Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Jon Tibbetts

Rank: Fire Chief

Age: 59

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 35

Date of Incident: 07/23/2012

Time of Incident: 0823hrs

Date of Death: 07/23/2012

Fire Department: Sandoval County Fire Department

Address: PO Box 40, 1500 Idalia RD, Building D, Bernalillo, NM 87004

Fire Department Chief: Interim Fire Chief James Maxon

Incident Description: Fire Chief Tibbetts was enroute to administer a physical abilities test to a newly hired county employee at a location other than his normal duty station. While traveling on Interstate 25, Tibbetts was struck by another driver causing the fire department vehicle he was operating to roll twice, cross over a retaining wall, and come to a final resting position on the vehicle’s roof. Chief Tibbets died at the scene of the crash from the injuries he sustained.

Incident Location: Interstate 25 just south of Bernalillo (MM 239)

Funeral Arrangements: 07/27/2012

Tribute is being paid to Fire Chief  Jon Tibbetts at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 50 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