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Jason Eric Farley

Captain

At 2225hrs, Captain Farley and the crew of Engine 2 were dispatched to a flooding condition in an apartment complex along with other firefighters. Six children and an adult needed to be moved from their apartment to safety. Captain Farley was seeking a safe path from the apartment.

As Captain Farley walked through the water at approximately 2238hrs, he stepped off or fell off the driveway into a drainage ditch. The force of the water in the ditch began to drag Captain Farley. Other firefighters attempted to hold him but were unable to do so. Captain Farley and another firefighter were swept under the water into a drainage pipe.

A MAYDAY was called and firefighters searched for the outflow of the pipe. The firefighter that had been swept away emerged from the pipe approximately 230 feet downstream. Captain Farley’s body was not located until approximately 0130hrs. His body was recovered at 0325hrs. He was pronounced dead at the scene and the cause of death was drowning.

Captain Farley was a graduate of the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology Program at Oklahoma State University.

photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Jason Eric Farley 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

Claremore Fire Department
104 S. Muskogee
Claremore, Oklahoma 74017

Chief: Sean Douglas

Age: 44
Rank: Captain
Classification: Career
Incident date: May 23, 2015 22:38
Date of death: May 24, 2015
Cause of fatal injury: Caught or Trapped
Nature of fatal injury: Drowning
Activity type: Search and Rescue
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Non-Fire
Fixed property use: Residential

Last updated: May 30, 2018