On-Duty Raleigh Firefighter Dies
A 27-year veteran of the Raleigh Fire Department became the department's first firefighter to die while on duty in more than 40 years.
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Lt. Herman S. Jones was working at Fire Station 10 when a call came in last Friday night. Jones ran to respond to the call and felt some severe chest pains.
Jones was transported to WakeMed and then UNC Hospitals. Doctors determined that Jones had suffered a torn aorta, according to a spokesperson with the N.C. Fallen Fighters' Foundation.
He died in the hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Jones joined the Raleigh Fire Department in May 1980 and was promoted to lieutenant on June 16, 2001.
Jones' funeral will be held with the full trappings of a firefighter's funeral. Flags have been flown at half staff at Raleigh fire stations since Jones died.
Visitation and a memorial service will be held at Juniper Level Baptist Church, 9104 Sauls Road, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Burial will follow immediately in the church cemetery.
Haywood Funeral Home was handling funeral arrangements.
Jones was the third firefighter in the Raleigh Fire Department's history to die while on duty.
On April 20, 1965, Lt. Paul Mimms, 41, died of an apparent heart attack while operating a pumper at a structure fire. On March 10, 1956, Lt. Vernon Smith, 44, died from injuries suffered after his pumper overturned on Nov. 14, 1952.
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