Responded to an EMS call with a patient with a known case of COVID-19. He subsequently contracted the virus and passed away.
United States Fire Administration
The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official on-duty death of Lieutenant Andrew Orphanoudakis, 56, of the Hardeeville (SC) Fire Department on October 3, 2021.
On Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, Lieutenant Andrew Orphanoudakis responded to an EMS call with a patient with a known case of COVID-19. He subsequently contracted the virus and passed away on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. Lieutenant Orphanoudakis has been posthumously promoted to Captain.
Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Orphanoudakis at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
To date, 105 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.
