Trending Topics

Pittsburgh battalion chief suffers fatal medical emergency while commanding fireground

Battalion Chief John Walsh died at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital after being stricken while working as the incident commander during a house fire

By Bill Carey
FireRescue1

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Battalion Chief John Walsh died following a medical emergency while working as the incident commander during a house fire in the city’s East Hills neighborhood.

The Pittsburgh Firefighters Union announced that Walsh, 60, who was working as Battalion Chief 3 based in Station 8, died after being transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital on Nov. 20, CBS Pittsburgh reported.

“His unwavering passion for the job, his courageous service, and his remarkable leadership over 37 dedicated years will never be forgotten,” the union wrote in a social media post. “Chief Walsh embodied the very best of what it means to serve and protect.”

A procession led Walsh’s body from the hospital to the medical examiner’s office. He had been a member for 37 years.

Trending
Reading firefighters responded to about 300 needless alarms in three months, prompting a $500 flat fee intended to encourage better alarm system maintenance
Fellow cadets immediately assisted the student before on-site paramedics began providing medical care at the College of the Sequoias
The change gives Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher authority over wildfire response, aviation, spending and resource allocation while leaving field-level fire operations unchanged
Dyess Air Force Base Fire Capt. Lawson C. “Gus” Stuart entered a trench without shoring, a harness or other safety gear to reach a critically injured construction worker