United States Fire Administration
12 March 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Assistant Chief Donald Kammerich, 64, the Pilot Grove Fire Protection District on 10 March 2025.
At 2:00 p.m. on March 10, 2025, Assistant Chief Donald Kammerich responded to a grass fire where he strenuously fought the fire for approximately 2 hours. After the emergency response, Assistant Chief Kammerich returned home. Only a few hours later at 9:00 p.m., the Pilot Grove Fire Protection District received an emergency call to Assistant Chief Kammerich’s home address. Upon their arrival, firefighters found Assistant Chief Kammerich in distress and began CPR. Despite the lifesaving efforts, Assistant Chief Kammerich was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Age: 64
Rank: Assistant Chief
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Mar. 10, 2025 2:00 PM
Date of death: Mar. 10, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event/Heart Attack
Activity type: Advance Hose Lines/Fire Attack (includes Wildland)
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 currently is 18.
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 