SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
It is with great sorrow the Lancaster Township Fire Department announces the line of duty death of Lieutenant Keith Rankin.
Rankin suffered a medical emergency during a training exercise at Lancaster County Fire School. Several of the 25 county firefighters on hand for the exercise performed CPR and other life-saving techniques, but Rankin never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead at Lancaster General Hospital.
Lancaster Township’s deputy chief Glenn Usdin said Rankin had been running the “live burn” drill at the Lancaster County Fire School along Village Road. He was talking with some firefighters when he collapsed around 10:30 a.m., according to Usdin.
“There was no sense that anything was wrong,” Usdin said. “He literally collapsed without a word of warning.”
Any fire department that would like to help cover our station over the next 24 hours, ending Monday night should call the LTFD South Station at 394-5353.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
An excellent volunteer and public servant. So sorry to read about Keith’s sudden death. My thoughts and prayers go out to family, friends and brother firefighters.
Bill Adams
Keith was a great guy. Not only was he a great firefighter but he was a great constable as well. He will be missed by all.