The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official on-duty death of Firefighter/EMT Juan J. Bucio, 46, of the Chicago Fire Department on May 28, 2018.

While searching for a 28-year-old man who fell off of a boat into the South Branch of the Chicago River, Firefighter/EMT Juan J. Bucio became separated from his dive partner and went missing. According to initial reports, Bucio's dive partner immediately declared a Mayday and, along with other divers, began to search the river for Firefighter Bucio. After approximately 20 minutes, Bucio was found and rescued from the river. Firefighter Bucio was then transported to the hospital where, despite all efforts to revive him by paramedics and hospital personnel, he was declared deceased. 

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter/EMT Bucio at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/

To date, 39 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2018.  Year-to-date and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/ff_fatality_reports.html

Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.

Fire Aparatus & Emergency Equipment: Chicago Firefighter Diver Dies During River Search

A plan to alter the way the region’s police and fire departments receive calls and send help to emergencies is drawing a unified rebuke from local labor unions and questions from the Spokane City Council. City lawmakers heard the case Thursday from Spokane City Administrator Theresa Sanders and a contractor recommending “integration” of the city’s emergency dispatch services, which they said would cut down on response times and potentially free up money for other uses by the police and fire departments.
- PUB DATE: 5/29/2018 6:45:30 AM - SOURCE: Spokane Spokesman-Review

CHICAGO (AP) — A fire department diver looking for a man who fell off a boat into the Chicago River on Monday night was separated from his partner underwater and was killed.

The Chicago Fire Department said that its "prayers go out to the family of Firefighter Juan Bucio." It said on Twitter that Bucio "tragically passed away answering a call of a person in the water."

 

The entire Chicago Fire Department's prayers go out to the family of Firefighter Juan Bucio who tragically passed away answering a call of a person in the water near 2600 S. Ashland.

— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) May 29, 2018

 

The man fell off the boat around 8 p.m. Monday, police said. Bucio was killed and two other divers were injured while searching for the man in the river, which flows through downtown Chicago.

 

2 injured members of CFD dive team transported to Northwestern in good condition and 1 critically injured member of the CFD dive team also transported to Stroger. No further information at this time.

— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) May 29, 2018

 

Bucio was in the water with a dive partner when the partner lost contact with him, fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said.

"During the search, one of our divers became separated," he said. "Immediate search started with the backup divers."

Bucio was pulled from the water and later was pronounced dead at a hospital, Santiago said.

The man who fell off the boat hadn't been found as of early Tuesday. The two other divers were hospitalized briefly.

Bucio, who was 46 years old, joined the Chicago Fire Department in 2003 and became a member of its dive team in 2007. He had two children, sons ages 7 and 9. He also had nine siblings, including a brother at the fire department and a sister at the police department, Santiago said.

"Please," Santiago said, "keep this family in your prayers."

Chicago Fire Department diver dies after rescue attempt in Chicago River, WGN9

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