Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | George Winckler |
| Agency | Naperville Fire Department |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 46 to 50 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 12/23/1942 |
| Date of Death | 10/18/1991 |
| Cause of Death | Stress/Overexertion |
| Nature of Death | Heart attack |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Training duties |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Naperville |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 10/18/1991 14:40 |
| Incident Location | Training ground |
| Incident Attribute | [Not applicable] |
Incident Summary
On October 18, 1991, Lieutenant George Winckler of the Naperville Fire Department died in the line of duty during a training exercise. Winckler, who had been with the department since 1965, suffered a heart attack during a live burn training exercise at the department’s training tower. About ten minutes into the exercise, Winckler exited the tower and collapsed. The other firefighters immediately started CPR and called an ambulance, and Winckler was taken to Edward Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
On October 22, 1991, Winckler’s funeral was held at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Naperville. More than 100 fire apparatus from neighboring departments took part in the funeral procession, in which Winckler’s casket was carried in an antique fire truck to SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery.
Citations:
“Naperville Firefighter dies during training,” Daily Herald [DuPage County, Ill.], October 19, 1991.
“Naperville, comrades honor Fire Lt. George C. Winckler,” Naperville Sun, October 23, 1991.
Firefighter and Incident Images
