Delaware County, Pennsylvania Firefighter Dies after Heart Attack in Line of Duty

March 8, 2005
Delaware County Fire Policeman Tom Mower, 62, died of a heart attack March 3 after responding to a call for a tripped fire alarm.
Delaware County Fire Policeman Tom Mower, 62, died of a heart attack March 3 after responding to a call for a tripped fire alarm.

Mower received the call while at home in the morning. As he was walking to his vehicle he collapsed and suffered a fatal heart attack, according to Delaware County Firefighter Chuck Weiss. The emergency call which Mower was responding to was eventually ruled to have been a false alarm.

Mower had served as a fire policeman for the last five months with Goodwill Fire Company #1, Station 77 in Darby Township, Delaware County. Previously he had been a member of the Morton Fire Company in Morton, Pennsylvania. Prior to that he enjoyed an approximately 30-year career serving as a policeman for a variety of townships in the area.

"He had retired and got into being a fire policeman to fill his spare time," Weiss said. "He loved it, he was very enthusiastic. He made over half the calls we received. He was having a really good time with it and it was a shock to lose him."

Mower's death is the first line of duty death in the history of the township.

Funeral Arrangements: Visitation will take place Friday, March 11 at the J Nelson Rigby Funeral Home, Baltimore Avenue and Jackson Street, Media from 9 to 10:15 a.m.

The funeral services will then follow at 10:30 a.m. at the J Nelson Rigby Funeral Home.

Internment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Goodwill Fire Co. #1, Station #77, 719 Cooke Ave., P.O. Box 9, Glenolden, PA 19036 would be appreciated.

Mower is survived by his wife Franceline M. Mower, his daughters Donna Marie Wade, Beth Ann Mower, and Kristy Mower, his son Christopher Mower, three grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

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