A Johnson County, Mo. fire captain will be honored for his service. Capt. Vernon Collett died on March 8. He collapsed after responding to and fighting a wildfire near Warrensburg. To honor Collett for his service and dedication,

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Johnson County, Missouri, Fire Protection District captain died in the line of duty Saturday afternoon. Captain Vernon Collett collapsed while fighting a natural cover fire. Despite nearly an hour of lifesaving efforts, he was declared dead at the scene.

District Captain Vernon Collett, 60, was part of the Johnson County Fire Protection District team responding to a fast-moving field fire in the 60 Block of NE MM Highway in rural Johnson County around 1:45 Saturday, according to Captain Joe Jennings, a District spokesperson.

A tight-knit community is left mourning after the tragic loss of a fire captain over the weekend. Johnson County Fire Protection District (JCFPD) Captain Vernon Collett collapsed while at the scene of a half-acre fire,

A Johnson County Fire Protection District Captain died in the line of duty while battling a fire near Valley City on Saturday.

Capt. Vernon Collett, a lifelong resident of the county he served, was with the Johnson County Fire Protection District for more than 29 years at station No. 6 near Valley City. He was 60 years old.