Archive for category LODD

Chicago Fire Department LODD – Mashawn Plummer (more)

Excerpts from labor.illinois.gov:

INSPECTION #: 1569882

REPORT DATE: 1/12/2024

The Marmora Incident: Firefighter Seriously Injured and Later Dies After Loss of Accountability at a Residential Fire

SUMMARY: IL OSHA opened an inspection to investigate the death of a 30- year-old male firefighter who was separated from his team during fire suppression operations at a multi-family dwelling basement fire. The firefighter experienced an emergency and declared a mayday. He was located and removed from the structure by firefighters from multiple fire companies. Advanced life support and critical care measures were provided; however, the firefighter died five days later.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:

• The initial fire suppression team did not enter together and stay together.

• No other members in the structure or on scene had communication with the firefighter when he suffered a life-threatening emergency.

• There was a delay between the firefighter in distress declaring a mayday and the incident commander confirming a mayday emergency.

RECOMMENDATIONS (DEFENSES): To reduce the risk of similar occurrences:

• Interior teams go in as a team, stay in visual or voice contact, and leave as a team.

• Prior to entering a hazard zone, firefighters must perform a radio check to establish communication with a member outside the hazard zone.

• Company officers must provide close supervision of inexperienced members during high hazard operations.

• Incident commanders must treat a potential mayday as an actual mayday until proven otherwise.

SUMMARY: On December 16, 2021, at 6:31 AM, the Illinois Department of Labor – Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) received notice of an occupationally related injury of a firefighter that occurred earlier in the morning. IL OSHA opened an inspection to investigate the circumstances involving a 30-year-old male firefighter found unresponsive and out of breathing air on the first floor of a multi-family residential structure after a mayday call. The firefighter was removed from the structure by firefighters from several fire companies of the involved department. The firefighter received advanced life support care, was transported to a nearby hospital, and was subsequently transferred to another hospital for critical care. Despite these measures, he succumbed to his injuries five days after the incident.

FINDINGS: Direct Cause: Exposure to respiratory hazards. The victim’s breathing air supply was completely depleted. According to the coroner’s report, death was attributed to complications of carbon monoxide toxicity and thermal injuries due to inhalation of smoke and soot.

Indirect Causes:

1. Based on evidence, firefighters from E1 entering the interior were not checked to see that they were operating on the designated fireground radio channel.

2. Close supervision of FF#1, who had only six months of field experience, was not provided by the E1 company officer.

3. Firefighters from E1 did not enter the structure together, stay together, and exit together.

4. FF#1 was not in direct visual or voice contact with another firefighter when he suffered a SCBA emergency involving the rapid loss of breathing air. As a result, no firefighters were able to immediately identify that FF#1 was experiencing a life-threatening emergency and provide assistance.

5. FF#1 had not established radio communication with a member outside the hazard zone. As a result, FF#1 was not able to receive immediate assistance after experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

6. The SCBA emergency experienced by FF#1 was so significant, it is unlikely that he, or any firefighter, could have corrected the situation and restored the SCBA to normal operation inside the structure.

7. The E1 company officer lost accountability of FF#1 for approximately ten minutes.

8. Most members on scene, including the incident commander and the E1 company officer did not hear FF#1’s mayday call.

9. Once the RIT chief heard FF#1’s mayday call on an unknown channel, there was a delay between receiving the call and the incident commander declaring a mayday emergency.

10. The mayday call did not include a unique identifier (or one was not heard by personnel).

11. Despite learning of a possible mayday call, the incident commander declared “no mayday.”

12. Based on evidence, not all members operating on scene were aware of a mayday emergency

13. At least one member assigned to search for FF#1 was not aware that he was searching for a missing firefighter. He heard a PASS device in alarm but discounted it as a false alarm.

14. The third of three civilian victims were being removed from the building while firefighters were searching for FF#1 presenting a small degree of confusion.

15. Once located, FF#1 did not receive emergency breathing air.

CONCLUSION: This incident highlights the critical importance of firefighters entering a structure together, staying together, and exiting together. It is also critically important that firefighters establish radio communications with members outside a structure prior to entry, and that inexperienced firefighters have close supervision during high hazard operations. Additionally, the report of a potential mayday should be treated as an actual mayday until proven otherwise. With a team member and with established communications, FF#1 would have received immediate assistance when he experienced the SCBA emergency, significantly reducing the risk of serious injury

RECOMMENDATIONS (DEFENSES):

Interior Firefighters:

• Perform radio check prior to entry.

• Teams enter together, stay together, exit together. No exceptions.

• Say your name when calling mayday, repeat until command confirms. Rapid Intervention Teams:

• Immediately provide a downed firefighter with breathing air.

• One member of RIT is assigned as “air” firefighter. Company Officers:

• Ensure their members are on the appropriate radio channel prior to entry.

• Ensure close supervision of inexperienced members. Incident Commanders and Command Team Members:

• Establish radio communication with teams prior to entry. •

Have zero tolerance for interior firefighters operating alone.

• If an emergency (mayday, evacuation, collapse) is declared on scene, ensure all members on scene receive the message immediately.

• Treat any potential mayday as an actual mayday until proven otherwise.

• Ensure that PASS alarms are treated as firefighter distress alarms and combat the prevalence of false PASS alarms on the fireground.

Fire Department Leaders:

• Program portable radios capable of providing a unique identifier with an emergency button that alerts members (including dispatch) outside the hazard zone of a firefighter in distress.

• Ensure company and command officers that are serving in acting roles have high quality training at the levels that they are temporarily expected to operate at.

• Ensure defenses identified by IL OSHA are captured in department policies.

 

 

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter/EMT Andrew Price (more)

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

Fallen Chicago Firefighter Andrew “Drew” Price, 39, who died while battling a fire at a Lincoln Park building Nov. 13, was laid to rest on Monday. He was a 14-year veteran of the department and the widely respected driver of Truck 44.

Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom was packed full of mourners who shared their sorrows and support for the family, friends and fellow firefighters. A husband, brother, son and uncle, Price was known for his infectious personality, always exuding positivity.

Flags will be flown at half-staff through sundown on Nov. 20 to honor Price, whose death marks the fourth line-of-duty death the Chicago Fire Department has seen this year. In August, Lt. Kevin Ward, 59, died after battling a blaze in Norwood Park. In April, two firefighters — Jermaine Pelt, 49, and Jan Tchoryk, 55, were killed battling two different blazes in the city.

#chicagoareafire.com; #ChicagoFD; #funeral; #LODD; #JimmyBolf; #AndrewPrice;

Jimmy Bolf photo

#chicagoareafire.com; #ChicagoFD; #funeral; #LODD; #JimmyBolf; #AndrewPrice;

Jimmy Bolf photo

#chicagoareafire.com; #ChicagoFD; #funeral; #LODD; #JimmyBolf; #AndrewPrice;

Jimmy Bolf photo

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Chicago FD LODD Firefighter/EMT Andrew Price

#chicagoareafire.com; #ChicaogFD; #LODD; #Firefighter/EMTAndrewPrice;

Chicago Firefighter/EMT Andrew Price

From Chicago Fire Dept. on Facebook:

Our hearts are weighed down with sorrow as we share the news of the passing of FF/EMT Andrew Price, a dedicated member of the Chicago Fire Department for 14 years. Firefighter Price made the ultimate sacrifice, bravely protecting our city. This marks the fourth line of duty loss for our department this year.  Please keep the Price family and our CFD family in your thoughts during these challenging times

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Fatal 2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 11-13-23

Excerpts from abcnews.com:

A firefighter died in a fire in Lincoln Park Monday morning, the Chicago Fire Department said.

The fire was in the 2400-block of North Lincoln Avenue in a building with the Lincoln Station restaurant on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors. It is also near the Lincoln Hall music venue.

Firefighters carried a firefighter out of the building on a gurney while doing chest compressions before being taken to an ambulance. The firefighter who had been trapped in the building was rescued and transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in very critical condition.

CFD Commissioner Annette Nance Holt said the 39-year-old firefighter later died at the hospital.

Further details were not immediately available.

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Chicago Fire Department LODD Lieutenant Kevin Ward (more)

#chicagoareafire.com; #decal; #ChicagoFD; #KevinWard; #LODD;

Memorial decal for the LODD of Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin Ward

thanks to FirehouseDecalsAndMore.com 

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Chicago Fire Department LODD Lieutenant Kevin Ward (more)

#chicagoareafire.com; #ChicagoFD; #KevinWard; #LODD; #funeral;

click to download

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Chicago Fire Department LODD Lieutenant Kevin Ward

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

#chicagoareafire.com; #LODD; #ChicagoFD; #KevinWard;

Chicago FD Lieutenant Kevin Ward

Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin Ward passed away Tuesday, 18 days after he was injured while working a fire in the 8300 block of West Balmoral Avenue. Ward was one of three firefighters injured in the blaze on Aug. 11. A mayday call was issued during that fire, with two firefighters, including Ward, ending up trapped in the basement of the home.

He was taken to an area hospital for treatment for burns and smoke inhalation, and was originally listed in critical condition. He was later upgraded to serious condition on Aug. 13, with officials saying he was making steady improvement.

He remained hospitalized after the fire, and passed away on Tuesday morning.

A procession will escort Ward from Loyola Medical Center to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office on Tuesday afternoon.

Ward, 59, joined the department in 1996.

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Of interest … Firefighter Lloyd Ruediger LODD

Excerpts from fox2now.com:

The New Haven-Berger Fire Protection District mourns the loss of one of its own. Firefighter Lloyd Ruediger recently died in the line of duty. He dedicated 59 years of his life to the New Haven community. He was 84 years old.

Ruediger was a volunteer firefighter. The fire district says he died Monday after responding to a house fire the evening before. He suffered a cardiac arrest. He is survived by three adult children and many grandchildren.

“He was an army veteran. Fifty-nine years of service, dedicated service to this community. It’s a tragic loss for New Haven-Berger Fire and everyone that he touched over the years,” said Mike Thiemann, Metro West Fire District Division Chief.

Chief Thiemann had come to the fire district to help with service and funeral planning, and said several nearby agencies have been keeping watch over him.

“They’ve been watching over Lloyd since this occurred. He is at the medical examiner’s office, and they’ve been keeping watch,” said Thiemann “They will continue that throughout this entire process so that the family has confidence that he’s being taken care of.”

Firefighter honors will be paid on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the New Haven Fire Station.

thanks Crabby

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Wabash Fire Protection District news

From the Wabash Fire Protection District Facebook page:

June 27, 2021 – Firefighter Mehdi Mourad 21, LODD
 
#chicagoareafire.com; #LODD; #WabashFPD; #MehdiMourad;

Wabash FPD Firefighter Mehdi Mourad

Wabash Fire Protection District. Mattoon, IL

While responding to a multiple vehicle accident, Firefighter Mehdi Mourad lost control of the vehicle he was driving and rear-ended another vehicle that was stopped on the side of I-57 due to severe weather. Mourad was trapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated. He was transported to Carle Hospital where he passed away during surgery around 10:30 p.m. Mourad had only served with the Wabash Fire Protection District for five days. The two passengers in the other vehicle were reportedly taken to an area hospital but expected to make a full recovery.

thanks Dennis

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Palatine Fire Department history

PALATINE 50TH LOD DEATHS FEB 23rd1973

This from John Tobin:

Just got all the pictures together from the 50th anniversary and some new ones from a past members family.

For the past several years the Snorkel has been on display @ the FWD/Seagrave museum in Clintonville, Wi. I wanted to get it down here for the 50th and once again Plote came thru and “Low Boyed” it down here. It was here for the 2022 4th of July parade and it will return, probably forever after the 2023 4th of July parade.

The members of the PFD came thru with $$$ to do some much needed maintenance and to get the striping re-done to as close as possible to when it was delivered. Special thanks to Allen Thennes of “On call graphics” for putting up with my very specific wants and he did a great job.

I was hoping to see more at the memorial, however the ice storm the day before definitely put a damper on things.

The flag ceremony went off great, once again and it was great seeing past and present members coming out to honor those who died that day.  I especially enjoyed seeing Chuck Kramer, many years retired now from Arlington Heights FD.  

#chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #firetruck; #Snorkel; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #firetruck; #Snorkel; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral; #chicagoareafire.com; #PalatineFD; #funeral;

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