United States Fire Administration
9 December 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter Michael Heithaus, 42, of the Evansville Volunteer Fire Department on 30 March 2025.
Firefighter Michael Heithaus responded to an emergency medical call in the afternoon of March 29, 2025. The following morning, Firefighter Heithaus suffered a fatal cardiovascular event.
Age: 42
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Mar. 29, 2025 4:46 AM
Date of death: Mar. 30, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event/Heart Attack
Activity type: EMS/Patient Care
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Non-Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2025 is currently 74.
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 Evansville Volunteer Fire Department/Facebook.
Data Not Drama 