United States Fire Administration
27 August 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Assistant Chief Edward “Chip” Chidester, 55, of the Harford Volunteer Fire Company on 27 April 2025.
Assistant Chief Edward “Chip” Chidester passed away on April 27, 2025, due to complications of surgeries for an injury he sustained fighting a brush fire on March 11, 2025.
Age: 55
Rank: Assistant Chief
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Mar. 11, 2025 2:30 PM
Date of death: Apr. 27, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Fall
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
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 is currently 54.
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 Bartron-Myer Funeral Home.
Data Not Drama 