U.S. Fire Administration

The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official line of duty death of Apparatus Operator Joseph T. Grace, 47, of the Saint Tammany Fire Protection District No.4 – Mandeville Fire Department (LA), on July 10, 2009.

On the evening of July 8, 2009, Joseph Grace participated in a departmental drill for a “man down” drill. He had also responded to multiple incidents during the day of the july 8, 2009 and over night into the early morning of July 9, 2009. At approximately 0645 hours on july 9, 2009, he responded to an incident prior to going off shift around 0730 hours. He reported to his second job as a paramedic and was in the process of cooking breakfast when crew members entered the kitchen and found him collapsed around 0830 hours. Care was initiated on scene and he was transported to a local care facility before being transferred to a larger medical center where he remained until his death. The nature of the fatal injury is still to be reported.

Funeral Arrangements:
Pending

Memorial Fund Contact and Address:
Pending

Tribute is being paid to Apparatus Operator Joseph T. Grace at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 58 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2009; 56 from incidents that occurred in 2009 and two from previous year 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....