PORTLAND, Maine — A veteran career and volunteer firefighter died off-duty while on a recreational scuba dive Monday.
Capt. Michael Kucsma, 43, was an avid and experienced diver. Members of the Portland Fire Department responded to the scene and worked to locate, extricate and resuscitate Capt. Kucsma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Rescues of this nature are never easy, but when it’s a co-worker it is that much harder on everyone involved,” Fire Chief Jerome LaMoria said.
Counselors and peer support personnel have been called to provide support to the family, the responding crews as well as Capt. Kucsma’s co-workers who are off-duty.
“When you spend this amount of time with someone and place the kind of trust in each other as we do, we become a big family,” Chief LaMoria said. “It’s just a devastating loss for everyone. We will provide whatever support is needed for his family at home and his co-workers here in Portland.”
Capt. Kucsma joined the department in 1993 as a firefighter and was most recently promoted to the rank of captain in 2006. He was stationed at the Bramhall Fire Station in the West End and was in charge of Engine 6.
In addition to serving on PFD, Capt. Kucsma was a 28-year volunteer with the Gorham (Maine) Fire Department.
Funeral arrangements are pending.