A Chicago Fire Department member died during a training exercise on the city's North Side, CFD said Thursday.
A Chicago Fire Department member died during a training exercise on the city's North Side, CFD said Thursday.
"The Chicago Fire Department mourns the loss of a 30-year member who died today during a training exercise," a statement read. "A procession to the Medical Examiner's Office is pending. "The training was taking place in in the 6600-block of North Kedzie Avenue, CFD said. The CFD member was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where the member died, Chicago fire officials said.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the fallen firefighter as 61-year-old Steven Decker. The president of Chicago Firefighters - Local 2, Erik Steinmetz, said the training exercise was in a twice-a-year mandated hose testing.
"We have to roll, unroll the hose. We have to empty all the water out of the hose," Steinmetz said.
"There's a lot of listing and moving and everything. It's, it's a lot more strenuous than it would sound.
" An ambulance carrying Decker's body was later escorted by colleagues in a more than 10-mile procession to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, where first responders stood at attention, saluting his service and sacrifice. Decker, a 30-year CFD veteran, was assigned to Engine 71 on the North Side and was widely respected by colleagues.
"One of those guys that, we all have them, that are... they know everything about the apparatus that they work on," Steinmetz said. "Just has everything diligently set and ready to go. That's the kind of guy he was. "Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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