Statement on Investigation into Shooting of Border Patrol Agents

The FBI and the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a joint investigation into the shooting of Border Patrol agents near Naco, Arizona, on Tuesday, October 2, 2012, in the early morning hours. One agent died from his injuries and another, who sustained non-life threatening wounds, was airlifted to a local hospital. The investigation remains ongoing.

Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: John Grabowski

Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 49

Gender: Male

Status: Part-time (Paid)

Years of Service: 24

Date of Incident: 10/01/2012

Time of Incident: 0803hrs

Date of Death: 10/01/2012

Fire Department: Riverview Fire Department

Address: 14100 Civic Park Drive, Riverview, MI  48193

Fire Department Chief: Chief Mitchell Jensen

Incident Description: On Sunday, September 30, during his shift, Lieutenant John Grabowski participated in fire department training.  His shift ended that day at 1800hrs.  The following morning, Lieutenant Grabowski traveled to his second job.  At approximately 0803hrs, Lieutenant Grabowski was found collapsed in the parking lot of his second employer.  The second employer's emergency response team tended to Lieutenant Grabowski and performed CPR.  Advanced Life Support also responded to the scene where they treated Lieutenant Grabowski and transported him to Henry Ford Wyandotte Michigan hospital.  Efforts to revive Lieutenant Grabowski at the hospital were not successful and he passed away within approximately one hour of being found in his employer's parking lot.  The official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Incident Location: Parking lot of BASF Chemical, Wyandotte, MI

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

 

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant John Grabowski at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 61 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

Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Justin Townsend

Rank: Junior Firefighter

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 1

Date of Incident: 09/27/2012

Time of Incident: 1712hrs

Date of Death: 09/27/2012

Fire Department: Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 31818 Waples ST, Dagsboro, DE 19939

Fire Department Chief: Shane Furbush

Incident Description: Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched for an outside fire in a wooded area on East Clogg Drive just outside town limits. While en route to Station 73 in a personal vehicle, Junior Firefighter Townsend was fatally injured in a motor vehicle crash on Pepper Road, in the area of Jay Patch Road. No further details of the accident are available at this time. The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently conducting an investigation into the fatal incident.

Funeral Arrangements: Pending. Updates will be posted at http://www.dagsborovfd.com.

Tribute is being paid to Junior Firefighter Justin Townsend at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 60 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

Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Chris Seelye

Rank: Firefighter

Age: Pending

Gender: Male

Status: Wildland Contract

Years of Service: Pending

Date of Incident: 09/17/2012

Time of Incident: Pending

Date of Death: 09/17/2012

Fire Department: USDA Forest Service

Address: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Headquarters, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801

Fire Department Chief: Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath

Incident Description: Firefighter Chris Seelye, under contract with the USDA Forest Service, suffered a medical emergency while battling the Wenatchee Complex Fire.  Firefighter Seelye was treated by incident medical personnel and rushed to a nearly hospital where he passed away later that evening.

Incident Location: Wenatchee Complex Fire north of Entiat, WA

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Chris Seelye at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 59 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

Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Neal W. Smith

Rank: Captain

Age: 46

Gender: Male

Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 5

Date of Incident: 09/15/2012

Time of Incident: unknown

Date of Death: 09/17/2012

Fire Department: Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 7642 Farmingham Road, Atascocita, TX  77346

Fire Department Chief: William Bivens

Incident Description: On Saturday, September 15, during a smoke diver class designed to train firefighters advanced survival skills in full gear, Captain Neal Smith passed out from a heat-related illness.  He was transported to a hospital during which CPR was administered.  Captain Smith remained in critical condition until Monday, September 17, when he succumbed to his injuries at approximately 6:30 p.m.  Doctors reportedly determined that Captain Smith's body temperature was more than 106 degrees.

Incident Location: Beaumont Emergency Services Training Complex

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Captain Neal Smith at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 58 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