Firefighter Fatality

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Gerald "Jerry" R. Wetherell

Rank: Firefighter/EMT
Age: 74
Gender: Male
Status: Paid-on-Call
Years of Service: 35
Date of Incident: 02/28/2012
Time of Incident: Pending
Date of Death: 02/28/2012
Fire Department: Denton Township Fire Department
Address: PO Box 289, Prudenville, MI 48651
Fire Department Chief: Paul Tiepel

Incident Description: Firefighter/EMT Wetherell and another firefighter were responding, towing the fire department’s snowmobile, to a motor vehicle accident in which the operator of a snowmobile had hit a tree.  While responding, Firefighter/EMT Wetherell became unresponsive.  He was transported, via ambulance, to the hospital in West Branch, Michigan, where he succumbed to his injury.  The nature of this injury is yet to be reported.

Incident Location: Pending

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter/EMT Gerald "Jerry" R. Wetherell at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 14 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm