Firefighter Fatality

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Robin Erlic West

Rank: Assistant Chief

Age: 55

Gender: Male

Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 35

Date of Incident: 06/18/2011

Time of Incident: Pending

Date of Death: 06/19/2011

Fire Department: Startex Fire Department

Address: PO Box 470, 170 Spartanburg RD, Wellford, SC 29385

Fire Department Chief: Jesse E. West III

Incident Description: On Saturday, June 18, Assistant Chief West responded to an electrical fire in a private residence in addition to multiple alarms associated with a severe storm system that passed through the area in the afternoon.  Upon his return home, West was not feeling well and EMS units were summoned to his house to transport him to the hospital where he was evaluated and released early the following day. Approximately three hours after returning home, Assistant Chief West was discovered by family members having passed away from a cause still to be determined.

Incident Location: 5 Chestnut Street

Funeral Arrangements: The family will receive friends Wednesday, June 22, 2011, from 7:00-9:00 PM at Seawright Funeral Home. A celebration of his life service will be held at Lyman United Methodist Church at 4:00 PM on Thursday, June 23rd, with Rev. Brian Gilmer and Rev. Ron Towery officiating. Burial will be in the Perkins Cemetery.

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Lyman United Methodist Church Building Fund, 106 Groce Rd., Lyman, SC 29365.

Tribute is being paid to Assistant Chief Robin Erlic West at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 45 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 41 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and four from previous years’ incidents.  Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm.