Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report: Fire Fighter Collapses and Dies During Exercise Training at His Fire Station in Missouri

摘要

On August 6, 2000, a 27-year-old male Fire Fighter (FF) was performing physical fitness training alone in the exercise room of his fire station after the end of his 24-hour shift. After the FF had been in the exercise room approximately 43 minutes, crewmembers found him on the floor experiencing a grand mal seizure. Seizure activity was witnessed for about 20 seconds followed by 30 seconds of post-seizure (post-ictal) activity, during which the victim was making purposeful movements but not responding to commands. Shortly thereafter, he slumped backwards. Vital signs revealed no pulse or respirations. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced life support (ALS) resuscitation efforts were begun immediately. Despite CPR and ALS administered by crewmembers, the ambulance paramedics, and by hospital personnel in the emergency department (ED), the FF died. Both the autopsy and death certificate were completed by a pathologist with the County Medical Examiner's Office. They both listed arteriosclerotic heart disease as the cause of death while the autopsy also noted hypertensive heart disease. Given the cause of death, it is unlikely the Fire Department (FD) could have done anything to prevent the tragic and untimely death of this FF.