During a 24-hour overtime shift, at approximately 5:50 am, he was dispatched but did not show up. Crews went to wake him and found him deceased.
United States Fire Administration
The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official on-duty death of Battalion Chief James “JB” Bernard Guiler, 55, of Heard County (GA) Fire & Emergency Services on September 2, 2021.
Battalion Chief James “JB” Bernard Guiler was working a 24 hour overtime shift. At approximately 5:50 am, he was dispatched on a call and did not show up at the apparatus to respond. Crews went to wake him and found him deceased. The cause of death was an apparent heart attack.
Tribute is being paid to Battalion Chief Guiler at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
To date, 83 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2021. Year-to-date and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/ff_fatality_reports.html
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
