Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023–5:20 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
A Bartow County Fire & Emergency Services firefighter, who became unresponsive during a search and rescue training exercise on Mar. 16 has died.
According to Bartow County Fire & Emergency Services:
Instructors at the Bartow-Cartersville Fire Joint Training Center recognized that 41-year-old Matthew Smith was experiencing an acute medical emergency and quickly removed him from the search maze to begin resuscitative measures, including CPR, and initiated Advanced Cardiac Life Support protocols.
There was an on-site ALS ambulance on standby for the training, and the decision was made for that unit to transport Smith to Piedmont Cartersville Hospital.
He did regain cardiac function and was placed on life support before passing away on Tuesday from complications related to his medical emergency.