MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Volunteer Fire Captain and diver Bradley Long, 28, died when he had an underwater emergency while searching for a missing swimmer Monday.
WSOCTV reports that three divers from the Sherrills Ford - Terrell Fire and Rescue were searching for a 29-year-old swimmer who went missing Sunday when they experienced a problem.
The other two divers were rushed to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, but Long did not resurface.
“Today, Sherrills Ford-Terrell Fire suffered a tremendous loss,” Chief Rick Davis told WSOCTV. “One of our firefighters, Bradley Long, age 28, did not surface and was later recovered and pronounced dead at the scene.”
“It’s difficult. This is one of our own that’s out there missing and the other two who were hurt, they were our own,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Karyn Yaussy. “We send our best to their families and to them.”
Fox46 reports that Long’s father, Jerry, spent 25 years as a firefighter and often took his son to the fire department.
“First of all I want to say thank you for your respect, please give us time to grieve, my son loved what he did. He was passionate about what he loved. I want to say thank you to our brothers at Sherrills Ford Fire Department they’re family with us. Thank you to all the state and federal agencies that have comes to help bring Bradley home,” Jerry Long said.
Bradley Long joined the fire service at 14 when he became a junior firefighter for Sherrills Ford - Terrell Fire and Rescue and in 2007 became a part-time firefighter for the Newton Fire Department. In 2011 he became a full-time engineer and was promted to captain in 2015.