Wisconsin firefighters are more susceptible to line-of-duty death as COVID-19 has jumped to the top of leading causes of death for first responders in the last two years. | Unsplash/Matt Chesin
Wisconsin firefighters are more susceptible to line-of-duty death as COVID-19 has jumped to the top of leading causes of death for first responders in the last two years. | Unsplash/Matt Chesin
Wisconsin firefighters are more susceptible to line-of-duty death as COVID-19 has jumped to the top of leading causes of death for first responders in the last two years, according to Fox47 News.
While they lost six in 2021, 11 total have died since the start of the pandemic, according to Fox47 News.
“For each of the last two years, COVID-19 has been the single largest cause of line-of-duty deaths for officers in the state of Wisconsin – that’s true nationally,” Jim Palmer said, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association.
Vaccine hesitancy has allegedly impacted first responders, according to Fox47 News.
“It’s disheartening. As much as we’ve tried to protect ourselves and continue to try to protect ourselves, there is exposure and breakthrough infections causing difficulties,” Montello Fire Department employee Chris Klahn said, according to Fox47 News. “It’s not only just the firefighters, it’s their families also.”
Klahn also sits on the board of directors for the Wisconsin State Firefighter association, according to Fox47 News.
“Every firefighter in the world wants to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem," Klahn said, according to Fox47 News. "This pandemic has just been a struggle to try to keep ourselves healthy, our families healthy and still respond to those calls for service.”
The Wisconsin firefighters that have died from COVID-19 include EMS Ixonia Fire & EMIS Captain Kelly Raether, November 2020; Poynette/Dekorra Fire Department Employee Dave Tomlinson, December 2021; Chief of Clayton Fire Department Donald Kittelson, December 2021; Chief of Nekimi Volunteer Fire Department Frank Sanchez, May 2021; Boscobel Fire Department Employee Joshua Fedie, May 2021; North Prairie Fire Department Employee Gary Berg, October 2021; Bell Ambulance and Midwest Medical EMT Daniel McCann, October 2021; Pardeeville Fire Department Employee Brandon Romo, November 2021; Vandenbrock-Kaukauna Fire Department Employee Stephen Smith, December 2021; Dale Fire & Rescue Raymond Samson, January 2022; Wolf River Fire Department & Fremont-Wolf River EMS Assistant Chief Robert Stevens, January 2022.
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