Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Joey King

Rank: Firefighter
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 7
Date of Incident: 12/04/2011
Time of Incident: 0055hrs
Date of Death: 12/04/2011

Fire Department: Davis Creek-Ruthdale Volunteer Fire Department

Address: 1970 Oakhurst DR, South Charleston, WV, 25309
Fire Department Chief: Jeff Snodgrass

Incident Description: Firefighter King fell from a bridge and passed away from injuries sustained while at the scene of a reported fire involving railroad ties. Firefighters were trying to use the bridge running over the railroad line as a lookout point to spot the fire, but visibility conditions, due to a combination of smoke and fog, were reportedly near zero when the accident occurred.

Incident Location: Steven Wayne Smith Memorial Bridge, US HWY 119 

Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending

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

To date, 82 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 76 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and six 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.