Minnesota firefighters die from an unexpected heart attack

image taken from: http://www.fox9.com/news/40-year-old-firefighter-dies-in-the-line-of-duty#/

In a small town in Minnesota, a firefighter died on a Tuesday morning from a unexpected heart attack after his training session. Captain Jeff Vollmer died hours after the Mayor Fire Department was practicing a scenario. He was only 40 years old, and he leaves behind his wife and two children. According to Maetzold, a Channel 9 reporter, Jeff seemed fine and he was fit, from what they could see, meaning he wasn’t sick.

Apparently, Vollmer isn’t the only firefighter who has died from an undiagnosed condition. The last four firefighters, in Minnesota, all died from heart attacks in their late 30s to early 40s. Half of the time, firefighters die from falling off ladders, smoke inhalation or burns, but heart attacks happen most of the time after their shift.

Shane Clifton, a firefighter in Minnesota, died of cardiac arrest at a station house when he was 38 years old. Also, 42-year old Matt Frantz, who was Fire Chief in Rice Lake, died a few hours after a late night fire call.

Vollmer died 6 hours after his training, and it is still considered a in the line of duty death under the Survivor Benefit Act of 2003. The act recognized heart attacks as being a in the line of duty event if they are within 24-hours of the shift.