By FireRescue1 Staff
DES MOINES, Iowa — A veteran firefighter died Saturday after suffering an on-duty medical emergency.
Des Moines fire engineer Douglas McCauley, 58, fell ill Friday during his lunch break. Fellow firefighters transported him to the hospital, where he died after being taken off life support Saturday, reported KCCI.
“It’s just a time to mourn [and] let the public know that, to recognize the challenges we are facing as a family” Brian O’Keefe, the department’s spokesman said. “The bonding, the closeness, the respect, the dependency on one another, so when you see someone taken down in the prime of their life, it’s really difficult to understand.”
McCauley served the department for 29 years; he leaves behind two sons. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday to determine his cause of death.
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