Hickory Firefighter Jake Bridges died Thursday after having a medical emergency while on duty.
HICKORY, NC – The Hickory Fire Department is remembering one of their own, after a firefighter died while on duty Thursday.
The firefighter has been identified as 20-year-old Jake Bridges.
The fire department says firefighters were called to a fire around 1:49 Thursday morning and cleared the scene at 4:52 am.
After returning to the fire station, the firefighters worked to get the truck back in service. A short time later Bridges had a medical emergency and was rushed to the hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Bridges joined the Hickory Fire Department in June 2023 as a certified Level II Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) after completing the Gaston College Fire Academy in 2022.
Hickory Fire Department says it is grieving this tragic loss and mourns with Jake’s family, friends, and the community. The department thanks the community and all partner agencies and neighboring departments for their support during this difficult time.
