Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: John Earl Wilkinson Jr.

Rank: Fire Chief

Age: 44

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 27

Date of Incident: 04/12/2012

Time of Incident: 1930hrs

Date of Death: 04/13/2012

Fire Department: Lake Dreamland Fire Department

Address: 4603 Cane Run RD, Louisville, KY 40216

Fire Department Chief: Pending

Incident Description: Fire Chief Wilkinson responded to and worked an outdoor fire call. After returning home and in the early morning hours, Wilkinson experienced a medical emergency initially reported to have been a heart attack. Emergency responders were summoned to the residence but despite all efforts, Chief Wilkinson succumbed to his injury.

Incident Location: Pending

Funeral Arrangements: Visitation, 04/16/2012 from 1200-2000hrs, and 04/17/2012 from 1100-1300hrs, with services to follow at Ornsby Heights Baptist Church, 2120 Lower Hunters Trace, Louisville, KY.

Tribute is being paid to Fire Chief John Earl Wilkinson Jr. at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 28 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