United States Fire Administration
3 July 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department on 29 June 2025.
Battalion Chief John Morrison responded with other firefighters from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department to a grass fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Sometime after arriving on scene, firefighters communicated that they were taking gunfire and believed that they had been ambushed. Battalion Chief Morrison was fatally wounded during this time along with Battalion Chief Frank Harwood from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.
Officers from various law enforcement agencies promptly responded to the scene and exchanged gunfire with the lone gunman who was later found deceased. A fire engineer from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department was also critically injured during the incident and is recovering. Investigation into the incident continues.
Age: 52
Rank: Battalion Chief
Classification: Career
Incident date: June 29, 2025 1:21 PM
Date of death: June 29, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Struck By
Nature of fatal injury: Violence
Activity type: Other
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 41.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Facebook.
Data Not Drama 