Incident Name:
Date: 8/1/98
Personnel: Barvon Coy Hamilton
Age: 71
Agency/Organization: Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, Streetman TX
Position: firefighter
Summary: Firefighter Hamilton died after his right leg was crushed between the pumper on which he was riding and a utility pole and was amputated at the knee. Barvon was on the back step of a pumper as it was relocated at the scene of a 500 acre wildfire. The pumper was backing up, Firefighter Hamilton was on the back step to secure hose that had been reloaded. As the pumper backed up, Firefighter Hamilton attempted to warn the driver about a utility pole that was behind the apparatus. He apparently lost his grip and his leg was crushed. Despite the efforts of local EMS providers, Firefighter Hamilton died of hypovolemic shock (blood loss).
Maps
Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, Streetman TX
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Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- Barvon Hamilton’s name, death date and brief bio are included in the USFA Firefighter Fatality Retrospective Study, published April 2002 (2,888 K pdf)
- Texas Death Index: Barvon Coy Hamilton
- NIOSH Report: Volunteer Fire Fighter Killed During Wildland Fire-Texas Recommendations:
- ensure that fire fighters are trained in the dangers of riding on the back step of fire apparatus
- ensure that standard operating procedures are developed that address apparatus safety
- ensure that driver/operators are trained in an approved driver training program
- ensure that fire apparatus is equipped with a back-up alarm.
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Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- USFA Memorial Database: Barvon Coy Hamilton
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