United States Fire Administration
23 May 2023
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Lieutenant Richard Michael Hempel, 53, of Groesbeck Volunteer Fire-Rescue on 9 May 2023.
On Monday, May 8, 2023, Lieutenant Richard Michael Hempel responded to an EMS call at a residence. On Tuesday morning, May 9, 2023, he began to feel ill and became unresponsive. 9-1-1 was immediately dispatched and he was transported to the Limestone Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased from an apparent heart attack. Lieutenant Hempel was also a paramedic for the Limestone Medical Center.
Age: 53
Rank: Lieutenant
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: May 8, 2023 7:46 p.m.
Date of death: May 9, 2023
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Heart Attack
Activity type: EMS/Patient Care
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Non-Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2023 currently is 28.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2023.
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
For more information about on-duty deaths as recorded by the United States Fire Administration go to “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.”
Data Not Drama 