A Springville firefighter who died during a training exercise Monday is being remembered for his love and dedication to the community he served.
Fire Chief Richard Harvey on Tuesday identified fallen firefighter as Jared Wayne Echols, a 35-year-old husband and father of two young daughters who joined the department in January.
“Jared had a true servant’s heart in everything he did,’’ Harvey said.
Echols began his fire service in 2015 as a volunteer with Pleasant Hill Fire and Rescue and, in December 2018, completed his volunteer certification for the Springville Fire Department.
Echols began his service with Springville on Jan. 21, 2019.
At the time of his death, Echols was a student in the Alabama Firefighter Bridge Program, which is a five-week course for certified volunteer firefighters seeking to become certified for full-time employment.
Authorities have not yet announced the cause of death, but Harvey said it was a medical incident, not an accident or injury.