Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue salutes those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

February 18, 2020

Porterville (CA) City Fire Department Captain Ramon Figueroa, 35

& Porterville City FD Firefighter Patrick Jones, 25

Firefighters Figueroa and Jones died while at the scene of a structure fire at City of Porterville Library. The fire had been intentionally set by two 13-year-old males. 

January 19, 2020

Town of Orange Fire Marshal Timothy Smith, 56

FM Smith succumbed to injuries sustained in a car accident while returning to his home after responding to a structure fire in Orange. His death is being memorialized as a line of duty death.

November 22, 2019

Westport Firefighter Turk Askoy, 46

WFD FF Askoy succumbed to an occupational cancer on November 22. A 13-year veteran of Westport Fire Department, Local 1081, his death will be memorialized by the union as a line of duty death.

November 13, 2019

Worcester (MA) Fire Lieutenant Jason Menard, 39

WFD Lt Menard died while leading his crew inside a three-family residence, while searching for a baby and other residents of a burning building during a 4-alarm call. Lt Menard was reportedly able to guide his men to safety, but was unable to escape the flames himself.

September 16, 2019

 Farmington (ME) Fire Rescue Department Captain Michael Bell, 68

FFRD Captain Bell was killed when a propane explosion leveled a recently constructed commercial building after firefighters arrived to investigate the smell of gas.

Six other FFRD firefighters were injured, including Capt Bell's brother, FFRD Chief Terry Bell, 62; Captain Tom Hardy, 40; Captain Scott Baxter, 37; Firefighter Theodore Baxter, 64 (Captain Baxter's father); and Firefighter Joseph Hastings, 24.

June 25, 2018

 Long Beach (CA) Fire Department Captain Dave Rosa, 45

LBFD Captain Rosa was killed after being shot by a resident of a high-rise senior housing complex the fire department was responding to following reports of an explosion and fire at that location. 

A second LBFD Firefighter, Ernesto Torres, 35, was also reportedly shot during the early morning incident, as was a resident of the facility. Both are expected to recover from their injuries.

March 22, 2018

City of New York Fire Department Engine Company 69 Firefighter Michael R. Davidson, 37

FDNY Firefighter Michael R. Davidson was killed and two other firefighters were seriously injured in a Harlem five-alarm fire that broke out in a former jazz club that was being used as a film set. FF Davidson was operating the fire hose nozzle in the basement of the building when fire conditions intensified and Davidson became separated from the other firefighters.

FF Davidson was removed from the structure and taken to Harlem Hospital, where he was declared deceased.

March 22, 2018

York City Department of Fire/Rescue Services Firefighter Zachary Anthony, 29

York City Department of Fire/Rescue Services Firefighter Ivan Flanscha, 50

Firefighters Zachary Anthony and Ivan Flanscha, members of York City Department of Fire/Rescue Services in York, Penn., were killed from a collapse at the scene of a multi-alarm fire that began the previous day. FFs Anthony and Flanscha were transported from the scene to a hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.

Both firefighters were on an advance hose line when the collapse occurred.

Two additional firefighters were also injured in the collapse, and were reportedly in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries as of March 24, according to FEMA.

January 6, 2018

Philadelphia Fire Department Engine 45/Platoon A Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau, 42

Lt Tourneau was trapped following an interior structural collapse while fighting a fire within a rowhouse. Lt Tourneau was pronounced dead after being rescued and then transported to Temple University Hospital. A person living in the building was also killed in the fire. Two other firefighters were injured and transported to the hospital, and released shortly thereafter.

February 7, 2015

Paugassett Hook & Ladder Co. 4 Former Chief and Longtime Member James J. Butler, 50

Chief Butler died after responding to a fire alarm at a local restaurant. 

Among his survivors is Janice Butler, a member of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Ladies Auxiliary.

 October 12, 2015

Kansas City Fire Department Firefighter Leggio, 43, and Firefighter John Mesh, 30

Both were killed while at a working apartment fire. Both men were credited with saving the lives of two civilians, who had been rescued from the burning building, before the firefighters were trapped, along with two other firefighters, under a collapsed wall. 

October 7, 2014

City of Hartford Firefighter Kevin Bell, 48

Firefighter Bell, 48, died while battling a two-alarm blaze on Blue Hills Avenue. A Hartford native, he had been a firefighter for more than six years.

May 25, 2014

City of New Britain Deputy Fire Chief David Fiori

Deputy Chief Fiori, 59, died after suffering a heart attack while on duty.

April 21, 2014

Damon (TX) Volunteer Fire Department: Fire Chief Hugh Ferguson

Chief Ferguson, 52, collapsed while working to establish a water supply while at the scene of a vacant residential structure fire. He died of a heart attack.

March 26, 2014

Boston Fire: Lt Edward J. Walsh, Jr, age 43; and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, age 33

Both were killed while battling a nine-alarm fire on Beacon Street, in Boston's Back Bay district.

June 30, 2013

Granite Mountain Hotshots: Andrew Ashcraft, 29; Robert Caldwell, 23; Travis Carter, 31; Dustin Deford, 24; Christopher MacKenzie, 30; Eric Marsh, 43; Grant McKee, 21; Sean Misner, 26; Scott Norris, 28; Wade Parker, 22; John Percin, 24; Anthony Rose, 23; Jesse Steed, 36; Joe Thurston, 32; Travis Turbyfill, 27; William Warneke, 25; Clayton Whitted, 28; Kevin Woyjeck, 21; and Garret Zuppiger, 27.

All 19 men were killed in Yarnell, Arizona, while battling wildfires.

 April 17, 2013

From West Fire Department: Captain Robert Snokhous, 48; Firefighter Jimmy Matus, 52; Firefighter Morris Bridges, 41; Firefighter Cody Frank Dragoo, 50; Firefighter Joey Pustejovsky, 29; and Firefighter Douglas Snokhous, 50.

From Abbott Volunteer Fire Department: Firefighter Jerry Dane Chapman, 26; and Firefighter Cyrus Adam Reed, 29.

From Navarro Mills Volunteer Fire Department: Firefighter Perry Calvin, 37.

From Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department: Firefighter Kevin Sanders, 33.

And from Dallas Fire-Rescue: Captain Kenneth Harris, 52.

All 11 firefighters were killed during explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas.

April 6, 2013

Binghamton (NY) Fire Department: Firefighter-Paramedic John Janos, 57

Died of a heart attack shortly after returning to the station following a call.

April 6, 2013

Philadelphia Ladder 27: Captain Michael Goodwin, 53

Killed during a structure fire, when the roof of a three-story building in Philadelphia's Fabric Row collapsed beneath him.

December 24, 2012

West Webster (NY) Fire District: Past Chief Michael Chiapperini, 43; and Firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka, 19

Both men were shot to death while responding to a structure fire. They were ambushed by the man who reportedly set the house on fire. 

October 29, 2012

Easton Volunteer Fire Company: Lieutenant Russell F. Neary, 55

Neary, who was also president of Easton Volunteer Fire Company, was struck by a tree while clearing debris from a roadway following a snow storm.

April 15, 2012

Redding Ridge Fire Department: First Lieutenant George Marshall Sanford, 67

1st Lt Sanford, who was also a former chief of the department, died while responding to a fire.

July 24, 2010

Bridgeport Fire Department: Lieutenant Steven Velasquez, 40; and Firefighter Michael Baik, 49

Both died while fighting a multi-alarm wood frame house fire. 

September 11, 2001