A 41-year-old firefighter with the Bartow County (GA) Fire & Emergency Services has died after falling ill during a training evolution, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
On Thursday, March 16, 2023, Bartow County Fire & Emergency Services (BCFES) Firefighter Matthew Brian Smith became unresponsive during a search and rescue training exercise at the Bartow-Cartersville Fire Joint Training Center. Instructors for the exercise with Firefighter Smith immediately recognized that he was experiencing an acute medical emergency and quickly removed him from the search maze to begin resuscitative measures. Personnel of BCFES immediately began CPR and initiated advanced cardiac life support protocols.
BCFES had an on-site ALS ambulance on standby for training and the decision was made for that unit to transport Firefighter Smith to Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center. Emergency response personnel, as well as emergency department staff, worked tirelessly to resuscitate Firefighter Smith. He did regain cardiac function and was placed on life support for six days. Regretfully, Firefighter Smith passed away on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from complications related to his medical emergency. The cause of his death has yet to be determined.
