2 South Shore communities announce deaths of active-duty firefighters

The Massachusetts fire service is mourning the unexpected deaths of three active-duty firefighters in recent weeks, including two announced within the past 48 hours by departments in Marshfield and Taunton. 

On Monday, the Marshfield Fire Department announced the death of Capt. William Shields, a longtime firefighter and paramedic.

Fire Chief Michael LaSelva did not disclose Shields’ cause of death in a press release, but said it was unexpected. 

Shields began his career with the Marshfield Fire Department as a call firefighter before being appointed a full-time firefighter in 2005. He later rose through the ranks to lieutenant and captain, LaSelva said. 

“Captain Shields was much more than the positions and titles he held,” LaSelva said. “He was a dedicated public servant, a trusted colleague, and a member of the Marshfield community who devoted countless hours to keeping others safe.” 

Shields also served as the department’s training coordinator, helping prepare firefighters, and as its lead mechanic, overseeing the maintenance and readiness of fire apparatus. He was also an EMT-paramedic, according to LaSelva. 

“His knowledge, experience, willingness to help, and commitment to protecting and serving our town made a lasting impact on our department and on the lives of those he served,” LaSelva said. 

Shields’ death came one day after the Taunton Fire Department announced the unexpected death of firefighter Kyle Machado. 

Machado, who joined the Taunton Fire Department in April, was a husband and father of two. Before becoming a firefighter, he served in the U.S. Navy, according to the department. 

The deaths prompted an outpouring of condolences from firefighter unions and departments across Massachusetts. 

“The past 48 hours have been an extremely difficult and emotional time for the Massachusetts fire service,” Mansfield Firefighters Local 1820 said in a Facebook post. “Mansfield Firefighters Local 1820 extends our deepest condolences to the Taunton and Marshfield Fire Departments as they mourn the loss of two of their own.” 

The Scituate Firefighters Local 1464 also offered support to the departments and urged community members to look out for one another during the period of grief. 

“The fire service is a brotherhood and sisterhood that extends far beyond the walls of our own stations. When one of us is hurting, we all feel it,” the union said in a Facebook post. “Please remember: you do not have to carry the weight alone. The job can take a toll in ways that aren’t always visible. If you’re struggling, talk to someone.”

The deaths come after another unexpected firefighter death in the region earlier this month. 

Quincy firefighter Brian Snow died Aug. 2 at age 47, according to his obituary. 

The Quincy Firefighters Association Local 792 described Snow’s passing as an “active duty death.”

Snow had served in the Quincy Fire Department since September 2019. Before joining Quincy, he spent 13 years as a firefighter with the Hull Fire Department. He also worked as a paramedic and EMT instructor, his obituary states. 

Snow’s funeral mass was held Monday morning in Saint John the Baptist Church in Quincy, per the fire department.

James Brown, District 1 vice president of Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, called on the community to support one another and check in on colleagues in the wake of the three recent deaths.

“In the span of just 13 days we have lost 3 active duty Massachusetts Firefighters,” Brown said in a Facebook post. “We have all been in dark places in our careers. There is no shame in reaching out for help or talking with our brother and sister firefighters about mental health.”