The United States Fire Administration was among the many departments and agencies affected by the federal government shutdown. During that time period important official notices about the deaths of firefighters were withheld until now. Below are those in the fire service who passed away during that time.
Michigan
Chief John Allison, 51, Mason County Rural Fire Authority Custer Fire Department
Date of Incident: 10/07/2013
Date of Death: 10/14/2013
On October 7, Chief Allison responded with his fire department to a personal injury auto accident as a mutual aid request. After assisting in extricating the victims and providing medical care, Chief Allison and the fire departments remained on scene to assist the Mason County Sheriff’s Office in conducting an accident investigation. After clearing the scene, Chief Allison returned to the department and assisted other personnel in restocking the trucks to put them back in service. In addition, because an accident victim was the wife of a fellow firefighter, Chief Allison stayed at the fire department for a while with other members for a debriefing discussion. The following day, October 8, Chief Allison was at home and stated to family that he was not feeling well. That evening, Chief Allison suffered a cardiac event. Even though family members and fellow responders immediately took actions to revive Chief Allison after his collapse, he never regained consciousness. Chief Allison was transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital before being transferred to a hospital in Grand Rapids, MI. Chief Allison later passed away on October 14, having never recovered from the cardiac event on October 8.
Tribute is being paid to Chief John Allison at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
North Carolina
Captain David Heath, 48, New Hanover County Fire Rescue
While participating in a department training exercise, Captain David Heath collapsed from an apparent cardiac event. Although fire rescue personnel immediately performed CPR, applied a defibrillator and administered advance life support measures, Captain Heath passed away.
Tribute is being paid to Captain David Heath at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
Tennessee
Captain Richard Floersch, 56, Milan Fire Department
Date of Incident: 10/02/2013
Date of Death: 10/02/2013
Fire Captain Richard Floersch suffered an apparent heart attack while on duty at the fire station. Although fire and emergency personnel administered life support measures, Captain Floersch succumbed to the injuries sustained.
Tribute is being paid to Captain Richard Floersch at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
Alabama
Firefighter Jantzen Murrell Frazier, 28, Oden Ridge Fire and Rescue
Firefighter Jantzen Murrell Frazier was responding to the scene of a structure fire when the apparatus he was driving ran off the road, flipped and slammed into a power pole. Frazier, the only person aboard the apparatus, was killed instantly from injuries sustained as a result of the accident. Investigation into the cause of the accident continues.
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Jantzen Murrell Frazier at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
To date, 85 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2013. Year-to-date and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/fatalityData/statistics
