South Dakota Firefighter Dies of Injuries

[SeaBreeze]

South Dakota Firefighter Dies of Injuries

Firehouse.com News

Funeral services are set for Thursday for a volunteer firefighter from South Dakota who died Tuesday of head injuries sustained at the scene of a brush fire last week.

Thomas "Emmett" Kuehl, 38, a member of the Elkton Volunteer Fire Co., was behind the wheel of a fire truck when it got stuck. A tractor was being used to pull it out when the tow cable snapped, crashed through the windshield and struck him in the head.

He was taken to a local hospital, and later flown to Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls where he died.

Funeral services are set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Elkton Public School.

Elkton, a community of about 650 is located about 50 miles from Sioux Falls.

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=39&id=48710

[SeaBreeze]

Kuehl, Thomas J. "Emmett"

Age: 38
Cause of Death: Struck By
Rank: Firefighter
Nature of Death: Trauma
Classification: Volunteer
Emergency Duty: Yes

Incident Date: 04/08/2006
Duty Type: On-Scene Fire
Incident Time: 16:30
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 04/11/2006
Fixed Prop. Use: Outdoor Property

Fire Dept. Info:
Elkton Fire Department
PO Box 309
109 Elk Street
Elkton , South Dakota 57026
Chief: Ryan Bebensee

Initial Summary:
On 04/08/06 at approximately 1600hrs, the Elkton Fire Department was summoned to a controlled burn that had escaped its boundaries and appeared to be threatening neighboring property. During the firefighting activities, the truck Firefighter Kuehl was driving became stuck. A tractor was obtained in an effort to assist in getting the truck unstuck. A clevis attached to the tractor broke and the tow rope recoiled through the truck's windshield and struck Firefighter Kuehl's head. Firefighter Kuehl was taken by ambulance to a Brookings, SD Hospital and then airlifted to Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Kuehl died of the injuries he received on 04/11/2006. Funeral: 04/13/2006, 1330hrs (CDT) at the Elkton Public School, 508 Buffalo Street, Elkton, SD.

Memorial Fund Info:
No memorial fund designated at this time.


http://www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/ffmem/ffmem_detail.jsp?p_id=3273&p_free_text=&noticeYearCutoff=&p_fd_state_code=&p_first_name=&p_fd_city=&p_last_name=&p_mn_status=1&p_death_year=2006