United States Fire Administration
13 December 2025
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter/Fire Commissioner Michael Ryan, 61, of the Phoenicia Fire District on 13 December 2025.
Firefighter/Fire Commissioner Michael Ryan was part of a crew that responded to a rescue call for an injured hiker. As the crew was carrying the hiker out of a wooded area, Firefighter/Fire Commissioner Ryan suffered a cardiovascular event. Fellow first responders provided immediate lifesaving measures and transported Firefighter/Fire Commissioner Ryan to a local hospital where, despite all efforts, he was pronounced deceased. Firefighter/Fire Commissioner Ryan served the Phoenicia Fire District as both a firefighter and the District Fire Commissioner.
Age: 61
Rank: Firefighter/Fire Commissioner
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Dec. 13, 2025 5:26 PM
Date of death: Dec. 13, 2025
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event/Heart Attack
Activity type: Search and Rescue
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Non-Fire
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property
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 Representative Josh Riley/Facebook.
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