| Name | Kurt Meusel |
| Agency | Scales Mound Fire Protection District |
| Rank | Firefighter |
| Type of Firefighter | Volunteer |
| Age Range | 21 to 25 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 1/6/1985 |
| Date of Death | 5/22/2010 |
| Cause of Death | Vehicle collision |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Scales Mound |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 5/22/2010 21:15 |
| Incident Location | Wildland |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
On May 22, 2010, Firefighter Kurt M. Meusel of the Scales Mound Fire Protection District died in the line of duty while responding to an emergency involving a missing person.
Believing that his personal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) might be useful in the search, Meusel was traveling to the fire department along North Mill Creek Road when the ATV collided with a deer. Meusel suffered fatal injuries when the vehicle overturned as a result of the collision.
Funeral services for Meusel were held at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Schapville, and more than 100 firefighters from around Illinois attended the services.
A volunteer member of the fire protection district for seven years, Meusel was employed by an excavation company.
Citations:
Obituary of Kurt M. Meusel, Galena Gazette, May 24, 2010.
Bekah Porter, “In the line of duty,” Telegraph Herald, May 26, 2010.
Bekah Porter, “Community mourns firefighter,” Telegraph Herald, May 28, 2010.