Death of hero firefighter felt around the nation

UPDATE: The Weranga community is mourning their fallen hero Trevor Vallance, the volunteer firefighter who died while battling a bushfire.

UPDATE: The Weranga community is mourning their fallen hero Trevor Vallance, the volunteer firefighter who died of a heart attack while battling a bushfire Thursday afternoon.

His last moments have been revealed, including the desperate efforts of Mr Vallance's 18-year-old co-firefighter who did his best to administer CPR on the Weranga Rural Fire Service first officer.

Mr Vallance, 63, suffered a heart attack driving the RFS appliance on Forestry Rd west of Dalby when Kit Paszula got him to safety, started first aid and called for back-up.

Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics' attempts to revive Mr Vallance were unsuccessful.

Rural Fire Service Queensland area director Tim Chittenden said Mr Vallance's death had been felt around the country with the nation's fire services mourning the loss.

He said Mr Vallance began volunteering with the Weranga Rural Fire Service in 2002 and had been the First Officer since 2009.

"He was a key part of the Weranga brigade. It's a tough day for fire services who feel it whenever we lose a colleague.

"The Weranga community is very close-knit and they are rallying around Trevor's friends there and offering a lot of support."

Mr Chittenden said Mr Vallance's colleagues were being offered support and counselling.

He commended the efforts of Mr Vallance's volunteer colleagues and paramedics who were with Mr Vallance at the time of his death.

"Unfortunately it wasn't a happy ending but they did they best could to give him the best possible chance."

Mr Vallance is the 51st Queensland firefighter to die in the line of duty.

South Nanango Rural Fire Brigade officer Brendan Dweight Goldsmith on February 27, 2012.

EARLIER: The volunteer firefighter who died fighting a bushfire west of Dalby yesterday afternoon is being hailed a hero.

The man's colleagues have hailed their friend a hero who will be sadly missed.

He had been a volunteer firefighter with the Weranga Goranda Rural Fire Brigade and had been called in to fight a fast-moving fire that had come within a few hundred metres of properties yesterday afternoon.

The man's family and next of kin is being notified today of the news.

His friends and colleagues have posted on social media, thanking him and all firefighters for their heroism.

"He was a top bloke," one friend wrote.

"It is so sad when we lose a long time member of the community that put so much back into it."

Meanwhile, the fire at Weranga, off McKee Dr, continues to burn but is within containment lines and poses no threat to properties at this stage.

YESTERDAY, 5PM: A firefighter has died after he collapsed fighting a bushfire west of Dalby this afternoon.

Reports have emerged the firefighter died while battling the blaze at Weranga earlier this afternoon.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said paramedics had been called to the fire front near McKee Dr to treat a man who had collapsed.

The spokesman said paramedics conducted CPR on a man "aged in his 60s", and referred all comment back to the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Originally published as Death of hero firefighter felt around the nation