt. Steven W. Tower, 54, became ill during the Candidate Physical Ability Test at the New Hampshire Fire Academy on Monday
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will provide an opening ceremony video, printable honor badges and a digital bell for this year’s event
Avis Firefighter David Closs Sr., 67, was directing traffic for the safe passage of apparatus when he suffered a medical emergency
St. George Island Volunteer Firefighter/First Responder Brian Stephen Smith, 56, was swept up by the current while trying to save a man and child in distress
A letter to members stated that the department’s commitment to remembering the fallen must be balanced with health and safety
Converse Fire Department Capt. Bryant Anderson is remembered as a “selfless leader” by his colleagues
Charleston Fire Chief Jeff Jackson said the department will work to provide more support for its members after the death of Firefighter-Paramedic Jason Cuffee
Cleveland Fire Lt. Richard A. Petras, 51, died Saturday after 26 years of service
Officials said vehicle data from the crash that killed Lubbock Fire Rescue Lt. Eric Hill and Lubbock Police Officer Nicholas Reyna is being processed at a laboratory that was temporarily closed
Police say Andre Narbonne, 40, severed the flagpole at the memorial for five firefighters from Washingtonville who died on 9/11, as well as two other flagpoles
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced crews setting up the Tribute in Light will be supervised by health officials following a previous announcement that the tribute would be canceled due to COVID-19
The law extends death benefits to public safety officers who die as a result of COVID-19
Valley Stream Firefighter-EMT Mike Field, a past FDNY member and 9/11 responder, will be honored with a memorial bridge on Long Island
Firefighter Rodney Herndon, a 40-year fire service veteran who served at multiple departments and worked for a gas company, died when the propane tank he was filling exploded
Hawaii Fire Department Equipment Operator Eric Hayashi, 49, died Saturday from a suspected heart attack
Officials said Big Pine Volunteer Fire Department Engineer Pete Hein died from an “acute medical emergency” while fighting the Stagecoach Fire
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation says it will hold an in-person, socially distanced event with families after the 9/11 Memorial and Museum switched to pre-recorded readings
A funeral was held for Beirut Fire Brigade Paramedic Sahar Fares, 24, on Thursday; Beirut’s governor said nine other firefighters were killed
Natick Firefighter-Paramedic Jake John Francis Feeney IV, 30, is remembered as “kind, strong and true” and a “conscientious hard worker”
West Point and Vails Gate Firefighter Alec Tannenbaum, 29, a decorated Marine veteran, died after responding to calls in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias
Few significant crackdowns on chemical storage came in the wake of the 2013 West explosion, which killed 12 firefighters
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