LODD: New Jersey - First Firefighter fatality of 2009

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: 1 firefighter fatality has been reported to USFA in 2009 as a result of an incident that occurred in 2009
While at the scene of a house fire, Firefighter Gary Stephens was accidentally run over by a fire truck as it backed up to lay hose to a hydrant. He was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Update: per secret list: FATHER & SON OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTERS CRASH-FATHER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
2 SEPARATE VEHICLES, HEAD ON INTO EACH OTHER WHILE OPERATING AT A GRASS FIRE
NO SEAT BELTS USED IN EITHER VEHICLE
The Secret List - www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

It is with deep regret that we advise you that a Firefighter (Father) was killed in the Line of Duty, and 2 others were injured yesterday afternoon after being involved in a head-on crash with his FF Son. Some media reports are reporting that both were killed, but we can't confirm that yet.
Firefighter John C. Myers, 61, of Pittsburg (OK) was driving a Wesley FD apparatus at 1520 hours when he crashed with his son, Juston Myers, 31, of Pittsburg. The 2 were involved in fighting the grass fire and collided due to heavy smoke and poor visibility.
John C. Myers, the Firefighter/Father was trapped in the fire apparatus for over 1½ hours and was pronounced dead at the scene. Juston Myers, the Firefighter Son, was driving his pickup truck, suffered trunk and external injuries and was treated at the scene. FF Juston Myers' passenger, FF Clayton Rice, 30, was taken to a nearby hospital with head, leg and arm injuries. Seat belts were not in use in either vehicle. Initial reports are that there was so much smoke clouding the rural roads that the two never saw each other and collided head on. Updates to follow.
As always, our sincere condolences to all affected-especially the Wesley FD and the Myers Family.

Name: Gary Stephens
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 28
Date of Incident: 01/02/2009
Time of Incident: 0200hrs
Date of Death: 01/02/2009

Fire Department: Elizabeth Fire Department
Address: 411 Irvington Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07208-2068
Fire Department Director: Onofrio Vitullo

Incident Description: While at the scene of a house fire, Firefighter Stephens was accidentally run over by a fire truck as it backed up to lay hose to a hydrant. He was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending
Tribute: To Firefighter Stephens at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 1 firefighter fatality has been reported to USFA in 2009 as a result of an incident that occurred in 2009. USFA does not have a Line-of-Duty-Death (LODD) criterion nor does it make LODD determinations. Please note, running totals of firefighter fatalities used on these initial notices do not necessarily reflect the number of firefighter fatalities used in totals for the(provisional) monthly year-to-date USFA firefighter fatality reports, or year-end (provisional) reports posted online http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm

Firefighter fatalities in USFA reports are summarized by date/year-of-incident. Initial notices posted online (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/) and distributed via USFA listserve do not represent the final on-duty firefighter fatality determination by USFA for such reports, nor LODD determination made by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (http://www.FireHero.org) for names added each subsequent year to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, they are the beginning of a research process for each firefighter fatality reported so that such determinations can be made.