Willow Firefighter Dies as He Prepared to go out on a Call Saturday

Firefighter Roger Delongchamp, age 66 of Willow.

Numerous Firefighters, EMS, Life-Med, and Troopers responded to the scene at the Willow Fire Department following a call reporting a firefighter unconscious at the station early Saturday morning, troopers report.

According to the report, 66-year-old Willow resident Roger Delongchamp was in a firetruck preparing to respond to an emergency call at just after 2 am on Saturday when he lost consciousness.

CPR was administered to Delongchamp for approximately an hour before efforts were deemed unsuccessful and he was declared deceased at the scene at 3:10 am.

His remains were turned over to the Legacy Funeral Home in Wasilla.

“It is with a very heavy hearts that we received the news of Roger’s death. We will keep his family, friends and colleagues in our prayers as we all grieve this tremendous loss,” said Commissioner Amanda Price, Department of Public Safety. “It takes someone special to spend their life serving their country and then to continue service after that by becoming a firefighter in their community.”

“You just never know… yesterday Roger worked a full shift before going home. He still got out of bed before two in the morning to go help others in need,” said Director Rich Boothy, Alaska Fire Marshal. “You have good people doing good things for their community. When someone with such dedication dies when rushing to help others, it leaves a huge void. He will be missed for years to come.”

“Rose and I were saddened to hear of the loss of Roger this morning and we hope all Alaskans will join us in praying for his family, friends, and fellow first responders during this difficult time,” said Governor Dunleavy. “It’s the brave work of firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement like Roger Delongchamp that keep our state safe. On behalf of all Alaskans I want to thank Roger for his service to our great state.”