United States Fire Administration
24 November 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Captain Michael Booke, 57, of the Northampton Fire Department on 12 Nov. 2025.
On October 25, 2025, Captain Michael Booke was attending a water rescue course when he suffered a cardiovascular event after completing a 200-yard swim. Fellow first responders administered life saving measures to Captain Booke and then transported him to a local hospital. Captain Booke remained under care at the hospital where he passed away on November 12, 2025.
Age: 57
Rank: Captain
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Oct. 25, 2025 9:35 AM
Date of death: Nov. 12, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event/Heart Attack
Activity type: Fitness Activity
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Training
Fixed property use: N/A
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 70.
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 Northampton Fire Department/Facebook.
Data Not Drama 