The second assistant chief with the Fort Johnson (NY) Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. passed away after suffering cardiac arrest, according to a notification from the U.S. Fire Administration.
On Sunday, February 12, 2023, Assistant Chief Steve “Bullwinkle” Haskin Harris, 56, was at the fire station attending a Super Bowl Party. While at the station, fire department personnel, including Assistant Chief Harris, were “toned out” for a mutual aid structure fire. He left the department to get Engine 4 from their Station 2 (Engine 5 was out of service at Station 1). Assistant Chief Harris drove his privately owned vehicle to Station 2 to retrieve Engine 4. While there, he was met by a fellow firefighter. Both donned their gear when the other firefighter noticed Assistant Chief Harris was experiencing shortness of breath.
Both left the station in Engine 4, with Assistant Chief Harris as the passenger, en route to the structure fire. The other firefighter pulled into Station 1 because Assistant Chief Harris’ condition quickly deteriorated and turned into difficulty breathing. He was immediately transported to St. Mary’s Hospital where he was intubated. Shortly after, he went into cardiac arrest. Hospital staff were able to get his heart beat back. He remained in critical but stable condition and was flown to Albany Medical Center the next morning, Monday, February 13, 2023. Unfortunately, Assistant Chief Harris went into multi system organ failure and passed away that same morning.
