The death of a well-known rescue technician during a training incident has left emergency personnel in Washington County/Johnson City EMS in mourning.
Rescue Technician/Advanced EMT Fred Kemp was instructing a high-angle exercise Wednesday afternoon in the Blue Hole Falls area when he fell from a significant height, WJHL reported.
Despite immediate care from colleagues, Kemp died of his injuries.
“Even in this line of work, where responders face difficult and dangerous situations each and every day, losing a partner and a friend is something no one can ever fully prepare for,” Washington County/Johnson City EMA Public Affairs and Operations Officer James Matthews said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.
State OSHA officials are among the agencies investigating.
Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.
