Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Richard A. Nappi

Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 47

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 17

Date of Incident: 04/16/2012

Time of Incident: 1300hrs

Date of Death: 04/16/2012

Fire Department: Fire Department City of New York

Address: 9 Metro Tech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Fire Department Chief: Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta

Incident Description: Lieutenant Nappi suffered an apparent heart attack while battling a three-alarm fire in Bushwick, Brooklyn. According to FDNY, Lt. Nappi led a team of firefighters who stretched and operated a hoseline in a mezzanine area of the first floor. While battling the fire, Lt. Nappi became overheated and collapsed. Firefighters from Ladder 112 removed him on a stretcher to the street where he initially was conscious and alert. He was placed in an ambulance and EMS personnel began to treat him when he suddenly became unconscious and suffered cardiac arrest. While paramedics and EMTs continued to work on him, he was rushed by ambulance to Woodhull Hospital where he later died.

Though the cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities, media reports say that a large pile of cardboard boxes reportedly caught fire on the second floor of the two-story warehouse.

Incident Location: 930 Flushing Avenue in Bushwick.

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Richard A. Nappi at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

 

To date, 31 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