Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Caleb N. Hamm

Rank: Firefighter

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Status: Wildland Part-Time

Years of Service: 5

Date of Incident: 07/07/2011

Time of Incident: 1500hrs

Date of Death: 07/07/2011

Fire Department: Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management - Bonneville Hot Shots

Address: 2370 S 2300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Fire Department Chief: Chris Kirby

Incident Description: Firefighter Hamm fell ill while he was working on a fire line near Abilene, Texas. Hamm, a member of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Bonneville Interagency Hotshot crew, was being transported by helicopter to the hospital when he passed away from a cause still to be determined. Initial reports indicated that the extreme heat in Texas at the time may have been a factor in Hamm’s death.

Incident Location: Near Abilene, TX

Funeral Arrangements: 07/14/2011 @ 1100hrs, Double Tree Riverside Hotel, 2900 West Chinden Boulevard, Boise, ID

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Caleb N. Hamm at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 50 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 45 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.