United States Fire Administration
10 September 2024
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter Darrell Helton, 49, of the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department on 4 September 2024.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, while Firefighter Darrell Helton was helping to shuttle water during a mutual aid call for a structure fire, he told a fellow firefighter that he was experiencing a flutter in his chest but that he was fine. After delivering the last load of water, Firefighter Helton sat down to rest but then collapsed and fell face first to the ground. CPR was initiated and Firefighter Helton was transported to a local hospital where despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced deceased.
Age: 49
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Sep. 4, 2024 8:46 PM
Date of death: Sep. 4, 2024
Cause of fatal injury: Unknown
Nature of fatal injury: Unknown
Activity type: Water Supply
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2024 currently is 39.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2024.
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.”
Photograph courtesy of Belfry Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook.
Data Not Drama 