United States Fire Administration
7 April 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter/EMT Roy Smith, 60, the Posey Township Clay County Volunteer Fire Department on 5 April 2025.
Shortly after midnight on April 5, 2025, the Posey Township Clay County Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to motorists (including two children) who became stranded in high water due to heavy storms. While responding to the call in his personal vehicle, Firefighter/EMT Roy Smith lost control of the vehicle on the slippery roadway. The vehicle left the road and struck a tree. Fire and rescue personnel found Firefighter/EMT Smith pinned in the vehicle and extricated him from the wreckage. They administered life saving measures to Firefighter/EMT Smith at the scene and during transport to a local hospital. Despite these efforts, Firefighter/EMT Smith passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Age: 60
Rank: Firefighter/EMT
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Apr. 5, 2025
Date of death: Apr. 5, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision – Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Driving/Riding Personal Vehicle
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Street/Road
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 currently is 21.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2025.
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 