Incident Name: Prescribed Burn
Date: 05/22/2019
Personnel: Angela N. Chadwick-Hawkins
Age: 45
Agency/Organization: U.S. Army, Fort Jackson
Position: Wildlife Biologist/Firefighter
Summary:
On May 22, 2019, Fort Jackson Environmental Division personnel initiated a 424-acre prescribed fire operation for wildlife habitat improvements and fuel management. During the prescribed burn, wildlife biologist and certified wildland firefighter, Angela “Nicole” Chadwick-Hawkins was assigned a ground ignition operation, utilizing an All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV) to conduct the task. At some point while conducting her assigned duties, personnel lost radio contact with Ms. Hawkins. A search of her last known location was conducted during which Ms. Hawkins body was found.
At approximately 1230hrs, Fort Jackson Fire Department units were dispatched along with Moncrief Army EMS and Fort Jackson Military Police. Upon arrival, emergency personnel determined that Ms. Hawkins sustained fatal injuries and was declared deceased by medical personnel. Additional details are pending the completion of investigative processes by the Army Criminal Investigation Division with support and assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the US Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center Accident Investigation Team.
A press report published in June of 2020 indicated that the final Army report on the incident found that the torch device attached to the ATV being driven by Wildlife Biologist/Wildland Firefighter Chadwick-Hawkins over pressurized and exploded. The news report said that Wildlife Biologist/Wildland Firefighter Chadwick-Hawkins sustained fatal thermal injuries.
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/fatalityData/detail?fatalityId=4841
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