NJ Firefighter Dies after Cardiac Arrest During Training

A veteran Middlesex County firefighter died following a regular training session on Saturday, the department’s chief said.

Firefighter Dennis B. Shennard of the Kingston Volunteer Fire Company #1 suffered a heart attack around 10 a.m. while the company conducted a live burn evolution at the Middlesex County Fire Academy, Chief John Luck said.

Shennard was treated on scene and taken to Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, where he was later pronounced dead, Luck said.

Shennard joined the fire company in 1969 and served various roles throughout his years of active membership, including as line officer and executive officer. He also served as a trustee.

“He was a very dedicated firefighter,” Luck, who had worked with Shennard for more than 50 years, told NJ Advance Media. He said Shennard was “one of those members you could always count on to help you out.”

He leaves behind a wife and a son, Luck said.

There will be updates on services as details become available, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.

The fire department typically conducts two live burn evolutions a year, Luck said.

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