Firehouse.Com News

A career firefighter with the Lee's Summit, Missouri Fire Department lost his life during a training exercise Thursday morning.

Bryan Pottberg, 25, was participating in a routine dive training exercise. At about 10:30 a.m, during the exercise, Pottberg "experienced some difficulties and the training exercise turned into a real rescue," Assistant Chief Tom Solberg said.

Paramedics treated Pottberg on the scene but he was pronounced dead a short time later at a Kansas City area hospital.

Pottberg was a four-year veteran of the Lee's Summit department. He was single with no children. He leaves behind his parents and other relatives, according to the Chief.

The Lee's Summit Fire Department is an all-career agency with about 110 firefighters, Solberg said. They operate out of six stations on the eastern border of Kansas City, Missouri.

The death is the first in the Department's history, which goes back to the mid 1970's when it was transformed from a combination department.

Funeral arrangements have not been finalized.

Bryan's father, Robert, is the Fire Chief of the Fort Osage Fire Protection District.

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