The Johnson County Fire Protection District has released more information on what led to Captain Vernon Collett losing his life while on duty Saturday, March 8.

According to a release from the district, Collett responded to a field fire along Route MM around 1:45 p.m. near Valley City. He collapsed while extinguishing a fire line. District personnel located Collett and began to administer CPR as well as multiple shocks from an AED, but were unable to revive him.

Collett is the first firefighter in the history of the Johnson County Fire Protection District to die in the line of duty. He had spent all 29 years of his career at Station Six in Valley City, earning the rank of captain in January 2011. In the department’s statement, fire chief Larry Jennings said that Collett’s death, “marks an immeasurable loss for our department, his family, and the entire community he so selflessly served. Today is a tragic day for our District and a somber reminder of the risks our firefighters face daily.”

The Missouri Fire Service Funeral Assistance Team is on site to provide support for Collett’s family and colleagues. Funeral arrangements are pending, and a memorial fund has been established to support the family through the fire protection district’s headquarters in Warrensburg.