PARAMEDIC, 34, LODD, Firefighter LODD “Guilty” Charges, Firefighter LODD History Information, More 9/11 Resources (The Secret List)

We regret to pass on that Spirit EMS (Greenville, OH, western Ohio/Eastern Indiana) Paramedic Karl Kleinekathoefer, died while on duty on August 29, 2026, at 0541 hours. at the Spirit EMS headquarters. Karl, 34, had been with Spirit EMS since November 23, 2023, and was a valued member of the organization and the communities he faithfully served throughout Western Ohio and Eastern Indiana.

Shortly before 0540 on Saturday morning, Kleinekathoefer was found unresponsive and not breathing in a bunk room at Spirit EMS headquarters. Spirit EMS personnel immediately initiated lifesaving measures. Greenville Township Rescue, the Greenville City Fire Department, Darke County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and the Greenville Police Department provided additional assistance. Currently, the death is believed to be from natural causes. Kleinekathoefer was subsequently transported by Spirit EMS to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause and manner of death. Kleinekathoefer was 34 years old and would have celebrated his 35th birthday on August 30, 2026. Originally from Mandalong, New South Wales, Australia, Kleinekathoefer was Critical Care Paramedic, became a CPR Instructor, and most recently completed coursework in Community Paramedicine. Our condolences to all those affected. Rest In Peace.

The Queensland (Aus) Fire Department has announced it will plead guilty to a workplace health and safety charge arising out of a 2023 warehouse fire that killed Firefighter Izabella “Izzy” Nash and seriously injured Senior Firefighter Lia Drew.

Nash, 46, and Drew were operating at a warehouse fire in Slacks Creek, south of Brisbane, on May 2, 2023, when both were seriously injured. Nash was rescued unconscious and died the following day. Drew survived but suffered serious burns.

Following an investigation, workplace safety officials charged the department in 2025 with failing to comply with its health and safety duty, exposing an individual to a risk of death, serious injury or illness.

The citation from the Nash case comes from § 32, a Category 2 offense. It requires three things:

1. the defendant has a health and safety duty;
2. the defendant fails to comply with that duty; and
3. the failure exposes an individual to a risk of death or serious injury or illness.
That is analogous to § 5(a)(1) of our OSHA general duty requirement, which requires an employer to provide employment and a workplace free from “recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”

According to a statement released by the department, the violations involved failures associated with fireground radio communications. Prosecutors are not alleging those failures caused Nash’s death or Drew’s injuries. On August 28, the Queensland Fire Department announced that it intends to plead guilty to the charge.

Thanks to phenomenal work by FFCC members Rick DeGroot and Dave Phelan, we have enhanced our LODD history and related reports. We encourage you to check this area out from time to time or as needed:

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