Prince George's County firefighter-paramedic dies after medical emergency off duty

Prince George’s County Fire and EMS is mourning the death of firefighter-paramedic Demair Lloyd, 44, a veteran responder who collapsed after finishing a regular 24-hour shift and returning home.

Lloyd had served at Station 841 in Calverton since joining Prince George’s County Fire/EMS on May 15, 2006, as part of Career Recruit Class 37. He was also a member of IAFF Local 1619, and colleagues described him as a familiar presence in the station and across the department.

The loss hit both the personal and operational side of the county’s fire service. Prince George’s County Fire/EMS said counselors and peer support teams were available through its Office of Health and Wellness for personnel trying to process the death. The department also planned a dignified transfer and escort from Baltimore City to Columbia on Monday afternoon, with drivers along the I-95 corridor warned to expect a noticeable emergency-vehicle presence.

Lloyd’s death also underscored the strain that falls on the county’s fire and EMS workforce long after a call ends. His wife, Maria, is also a Prince George’s County fire department member, assigned to D-Shift at Station 810 in Laurel, adding another layer of hardship for a family already tied to the job. Funeral arrangements were being assisted by the department.

For Prince George’s County, the loss lands in a system that already operates at high volume. County government says Fire/EMS responds to more than 400 incidents a day, or more than 157,000 a year, across 45 stations in seven battalions. It is the 16th busiest fire department in the United States and the largest in Maryland, a scale that makes the experience and steadiness of veteran members like Lloyd especially important.

A memorial-related report said Lloyd received a Life Safety Award in 2024 for helping save a cardiac arrest patient who later fully recovered. That recognition, along with his years at Station 841, pointed to the kind of hands-on, life-saving work that defines the county’s first responders, and to the toll that work can take even off duty.