United States Fire Administration
15 October 2026
EMMITSBURG, Md. — The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the on-duty death of Firefighter Rick Joseph Fuentes, 26, of the Buckholts Volunteer Fire Department on 11 October 2026.
Firefighter Rick Joseph Fuentes was responding to a vehicle and grass fire as the driver of a fire department apparatus when it left the road and rolled over. Firefighter Fuentes suffered fatal injuries in the accident and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.
Age: 26
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: Oct. 11, 2026 2:39 AM
Date of death: Oct. 11, 2026
Cause of fatal injury: Vehicle Collision – Includes Aircraft
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Street/Road
The number of on-duty deaths for 2026 is currently 70.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home.
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