Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report: Fire Fighter Suffers Sudden Cardiac Death After Responding to Two Calls in Kansas

摘要

On the morning of November 21, 2007, a 48-year-old male career Senior Fire Fighter (FF) and his crew responded to two calls: a carbon monoxide alarm and a reported residential kitchen fire. The carbon monoxide call ended without any evidence of carbon monoxide exposure. The reported kitchen fire was eventful for icy road conditions which resulted in a near crash of the apparatus. The response was cancelled and after the crew returned to their fire station, the FF suddenly collapsed with seizure-like activity. Crew members found him unresponsive, with agonal (gasping) breathing, and without a pulse. Crew members began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced life support treatment as the station's ambulance transported him to the local hospital's emergency department. Approximately 40 minutes later, despite CPR and advanced life support administered on-scene and at the hospital, the FF died. The death certificate, completed by the local county coroner's office listed 'mitral valve redundancy' as the cause of death. The autopsy was performed by the forensic pathologist at a neighboring coroner's office who concluded the FF 'expired as a consequence of an arrhythmic event related to a defective mitral valve.'