An Alexandria, Virginia, paramedic has died from a head injury. The 33-year-old man climbed a cement divider on Interstate 395 near the border of Arlington and Alexandria in an attempt to reach a car that was reportedly on fire. In the dark of night, he apparently couldn't see there was a gap between the lanes of the roads, sending him plunging 30 feet into a rock-filled creek in a pedestrian accident.

He was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where he died the following day.

The man had served the Alexandria Fire Department for six years and frequently taught classes for other first responders, including emergency medical courses at the Prince William Public Safety Academy.

A local fire chief said it sometimes is overlooked that the job of a firefighter or paramedic encompasses more dangers than just the fire. He said his department would reassess how to approach similar situations, should they arise, but he was not aware of roads in his jurisdiction that had lanes divided by such barriers.

The paramedic's death jarred members of the local emergency community, and it was expected counselors would be called in to help other first responders cope with the man's tragic death. Counselors can help emergency personnel to cope mentally with both the demands of the job and their grief, the fire chief said.

In the deceased paramedic's department, the fire chief said the man had been committed to his job right to the very end of his life.

The man's wife could choose to consult with a personal injury attorney, who could determine whether or not his employer or anyone else should be held accountable for his death.

Source: Inside NoVA, "Updated: Alexandria paramedic succumbs to wounds," David Pierce, Feb. 10, 2012