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Todd Alan Blanchard
Eastern Wake Fire Department
July 14, 2005
Firefighter Todd Alan Blanchard, 31, died from injuries suffered at a fire at the intersection of Turnipseed Road and Major Slade Road in the unincorporated Knightdale area. Blanchard was one of a three-member crew returning to the scene of an earlier tree fire. They arrived at 12:42 a.m. and applied water to the smoldering area, and then approached the tree to examine the smoldering area more closely. As the crew walked toward the tree, a limb approximately 2.5 feet in diameter broke and struck Blanchard. The two firefighters with Blanchard removed the limb and began CPR when they determined that the firefighter's breathing and heart had stopped. Paramedics arrived at the scene and initiated advanced life support  treatment. He was transported to WakeMed and declared dead about 2:30 a.m. The cause of death was massive chest trauma. Blanchard had worked as a full-time firefighter for Eastern Wake for approximately two years. Memorial services were held at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in downtown Raleigh on  Saturday, July 16. Over a mile of fire and EMS vehicles from Wake, Cumberland, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, Nash, and Wayne counties escorted mourners from Eastern Wake Station 1 on Poole Road to the church.