The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official on-duty death of Firefighter Herbert "Butch" Tyler Wilcox, 77, of the Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department on April 19, 2018.
Firefighter Wilcox responded to two fire calls on April 18, 2018, one at 1300hrs and a brush fire at 1605hrs. After returning from the brush fire, Wilcox complained of neck and back pain. He went to a local MediCenter where he was examined and then sent home. At approximately 0730hrs the next morning, Firefighter Wilcox’s wife tried to wake him but found him unresponsive and immediately called 911. Emergency responders arrived on scene and began CPR, but after 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts, Firefighter Wilcox was pronounced deceased at his residence. The nature and cause of fatal injury is still to be determined.
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Wilcox at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/
To date, 30 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.