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A West Virginia fire chief died this week from COVID-19 complications.
Rick Todd was the chief for the Salem Volunteer Fire Department for several years. His death was announced Wednesday by the emergency management agencies in Harrison and Doddridge counties, and it's not clear how long he had been battling the virus.
"Chief Todd was a well-known and respected Fire Chief and paramedic in the community and he will be missed by many," a joint statement by both counties' Offices of Emergency Management said.
Todd was a founding member of Salem Professional Fire Fighters, Local 5226, and had been in charge of the Salem's EMS operations. His experience made him a resource for local emergency workers looking City Manager Ronnie Davis.
‘He’s irreplaceable,” Davis told MetroNews in West Virginia. “He knew everything about the fire department and our EMS service. He’ll be hard to replace.”
“He was just an excellent guy, and he knew everything going on that department," he added. "As far as I’m concerned, he was one of the best.”
Before his time in Salem, Todd was an original career staff member for the Bridgeport Fire Department and retired as a captain. He also was a founding member of the city's firefighters union, an online post by Bridgeport's Local 3692 stated.
“One of our leaders of our first responders,” West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement, according to WBOY-TV. “This was a hero, as all of our first responders are, but not only a hero but a leader. A leader of the heroes. So please keep this great man in your thoughts and prayers, and we thank him for his contribution to this state and all of the great people of this state.”
