Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Charles “Sparky” Sparks

Rank: Firefighter

Age: 49

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 32

Date of Incident: 06/30/2011

Time of Incident: 1505hrs

Date of Death: 07/08/2011

Fire Department: Adair County Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 200 Merchant ST, Columbia, KY 42728

Fire Department Chief: Michael C. Glasgow

Incident Description: Firefighter Sparks suffered an apparent heart attack while he was operating on the interior of a residential structure fire. Firefighter Sparks was treated on-scene by fellow firefighters until the Adair County EMS arrived and transported him to Westlake Regional Hospital.  He was then airlifted by Air Evac to Norton’s Audubon Hospital, where he had remained until his passing.

Incident Location: 3043 Liberty Road, Columbia, KY

Funeral Arrangements: Pending. Arrangements will be made available on the Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home website: http://www.stottsphelpsmcquearyfh.com/html/

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Charles “Sparky” Sparks at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 49 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 44 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and five 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.