Firefighter Fatality

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Charles Foster

Rank: Firefighter

Age: 59

Gender: Male

Status: Volunteer

Years of Service: 11

Date of Incident: 04/25/2011

Time of Incident: 2330hrs

Date of Death: 04/29/2011

Fire Department: Barton Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 5135 Hwy 302, Olive Branch, MS 38654

Fire Department Chief: Jerry Culver

Incident Description: Firefighter Foster passed away in the hospital from a heart attack he had suffered several days earlier while working debris removal related to severe weather incidents in the region.

Incident Location: Hwy 309, south of Deer Creek RD

Funeral Arrangements: Viewing, 1700hrs, 05/03/2011 at Brantley Funeral Home, 6875 Cockrum St, Olive Branch, MS. Funeral services 1400hrs, 05/04/2011, Brookside Baptist Church, 4993 Mississippi HWY 302, Olive Branch, MS 38654.

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In honor of Firefighter Charles Foster, c/o Barton Volunteer Fire Department, 5135 Hwy 302, Olive Branch, MS 38654.

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Charles Foster at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/.

To date, 33 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 30 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and three from previous years’ incidents.  Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm.