Fellow Trainer Death
Article Submitted by:
August 19, 2008
Doug Sempsrote, a guy I've known for about 15 years, was found dead in his residence on Monday. We'd both been in the environmental business for a long time, and knew one another in various different capacities and while working for several different organizations. Most recently he was the training manager for one of the two places I teach. We worked together for the past two years or so.
Doug had Crohn's disease, a gastrointestinal thing that is with you for life, and flares up every now and then. He was starting a flareup last Tuesday and took the rest of the week off. We stopped being able to get in touch with him later in the week, and on Monday morning were concerned enough to call the cops, who got in and found him expired, don't know for how long yet. He was about my age, early '50s. I liked him a lot. He was a skydiver, and had other interesting things in his background. He will be missed, and things are chaotic at both training centers enough already; this will just make things worse.
RIP, pal.
Gwyd
2 months ago
1418 comments
Funeral was Saturday, and i got up and said more than a few words, for which his relatives were thankful.
Gwyd
3 months ago
1418 comments
Thanks, y'all. The cops are still trying to get in touch with Doug's parents, who are apparently in Florida, and his sister, who seems to live in Chicago, where he was originally from, but since she's married, different last name and all, we don't know if ANY of his relatives have heard about it yet. He wasn't married and didn't have a girlfriend at the time, and luckily didn't have any pets, otherwise the cops might have found them munching on his corpse, since he'd apparently been moribund for a couple of days at least.
i'd appreciate it if all my friends on here could observe a minute of silence for a great safety instructor, one of those like me who train folks like you to be safe on the job, and actually give a shit about the mission versus just being all about the money. Later i'll post on a fire last week a block from my other job where FFs were clambering around on the roof of the burning building of one of our clients (thank ghod we only taught them confined space, not fire safety!), and not wearing masks.
Lastly, if we post news, PLEASE let's start mentioning the state, not just the town, because there are many places named Providence, Springfield, Columbia, etc. Thanks for the emotional support on this one, though, guys & gals! I need it...
LadyFirefighter08
3 months ago
2504 comments
So sorry for the loss of your friend Gwyd. Thoughts are with you and Mr. Sempsrotes' family.
emtffdan
3 months ago
1122 comments
Sorry for your loss. My prayers for the family.