By Bill Carey
21 September 2025
The United States Fire Administration sometimes updates its records of on-duty firefighter deaths from previous years. These revisions change the total numbers reported here. There is usually no major announcement about these updates.
Below are the updates. The accompanying graph of yearly totals reflects both the original numbers and the revised figures, with the initial total in parentheses and the updated yearly total shown in the bar. Each previous year is being checked and updated, working backward.
For 2023, the updates did not include any traumatic fireground deaths, which the site identifies as “interior” deaths.
Added:
Charles “Chad” Cate
On Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at approximately 2:25 a.m., Captain Charles “Chad” Cate returned to the fire station after responding to a fire alarm activation at a commercial building. Later, at approximately 4 a.m., after heading back out to the site of an earlier house fire, he texted a fellow captain and the duty chief to state that all was well at the scene. At 7 a.m. that same morning, he was discovered deceased in his bunk by members of his crew when they attempted to wake him. The cause of his death was an apparent heart attack.
USFA updated on 9 October 2024.
Martin Smith
On January 15, 2023, at 3:32 p.m. Division Chief Smith and the members of his fire department were dispatched to a non-injury vehicle crash. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a vehicle approximately 10 feet down in the ditch. The occupant was unable to extricate himself. At that time, Division Chief Smith instructed firefighters to deploy a portable ground ladder into the ditch to reach the car. Division Chief Smith and another fire officer descended the ladder and with difficulty, pulled the driver out of the driver’s side window opening. They then assisted the driver up the ladder to the road to be assessed by EMS. On the way back to the station, Division Chief Smith commented to other firefighters that his arm and back were hurting. He mentioned that perhaps he may have strained a muscle in his left arm. Firefighters returned to the station and Division Chief Smith complained about his arm and back to other firefighters. The following day, January 16, 2023, at 9:18 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to Division Chief Smith’s residence for a code blue. Division Chief Smith was pronounced dead by EMS. The coroner estimated the time of death to be between the hours of 10-10:30 p.m. of a sudden cardiac event, approximately 7 hours after Division Chiefs Smith’s last call.
USFA updated on 3 September 2024.
Nahit Oral
Firefighter/EMT Oral attended a Physical Ability Test (PAT) in an attempt to secure a position with the department’s tactical medic team. Firefighter/EMT Oral passed the PAT and then left the department’s training facility to head home. Several minutes after leaving, Firefighter/EMT Oral felt ill and pulled over with haste into a grocery store parking lot, where he then went into cardiac arrest due to a heart attack.
USFA updated 3 September 2024.
Jeremy Lundgren
While on duty March 19, 2023, Firefighter Lundgren responded to a call for service for a structure fire at 7:59 p.m. Upon arrival, crews discovered an outside fire and began suppression efforts. Firefighter Lundgren assisted with these efforts suppressing the fire and overhauling the area. All units cleared the call at 9:25 pm. Firefighter Lundgren reported to his Assistant Chief on March 20, 2023, at approximately 10:00 a.m. that he was having difficulty breathing and had blood in his sputum. The Assistant Chief advised Firefighter Lundgren to get a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible and he was able to get an appointment on March 22, 2023. Firefighter Lundgren utilized sick leave through March 24, 2023. He returned to work on March 27, 2023, with additional medical appointments scheduled for follow-up. On March 31, 2023, at approximately 6:32 p.m., Firefighter Lundgren was at home and began feeling dizzy and sweating profusely in addition to an abnormal sensation on one side of his body. He called for an ambulance and was transported to a local hospital at 6:40 p.m. His condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead at 8:51 p.m. as the result of a heart attack.
USFA updated 3 September 2024.
Stephen Whitson
Firefighter Whitson participated in Mayday training while on-duty between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on April 4, 2023. His regular shift ended at 8:00 a.m. the next day, April 5, 2023. At approximately noon on April 5, 2023, Firefighter Whitson complained to his wife that he was not feeling well. Later in the afternoon, he complained to others about a pulled muscle in his chest, and he took pain medication. Firefighter Whitson went to bed at approximately 11:30 p.m. The following morning, Firefighter Whitson failed to report for duty. Firefighters called his home and spoke with his spouse. Firefighter Whitson was found deceased by his spouse. His death was caused by a heart attack.
USFA updated 3 September 2024.
Bobby Mosby
On May 25, 2023, at 9:22 p.m., the Nelson Creek Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a reported field fire on Highway 1379 In Muhlenlberg County. Captain Mosby responded to the fire station to pick up the tanker. Just as he was about to leave the fire station, a firefighter at the scene reported that the fire was now under control. Thie fire was completely extinguished, and personnel returned to the station. Captain Mosby left the fire station and went home. The next morning at approximately 4:00 a.m., Captain Mosby stated to his wife that he had severe heartburn and had taken several antacids throughout the night without relief. This day (Friday May 26th was Captain Mosby’s day off from work and he was scheduled to do some odd jobs for his wife’s employer. He arrived at that location at approximately 8:30 a.m. and began working. He left there at 1:15 p.m., ran some errands, and arrived home at around 3:30 p.m. Once arriving at home, Captain Mosby went to his neighbor’s house, complaining of severe chest pain. Shortly thereafter, he collapsed into cardiac arrest. An ambulance was summoned, and he was transported to a local hospital where Ile was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m. due to a heart attack.
USFA updated 9 October 2024.
Stewart Hunt
On Thursday, June 15, 2023, while performing traffic control duties at the scene of a motor vehicle accident, Firefighter Stewart Guy Hunt suffered a medical emergency. Personnel immediately began life saving efforts and was then transported to the hospital, where he passed away a short time later. The cause of his death has yet to be determined.
USAF updated 9 October 2024.
Leonard Llewellyn
On August 22, 2023, Lieutenant Llewellyn was responding to the fire station for an EMS incident. He was responding on a tricycle and was struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk. Lieutenant Llewellyn suffered traumatic injuries and was transported to a local hospital. He did not recover from his injuries and died on August 24, 2023.
USFA updates 3 September 2024.
John Kalynych
Firefighter Kalynych responded to an automatic alarm during the evening of August 26, 2023. He experienced cardiac arrest during the early morning of August 27, 2023, and was transported to the hospital where he died due to a heart attack.
USFA updates 3 September 2024.
Mia Ethridge
On Sunday, July 9, 2023, Firefighter Mia Regina Ethridge and another firefighter were responding to a residential structure fire when the fire apparatus ran off the road in the rain and hit a tree. She was ejected from the vehicle. Firefighter Ethridge was receiving treatment at the University of Virginia Medical Center when she succumbed to the injuries she sustained in the accident on Friday, September 1, 2023. Firefighter Ethridge was wearing her seatbelt. Firefighter Ethridge was also a firefighter with the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department.
USFA updated 10 October 2024.
Joshua Kogel
On Monday, Sept, 4, 2023, Chief Josh Kogel responded to a structure fire at the Hurd Alignment and Services building. While outside the burning building at the fire apparatus, he experienced a medical emergency and collapsed. He was immediately taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The cause of his death has yet to be determined.
USFA updated 10 October 2024.
Earl Dyer, Jr.
On Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, Battalion Chief Earl Dyer suffered a medical emergency while working his shift. Battalion Chief Dyer was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a brief time later, from a heart attack.
USFA updated 10 October.
John Norris, Jr.
On Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, Chief John Norris responded to a structure fire at an abandoned house that was scheduled for demolition within the next few weeks. Shortly after returning home, he suffered a heart attack. 9-1-1 was immediately called and he was transported to the HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake Hospital where he died a short time later. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
USFA updated 10 October 2024.
Data Not Drama 