Death Of MWC Assistant Fire Chief Leaves Huge Void In Department

The Midwest City Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of its own.

Assistant Fire Chief Reese Morrison died Tuesday evening, after suffering a medical episode at his son's baseball game. He was just 47 years old.

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Morrison was with Midwest City Fire for 21 years. His colleagues say he brought lots of dedication and passion to his firefighters, and he even helped the department become the first in the state with its own large HAZMAT unit.

Morrison started his Tuesday at work, discussing purchase orders for new equipment. It was a slow day at the office, and he left in the afternoon to see his son play baseball in Harrah. The 47-year-old health enthusiast collapsed at the game, then died at the hospital.

Fire Chief Bert Norton said, “We talked, we visited and there was just no signs, no nothing, so it’s really shocking for all of us.”

Norton says besides Morrison's great attitude; his biggest contribution was by far his work to make the HAZMAT team the best of the best.

“He had a lot of connections and did a lot of legwork and footwork to get us to get this stuff from the state that was obviously grant-funded that we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford ourselves,” said Norton.

Tuesday night the firefighters gathered to remember everything he had done for them.

Norton said, “The guys were just like we’ll never look at the (HAZMAT) trailer the same now.”

They also shared the good memories they will hold on to, like Morrison’s passion for Arkansas football.

“I’m an LSU fan,” Norton explained, “so LSU lost to Arkansas, so I got a little Razorback stuck on my car.”

The firefighters take small comfort knowing that in Morrison’s last moments, he was likely feeling happiness and pride.

“He loved to watch his son play baseball,” said Norton. “His daughter was a soccer player at Rose State College here and his son plays high school baseball, so he took off to go out there and do what he loved.”

Morrison is survived by his wife, son and daughter. Funeral arrangements are still pending.