The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department mourns the death of one of their own.
Capt. Kimberly Schoppa died Tuesday after a battle with occupational cancer, a fatality the fire chief acknowledged was in the line of duty.
Schoppa was a leader on and off the job, said the people who knew her best. She worked her way up to become an engine captain at West Springfield’s Station 27.
Schoppa served in the department for more than 18 years. She was “a valued friend and valued member of the department,” according to a statement. “There is no doubt that Captain Schoppa touched many lives throughout his career and will be remembered as a kind, caring and compassionate person. She was an exceptional leader, mentor and friend. She will be greatly missed.”
“She wanted to do suppression. She liked to fight fires. I told her she would be an excellent battalion commander, but she didn’t want to be a commander; she wanted to get in the front seat of that fire truck and get the job done,” Deputy Chief Tracy Reed said. They were in the same rookie class in 2004.
“She wanted action. She wanted to be out there mentoring people, teaching people and serving her community,” Reed said.
But about a year ago, Schoppa was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which is now recognized in Virginia as an occupational cancer in the fire service. Accordingly, Schoppa’s death is considered to be in the line of duty.
“The profession of firefighting is inherently dangerous,” said Ron Kuley, president of IAFF Local 2068. “It’s an inherently dangerous profession, so it’s not just traumatic injuries, but we’re also exposed to toxins and carcinogens.”
Kuley said because of this, department officials track what each firefighter is exposed to on the job.
“We do what are called exposure reports, so we report every exposure, so if we do five or six calls in a row where we are exposed to a toxin, a carcinogen, we put it in our documentation. This package then goes to worker compensation and risk management,” he said.
Schoppa was very aware of the dangers of the job and constantly reminded the firefighters under her command to be aware of these dangers.
“Not all firefighters die in a house fire or a building collapse. More firefighters are dying from cancer, and that’s part of the sacrifice we make, but the service to his community was ultimately more important than his life.
Outside Schoppa’s home on Tuesday, firefighters from Station 27 gathered to greet her during her dignified transfer.
Schoppa is survived by his wife as well as his extended family and friends.
