USFA: Del Rio, Texas Line Of Duty Death

The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official line of duty death of Lieutenant Gale Nelson, 61, of the Val Verde County Rural Volunteer Fire Department on August 12, 2011.

Lieutenant Nelson passed away from a cause still to be determined while working at the fire station and experiencing a fall from a small step ladder.  Lt. Nelson had also responded to an emergency call the previous day that was canceled while en route.

Funeral Arrangements:
Visitations will be on Monday, 1-9:00P.M, August 15, 2011 and with a Chapel service at 3:00P.M, at G. W. Cox Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.  Officiating will be Gerald L. Prather, Chaplain, Maj. Gen., USAF (Ret.) Visitations and Church service will also be in Andrews, Texas. Visitations will on Tuesday, 5-9:00P.M, August 16, 2011 at the McNett Funeral Home and Church services will be on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 10:00A.M, at the Andrews Church of Christ, Andrews, Texas followed by burial at the Andrews County Cemetery.

Memorial Fund Contact and Address:
In Lieu of Usual Remembrances donations can be made to the Val Verde County Rural Fire Department.

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Larry Gale Nelson at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/.

To date, 63 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 58 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and five from previous years’ incidents.  Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm