NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — The United States Fire Administration announced the line-of-duty death of North Andover Firefighter Jeffrey Deschenes, who died on May 29 after suffering a heart attack following his shift.
Deschenes had responded to multiple emergency calls throughout the day. Later that evening, he experienced chest pain and went to the emergency room around 10 p.m., the USFA stated. Despite efforts by medical staff, he could not be resuscitated and was pronounced deceased that night.
“Jeff Deschenes brought the North Andover Fire Department into the modern era of emergency medicine and treatment, and his life’s work undoubtedly saved and improved the lives of countless people,” Fire Chief John Weir told WHAV. “He was a quiet hero in our community and a true brother in the fire service. He will be missed. I speak on behalf of all the men and women of the North Andover Fire Department in extending my heartfelt sympathies to Jeff’s wife, children and his entire family. We mourn this loss with you.”
Deschenes joined the Lawrence Fire Department in 2000 and moved to North Andover in 2012. Named Massachusetts Firefighter of the Year in 2019 for his role in the Merrimack Valley gas disaster, he also earned multiple EMS honors. As North Andover’s first EMS Coordinator, he launched key community health programs and modernized the department’s pre-hospital care.
