MS Fire Chief Suffers Fatal Heart Attack at Brush Fire

The U.S. Fire Administration has reported the line-of-duty death of Fire Chief Bill Matthews.

A long-time veteran of the Bassfield Volunteer Fire Department, Matthews, 73, died on the scene of a brush fire from a massive heart attack on Feb. 14.

He was discovered unconscious in the driver’s seat of his fire truck by a firefighter on the hoseline, according to news reports. The firefighter had asked the chief to reposition the truck, but Matthews didn’t respond. He was quickly given CPR and then transported to Jefferson Davis Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Clarion-Ledger described Matthews as a "long time servant of Jefferson Davis County and the town of Bassfield." 

Matthews, a Marine veteran, was well known for his love of the fire service and his community.

He and his family had returned to Jefferson Davis County after Hurricane Katrina, the newspaper noted. In fact, although he'd been serving with the department for seven years since returning to his hometown, "nobody immediately remembers how long Matthews was chief at Bassfield." Nevertheless, "they talked about it like he had been there forever." 

"It's service -- that's what it is," Collins Fire Chief John Pope told the paper. "That's why it's called the fire 'service.' When we show up, people know they're not going to get a bill from us. And that's who he was. He was really dedicated to the department, but he was also busy throughout the community."

Mayor Patricia Courtney described Matthews as a role model for his firefighters, as well as a friend and mentor to many in the community.

"They have their firefighter family, and they are just crushed," she said. "They're so young, and he was just like a daddy to all of them. And he would go to the schools and he would teach them to stop, drop and roll. The schools have called and texted today to tell me they have lost a friend. We all have."

Chief Pope said he plans to arrange for his department to cover for the Bassfield department so "Matthews' firefighters can attend" the funeral.

Mayor Courtney noted that Matthews had called her every day to update her on happenings at the fire department. He also told her of his heart condition.

"I asked him, 'What am I supposed to do if something happens to you?' And I wasn't just saying that, I meant it," she said.

Noting that he had never answered her, she said: "I really wish now he had given me an answer."