United States Fire Administration
26 December 2024
EARLIER: Tenn. Chief Dies after Responding to Call
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Chief Joseph Lynn Murphy, 62, of the Henderson County Fire Department on 20 December 2024.
On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Chief Joseph Lynn Murphy responded to a residential alarm. He then returned home. Later in the day, Chief Murphy suffered a cardiac event and was immediately transported to the hospital where he passed away on Friday, December 20, 2024.
Age: 62
Rank: Chief
Classification: Career
Incident date: Dec. 17, 2024 1:47 AM
Date of death: Dec. 20, 2024
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event (Heart Attack)
Activity type: Other
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2024 currently is 61.
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 Tennessee Fire Chiefs Association.
Data Not Drama 