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Alan David Toepke

Firefighter

Firefighter Toepke and the members of his hotshot crew were returning to their home base after assisting with fire fighting efforts in the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida. The crew stopped in Arkansas to rest for the evening. Witnesses saw Firefighter Toepke and 2 other firefighters running to cross Interstate 40. As the 2 leading firefighters entered the roadway, they were struck by a passing tractor-trailer truck. Firefighter Toepke was killed, the second firefighter was seriously injured, and the third firefighter was uninjured. A law enforcement report on the incident indicated that the truck driver did not have time to react or avoid hitting the firefighters.
photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Alan David Toepke was honored on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland and was included in the USFA’s annual report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.

Department information

Midewin Agency Hotshot Crew
30239 S. State Route 53
Wilmington, Illinois 60481

Chief: Superintendent Lito Contreras

Age: 30
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Wildland Part-Time
Incident date: April 23, 2004
Date of death: April 24, 2004
Cause of fatal injury: Struck By
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Activity type: Other
Emergency duty: No
Duty type: Returning
Fixed property use: Street/Road

Last updated: April 22, 2014