United States Fire Administration
10 September 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter/Equipment Operator J. Hank Hester, 70, under contract with Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3 on 8 September 2025.
On the afternoon of September 8, 2025, Firefighter/Equipment Operator J. Hank Hester collapsed while performing suppression repair at the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon North Rim in Arizona. Line paramedics performed CPR at the scene, but Firefighter/Equipment Operator Hester could not be resuscitated. The suspected cause of death is a cardiovascular emergency.
Age: 70
Rank: Firefighter/Equipment Operator
Classification: Wildland Contract
Incident date: Sep. 8, 2025 1:30 PM
Date of death: Sep. 8, 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 is currently 60.
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 Janet Hester/KREM.
Data Not Drama 