An emergency medical technician and Freehold volunteer firefighter died this week of bacterial meningitis, a hospital spokeman confirmed last night.
Kevin Maushardt, 24, of Asbury Park died Wednesday in CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, said spokesman James Goss.
Maushardt had arrived at the hospital's emergency room at 8 p.m. with symptoms of meningitis, which typically include headaches, fever and neck pain, Goss said. He died two hours later.
"We can confirm that he did die of meningococcal disease," Goss said.
Because meningitis is potentially contagious, the hospital took precautionary measures to protect anyone who may have come in contact with Maushardt, Goss said.
"We treated some of the victim's family and our staff with antibiotics (Wednesday) night," Goss said. He did not know whether treatments were given by pills or by injection.
Lab test results confirming the cause of death were received by the hospital yesterday, Goss said. He declined to speculate on how Maushardt contracted the disease.
