Funeral to be held for Raleigh firefighter

RALEIGH 32-year-old Senior Fireman George Crocker was found dead in his home Sunday morning.

Crocker was also the volunteer fire chief in Pine Level in Johnston County.

Chief Crocker's death was so sudden, so unexpected his family and firefighting family aren't ready to talk just yet.

They are paying their respects to a man who spent his life serving his community.

Crocker's locker sits empty, the Pine Level volunteer fire chief's turn out gear rests at the base of flag pole with a flag at half staff.

It's the department's way of honoring the 32-year-old who died unexpectedly.

Fire officials say Saturday morning he responded to an EMS call, and went out on a building fire that afternoon.

His fiancée found him unresponsive Sunday morning. He was declared dead at the hospital.

Fellow firefighters say he had no known medical condition, that he got sick after one call a few years ago, but they're not sure what could've led to his death.

For now it's being considered a line of duty death, standard when a firefighter dies within 24 hours of responding to a call.

Crocker started volunteering in Pine Level in 1999 and became the chief last November.

In 2002, he was hired as a full time firefighter in the city of Raleigh and continued to volunteer when he wasn't on the clock in the capital city.

He was volunteering Saturday when he went out on his last call; fellow firefighters find some comfort in knowing he spent his last day doing what he loved.

Chief Crocker's funeral will be held here at the Johnston Community College Auditorium Wednesday at 2 p.m. followed by a procession of fire trucks.

His name will likely be on the fallen firefighter's memorial in Raleigh and the national memorial in Maryland.