Members of the Colfax Fire Department heard the call all firefighters fear on Saturday.
"When you hear that call over the radio that a firefighter is down, your heart just sinks," said Colfax Assistant Fire Chief Craig Corbeill.
That call was for long-time Colfax fire chief and volunteer firefighter Jim Krouse. According to the Pullman Fire Department spokesman Glenn Johnson, Krouse collapsed of an apparent heart attack while fighting a brush fire on Green Hollow Road on Saturday afternoon. Medics were unable to revive Krouse, who was on his fourth call of the day. "He spent his morning taking care of three emergency EMS runs, and he ended his career on a fire," said Colfax Fire Chief Michael Chapman.
"Just exactly how he would have wanted to do it," added Corbeill.