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Darrell Lavon Plank

Firefighter

Firefighter Plank and other firefighters were dispatched to a house fire. The home was situated off of the roadway, so firefighters decided to lay a supply line from the roadway, to be supplied by later arriving apparatus.

A supply line was wrapped around a sign post and the apparatus began to lay in to the scene. As the apparatus moved, the line tightened and pulled on the sign post. The sign bent and released the hose, which flew into the air. Firefighter Plank was struck on the side of the head by a coupling or appliance.

Firefighter Plank received a traumatic brain injury and died on May 23, 2017.

Incident Location: 227 Hawk Cir, Oglethorpe, GA 31068 (U.S. National Grid: 16S GA 7596 8817)

photo of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Darrell Lavon Plank 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

Macon County Fire Rescue
2630 Fields Crossing RD
U.S. National Grid: 17S KR 2329 8385
Montezuma, Georgia 31063

Chief: Micah Kauffman

Age: 29
Rank: Firefighter
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: May 20, 2017 16:30
Date of death: May 23, 2017
Cause of fatal injury: Struck By
Nature of fatal injury: Trauma
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Residential

Last updated: June 15, 2018