21-year-old Georgia firefighter found unresponsive in station bed after returning from first shift


Georgia firefighter dies during his first shift: ‘Eager’ 21-year-old is found unresponsive in station bed after returning from overnight call

  • St. Mary’s Fire Department firefighter Efren Medina, 21,was found dead in his fire station bed during his first shift on the job
  • Medina had responded to an overnight medical call before returning to the station at 3:30am and was found unresponsive at 7:30am  
  • Fire Chief Tom Lackner said that Medina was properly trained had passed his physical exams before being hired
  • A medical examiner’s report will determine Medina’s cause of death
  • A GoFundMe set up to help his widowed wife has raised over $7,000

A newly hired firefighter was found dead in his fire station bed after returning from an overnight call during his first shift on the job.

Efren Medina, 21, died on Saturday morning after fellow firefighters found him unresponsive in his station bed in St Marys, Georgia, just 39 miles south of Jacksonville, Florida. 

Medina and his colleagues had responded to an overnight medical call before returning to the station at 3:30am and going to sleep.

Later that morning at 7:30am fellow firefighters tried to wake Medina up but was unresponsive. 

St Marys Fire Chief Tom Lackner says the department is still waiting on the medical examiner’s report to determine Medina’s cause of death.

He said that Medina was properly trained had passed his physical exams before being hired.

St. Mary's Fire Department firefighter Efren Medina, 21, died on Saturday morning after fellow firefighters found him unresponsive in his station bed

St. Mary’s Fire Department firefighter Efren Medina, 21, died on Saturday morning after fellow firefighters found him unresponsive in his station bed

His wife of one year Brittany Vazquez is mourning the loss of her 21-year-old firefighter husband

His wife of one year Brittany Vazquez is mourning the loss of her 21-year-old firefighter husband

‘Just don’t know why a 20-year-old wouldn’t wake up… he passed his physical… everything came back clear; don’t know,’ Lackner told Action News Jax.  

Lackner says that Medina was ‘eager’ to start what he described as his ‘dream job’   

‘He was known for his long time passion for firefighting and his love of the fire service’ the fire department said. 

Medina was working his first 24-hour shift at the time of his death, the U.S. Fire Administration said.  

‘You never think that somebody 20 years old isn’t going to wake up from their sleep,’ Lackner told firstcoastnews.com 

A GoFundMe set up to help his wife Brittany Vazquez with expenses  has raised over $7,000, well over it's original $4,000 goal

A GoFundMe set up to help his wife Brittany Vazquez with expenses  has raised over $7,000, well over it’s original $4,000 goal

Medina was described as 'caring and hardworking' and excited for his new career as a fireman as well as working as an EMT

Medina was described as ‘caring and hardworking’ and excited for his new career as a fireman as well as working as an EMT

Medina’s wife Brittany Vasquez said: ‘He just really loved life and anything that anybody told him he couldn’t do, he proved him wrong.’

Medina was described as ‘caring and hardworking’ and excited for his new career as a fireman as well as working as an EMT by friends who set up a GoFundMe to help his widowed wife.

The fundraiser has raised over $7,000, well over it’s original $4,000 goal. 

‘We are absolutely devastated by Efren’s passing and are struggling to find the funds to support his wife, Brittany Vasquez, in paying the cost of the service, flights, and any other unexpected costs.’ the fundraiser said.  

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