On-Duty Deaths as reported by the U.S. Fire Administration

The U.S. Fire Administration announced in October 2012 the official on-duty deaths of five fire department personnel.

Lieutenant John Grabowski
Riverview Fire Department, Michigan
October 1, 2012
Lieutenant Grabowski was found collapsed in the parking lot of his second employer after his fire department shift had ended.

Fire Chief Larry D. Nielsen
Gilmore City Fire Department, Iowa
October 9, 2012
Fire Chief Nielsen was responding to a barn fire riding in fire department apparatus when he fell ill.

Battalion Chief Rob Van Wormer
Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit, California
October 27, 2012
Chief Van Wormer passed away from a cause still to be determined while on a work assignment in a neighboring jurisdiction.

Fire Chief Don Felton
Southern Park County Fire Protection District, Colorado
October 27, 2012
Chief Felton died of an apparent heart attack while at work in his fire department office.

Lieutenant Russell Neary
Easton Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Connecticut
October 29, 2012
Firefighters were removing part of a tree blown into the roadway by Hurricane Sandy when several other trees suddenly fell striking and killing Neary.

Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.