Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Jermaine Pelt |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Firefighter/EMT |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 46 to 50 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 4/4/2023 |
| Cause of Death | [Unknown] |
| Nature of Death | Asphyxiation |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Firefighting operations , Hose operations |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 4/4/2023 |
| Incident Location | Residential |
| Incident Attribute | Attic fires , Fires |
Incident Summary
On April 4, 2023, Firefighter/EMT Jermaine A. Pelt died in the line of duty while fighting a residential fire in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago.
Firefighters responded to a house fire around 3:30AM at 120th and Wallace Street. The fire is believed to have started in the attic of the home, before spreading to two other nearby buildings.
Pelt was operating a hose line from the second floor of one of the neighboring buildings when that structure also caught fire. Firefighters were ordered to evacuate due to worsening conditions and shortly after the order was given, a lieutenant working alongside Pelt noticed he was no longer beside him. Mayday was called around 4:00AM and shortly thereafter Pelt was discovered next to his hose line and removed from the scene for treatment. He was immediately transported to Christ Hospital where he passed away shortly after arrival.
Funeral services for Pelt were held at the House of Hope Church in Chicago, followed by his burial at Lincoln Cemetery, also in Chicago. He was survived by his two children.
Pelt, an 18-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, was also a registered nurse, EMT, and instructor at the fire academy.
Citations:
Charlie De Mar and Tara Molin, “'A real-life hero:' Honoring and celebrating the life of Chicago Firefighter Jermaine Pelt,” CBS News, April 14, 2023.
”Fallen Firefighter Jermaine Pelt Laid to Rest In 2nd CFD Funeral This Week,” NBC Chicago, April 14, 2023.
“Jermaine A. Pelt,” U.S. Fire Administration, April 25, 2023.
Mitch Dudek, “‘I love you, brother’ — Crowd mourns fallen Chicago firefighter Jermaine Pelt,” Chicago Sun Times, April 14, 2023.
Firefighter and Incident Images
