United States Fire Administration
11 February 2026
The United States Fire Administration has announced the death of Firefighter/Safety Officer Dale Malone, 66, of the White Level Rural Fire Department on 10 February 2026.
Firefighter/Safety Officer Dale Malone responded with the White Level Rural Fire Department to a residential fire as a passenger in a fire department vehicle. Upon arrival at the scene but while still inside of the vehicle, Firefighter/Safety Officer Malone suffered a medical emergency. Firefighter/Safety Officer Malone was treated and transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Age: 66
Rank: Firefighter/Safety Officer
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Feb. 10, 2026 3:50 PM
Date of death: Feb. 10, 2026
Cause of fatal injury: Unknown
Nature of fatal injury: Unknown
Activity type: Riding Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential
The number of on-duty deaths for 2026 is currently 4 (6*).
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2026.
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.”
*Based on previous on-duty deaths listed by the USFA with similar activity types and cause and nature of death – and on the information available at the time of these deaths – two other firefighter fatalities should be listed but are not:
Tulsa Assistant Fire Marshal Dies During Shift
Detroit Firefighter Dies at Home After Shift
Photo courtesy of White Level Fire Department/Facebook
Data Not Drama 