Firefighter George A. Walker Jr.

Firefighter Walker and members of his Dept responded to a residential structure fire caused by heat from a fireplace that had been added to the house.

After the fire was knocked down, Firefighter Walker was directed to deliver a message to the pump operator. The pump operator reported to the IC that Firefighter Walker was talking but not making any sense. EMS personnel on-scene were directed to assist Firefighter Walker. After an assessment, the decision was made to transport Firefighter Walker to the hospital.

Emergency room personnel at the hospital determined that Firefighter Walker was having a heart attack. However, Firefighter Walker refused treatment. The deputy chief of the Dept was sent to the emergency room to talk with Firefighter Walker. After speaking to the deputy chief, Firefighter Walker consented to treatment.

During the treatment for the heart attack, Firefighter Walker suffered a CVA. Firefighter Walker was admitted to the hospital and suffered other CVAs during the following week. On the weekend after he became sick, Firefighter Walker checked himself out of the hospital and went home for the weekend. When he failed to reappear at the hospital, a paramedic/firefighter stopped by Walker's house to check on him. Firefighter Walker answered the door and then collapsed into the paramedic/firefighter's arms.

EMS was called and Firefighter Walker was again transported to the hospital and later transferred to a long-term care facility, he died on February 1, 2003.

For more info see NIOSH report

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200329.html