Recent Firefighter Fatalities
To date, 44 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2010 as a result of incidents that occurred so far in 2010. Please note, running totals of firefighter fatalities used on these initial notices do not necessarily reflect the number of firefighter fatalities used in totals for the (provisional) monthly year-to-date USFA firefighter fatality reports, or year-end (provisional) reports that are posted on the USFA website.
USFA has released the 2009 Firefighter Fatality Statistics. Click here to view the report.
Firefighter fatalities in USFA reports are summarized by date/year-of-incident.
Initial notices of Firefighter On-Duty Deaths are posted online at the USFA website and may be viewed by clicking here.
and distributed via USFA listserve do not represent the final "on-duty" firefighter fatality determination by USFA for such reports, nor Line-of-Duty-Death (LODD) determination made by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation http://www.FireHero.org for names added each subsequent year to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, they are the beginning of a research process for each firefighter fatality reported so that such determinations can be made.
Name: Richard L. Springman
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 6
Date of Incident: 07/14/2010
Time of Incident: 1545hrs
Date of Death: 07/14/2010
Fire Department: Trout Run Volunteer Fire Company
Address: 241 State RTE 14, Trout Run, PA 17771
Fire Department Chief: Robert Whitford
Incident Description: Firefighter Springman was responding in his personal vehicle to a fatal two-vehicle collision on Route 15 when his truck reportedly struck a guardrail and crashed. Firefighter Springman was ejected from his vehicle and passed away from injuries sustained in the accident.
Incident Location: US Hwy 15 @ Powys Curve in Lewis Township, PA.
Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending
Name: Charles Hornberger
Rank: Engineer
Age: 60
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 30
Date of Incident: 06/30/10
Time of Incident: 1140hrs
Date of Death: 07/12/10
Fire Department: Milmont Park Fire Company Station #49
Address: 714 Belmont Avenue, Milmont Park, PA 19033
Fire Department Chief: Terry Burke, Sr.
Fire Department POC: Deputy Chief Jay Volpone
Incident Description: On Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at approximately 1140hrs, Engineer Hornberger responded to the fire station for an alarm of a commercial building fire. He arrived at the station but missed the truck. He stayed at the station until his company returned and then went home. While leaving his house a short while later, he collapsed. He was immediately given CPR and rushed to the Taylor Hospital. He remained in the hospital where he passed away from irreversible damage to the heart.
Funeral Arrangements: Visitation will be Sunday, July 18, 2010, 1700hrs-2000hrs and Monday, July 19, 2010, from 0830hrs-0945hrs at the Milmont Park Fire Company. At 1000hrs, there will be a procession from the fire house to St. Peter and Paul Cemetery where Engineer Hornberger will be laid to rest with full honors. Engineer Hornberger was the Past Deputy Chief of the Milmont Park Fire Company and had spent many years as a member of numerous other departments.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending
Name: Douglas L. Smith
Rank: Firefighter - Chief Driver
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 29
Date of Incident: 07/09/2010
Time of Incident: 1030hrs
Date of Death: 07/09/2010
Fire Department: Liberty Hose Company No. 1
Address: 225 West Broad Street, Williamstown, PA 17098
Fire Department Chief: Scott Slough
Incident Description: Firefighter Smith passed away due to an apparent heart attack as he entered the fire station while responding to a fire call in nearby Porter Township.
Incident Location: Porter Township, PA
Funeral Arrangements: Memorial services will be held at 1100hrs on 07/15/2010, Immanuel Lutheran Church, East and Vine streets, Williamstown, with the Rev. Kathleen Kuehl officiating. Visitation will be from 0900hrs until time of the service at the church. Interment with military honors will be at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Liberty Hose Company No. 1, West Broad Street, Williamstown, PA 17098, or Williamstown EMS, PO Box 74, Williamstown, PA 17098.
Name: Charles Robert "Bob" Flintom
Rank: Engineer
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 30+
Date of Incident: 07/01/2010
Time of Incident: 1000hrs
Date of Death: 07/04/20010
Fire Department: Pelham-Batesville Fire Department
Address: 2761 S Highway 14, Greer, SC 29650-4926
Fire Department Chief: Phill Jolley
Incident Description: Firefighter Flintom was in the fire station kitchen preparing lunch when he blacked-out, fell, and struck his head. Flintom went to the hospital and discovered his fall had caused some internal bleeding. The following day, Firefighter Flintom's condition worsened and he became unconscious, passing away from his injury on July 4th.
Incident Location: 2761 S Highway 14, Greer, SC 29650-4926
Funeral Arrangements: 07/10/2010 @ 1400hrs, Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel in Spartanburg.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 500 Taylor Street, Suite 101, Columbia, SC 29201.
Name: Thomas Araguz III
Rank: Captain
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 11
Date of Incident: 07/03/2010
Time of Incident: 2130hrs
Date of Death: 07/03/2010
Fire Department: Wharton Fire Department
Address: 319 N Fulton ST, Wharton, TX 77488-3903
Fire Department Chief: Bobby Barnett
Incident Description: Captain Araguz was killed when he became caught and trapped by rapidly progressing fire conditions inside of a 25,000 square feet 250-foot-long processing building at a poultry farm. A contributing factor fueling the fire was large fans used to keep the animals cool. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by state and local authorities.
Incident Location: 580 Maxim DR, Boling, TX 77420-0020
Funeral Arrangements: Visitation, 07/10/2010 from 1300-180hrs at the Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E. Boling HWY, Wharton, TX. The funeral will take place 07/11/2010 at 1400hrs, Wharton Civic Center, 1924 N. Fulton, Wharton, TX. Public parking will be at the Wharton High School, 800 E. Ahldag. Buses will transport those attending beginning at 1230hrs and immediately after the funeral. Graveside services will follow at the Evergreen Memorial Park, 3511 E. Alabama RD (CR 166), Wharton, TX.
For those who would like to pay tribute to Captain Thomas Araguz III, the funeral procession will follow from Wharton Civic Center, south on Fulton ST, west on Boling HWY, south on North Richmond RD, east on Alabama ST, passing the Wharton Fire Station, then north on Alabama RD, ending at Evergreen Memorial Park.
Public needing more information may call (979) 532-4811 x400.
Fire Department personnel needing more information, call (281) 802-4561.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: An account has been established for Captain Thomas Araguz III at The First State Bank of Louise, 505 E. Boling HWY, Wharton, TX ((979) 532-0404). Please make checks payable to The Thomas Araguz III Memorial Fund.
Name: Frank William Fouts, V
Rank: Lieutenant
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 17
Date of Incident: 7/01/2010
Time of Incident: 1100hrs
Date of Death: 7/01/2010
Fire Department: City of Kankakee Fire Department
Address: 385 E OAK ST, Kankakee, IL 60901-3924
Fire Department Chief: Ron Young
Incident Description: Lieutenant Fouts passed away from cardiac arrhythmia after completing two fire and two EMS calls on his last shift.
Incident Location: 1345 E. Cap Circle, Bourbonnais, IL
Funeral Arrangements: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 211 N. Center Avenue, Bradley, Illinois 60915, (815) 939-3573.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Frank William Fouts, V Memorial Fund for his children. Other expressions of sympathy or condolences can be sent to Local 653 at 1136 Flossie Circle, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-4564 or emailed to jtjkb@comcast.net.
