United States Fire Administration
5 November 2026
EMMITSBURG, Md. — The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the on-duty death of 2nd Lieutenant Jimmy Lee Bowers, 43, of the Seneca Rocks Volunteer Fire Department on 22 August 2026.
Shortly before midnight on May 22, 2026, 2nd Lieutenant Jimmy Lee Bowers was responding in a fire department engine to an emergency call for a vehicle submerged in water. During the response, 2nd Lieutenant Bowers complained of chest pain and not feeling well to the other first responder in the engine. Once on scene, 2nd Lieutenant Bowers got inside an ambulance and was transported to a hospital where it was determined he was experiencing a cardiovascular event. He was subsequently transported to another hospital for treatment.
After several weeks in the hospital, 2nd Lieutenant Bowers was discharged. Due to extreme weakness and additional treatment, he remained at home and did not work. Several weeks later, continued complications put 2nd Lieutenant back in the hospital where he also suffered a stroke and passed away on August 22, 2026.
Age: 43
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: May 22, 2026 11:59 PM
Date of death: Aug. 22, 2026
Cause of fatal injury: Stress/Overexertion
Nature of fatal injury: Cardiovascular Event/Heart Attack
Activity type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: Responding
Fixed property use: Outdoor Property
The number of on-duty deaths for 2026 is currently 75.
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 Facebook.
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