LODD in Illinois

[ChiefReason]

MIKEY:
Thank you for the heads up. Sadly, you were correct. There was an LODD to one of our Illinois brothers. From the U.S. Fire Administration:
Name: Vannie Duane Keever
Rank: Assistant Chief
Age: 54
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 15
Date of Incident: 04/10/2003
Time of Incident: 1815 hrs.
Date of Death: 04/10/2003
Fire Department Name: Gulfport/Gladstone FPD
Fire Department Address: PO Box 163, Gladstone, IL 61437
Fire Department Phone: (309)873-2341
Fire Department Chief: Dave Stewart
Cause of Death: Assistant Chief Keever collapsed and died from an apparent heart attack at the scene of a vacant mobile home fire.
Visitation: 04/14/2003 From 1800-2000 hrs., Turnbull Funeral Home, Oquawka, IL
Funeral Arrangements: 04/15/2003 at 1000 hrs., Turnbull Funeral Home, Oquawka, IL
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In memory of Assistant Chief Vannie Duane Keever, C/O Gulfport/Gladstone FPD, PO Box 163, Gladstone, IL 61437
Tribute is being paid to Assistant Chief Keever at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/inside-usfa/ffmem.cfm
God bless the fallen brother.
Assistant Chief Keever is the 2nd Illinois LODD in 2003.

I will also be posting this information at the IACOJ website.
CR

[jboczek]

LODDs are always hard on us but it gets harder when it happens closer to home. God bless the family of Chief Keever and God bless all his brothers in the department.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Rest in peace Brother.

[ChiefReason]

This was reported in Firehouse this morning. I will post the USFA info when it comes. Here is the article:
Accident Claims Life Of Illinois Firefighter
............
Lee Provost

Courtesy of Daily Journal

A Bourbonnais Fire Protection District firefighter died of head injures Saturday suffered from a freak accident at the department's Armour Road station earlier that day.

Firefighter Bruce Spaulding, 49, who was also a Kankakee Area Career Center instructor, died at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood about mid-afternoon Saturday, Bourbonnais Chief Ed St. Louis said.

Although details were sketchy at presstime, the firefighter was said to be cutting the department's lawn in the area of an incline when he fell or the lawnmower he was on tipped over causing the head injury.

It was not known exactly how the injury occurred. An official with the department said it is common for firefighters to take care of the property.

Spaulding had been a part-time member of the Bourbonnais department since January 2002. Prior to joining the Bourbonnais force, Spaulding had served on the Bradley force for more than 20 years.

"He was a fireman's fireman,'' St. Louis said Saturday evening.

Spaulding, of Bourbonnais, had been initially transported to Provena St. Mary's Hospital. He was then airlifted to Loyola.

He taught a two-year fire/rescue course at the career center since the mid-1990s.

Tom Hahs, career center principal, said the Bourbonnais department will supply firefighters to complete the final month of school. However, he said, no one will ever replace Spaulding.

"Bruce was a guy I could depend on for anything. He was a real team player. He is really going to missed. I just can't believe this happened,'' he said.

"He was a good teacher and he was always looking for ways to improve the curriculum. I know the kids really liked him."
Remember our fallen brothers and sisters.
CR

[jaybird210]

May God bless them and their families.

[jboczek]

My sympathy to the family and friends, as well as his brother firefighters.