Captain Suffers a Heart Attack at a Motor Vehicle Fire and Subsequently Dies – Nebraska

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baldwin, Tommy N.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP)
• Description:
  Death in the Line of Duty…a Report from the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program
  
  On April 16, 2015, a 42-year-old male volunteer captain (the "Captain") participated in auto extrication training. He set up the extrication tools and performed a door frame cut. The fire department was then dispatched to a motor vehicle fire. The Captain drove the tanker to the fire scene. He performed fire suppression duties. He then drove a tanker to a nearby town to refill the tanker's water supply. He arrived back at the scene and assisted with overhaul. Then the Captain assisted getting a vehicle off the tow-along trailer. After the fire was declared under control, he remained at the scene to wash debris from the roadway. As the Captain prepared to leave the scene, he remarked to the assistant chief that he did not feel well. The Captain exited the tanker and sat on the rear bumper. He related that he was having chest pressure. The Captain then entered the on-scene ambulance. Ambulance emergency medical technicians checked the Captain's vital signs. Feeling nauseated, the Captain stepped outside the ambulance and collapsed. He was placed back inside the ambulance. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support began. Air Care was requested and advanced life support was provided. The Captain was transported via ground ambulance to the hospital's emergency department (ED). Despite CPR and advanced life support, the Captain was pronounced dead. The death certificate and the autopsy report were completed by the Medical Examiner. The cause of death was listed as "acute myocardial infarction" due to "right coronary artery thrombosis" due to "atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease". Key Recommendations: 1. Provide preplacement and annual medical evaluations to all fire fighters consistent with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments, to identify fire fighters at increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). 2. Ensure that fire fighters are cleared for return to duty by a physician knowledgeable about the physical demands of fire fighting, the personal protective equipment used by fire fighters, and the components of NFPA 1582.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Emergency Responders Firefighters Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Mortality Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Cardiac Arrest Cardiac Function Cardiovascular Disease Cardiovascular System Disease Emergency-responders Fatalities Fire-fighters Health Standards Heart Attacks Heart Disease Heart Rate Medical Examinations Medical Fitness Evaluation Medical Monitoring Medical Screening Mortality Data Mortality Studies Myocardial Disorders Occupational Medicine Programs OSHA Region 7 Physical Examination Preemployment Examinations Recommendations Risk Factors Worker Health

  More +
• FACE - Firefighter:
  Cause of Death: Medical ; Cardiovascular: Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction, Coronary Artery Disease and Coronary Vascular Disease)
• Series:
  Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP)
• Subseries:
  Death in the Line of Duty Report
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHFFFACEF201614
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study ; Report
• Place as Subject:
  Nebraska ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20051531
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2018-101268
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE F2016-14, 2017 Feb ; :1-9
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  92 - Public Administration - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  2015/04/16
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1dfa4b41fc9592273225534ee77f6bab9f483e5ec41d2468fa955f51d32aa684b081f8058689e1632591e4d064bc5c7b65f37abf9cdcd8f932d94f21f41bf734
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/163370/cdc_163370_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 279.40 KB ]