preferred to be known as “J”
James “J” Muller, 25, was born November 18, 1997 in Columbia, SC and passed away on Friday, May 26, 2023. He was the son of Christopher Shawn Muller and Denise Morris Muller.
He preferred to be known as “J”, he was a devoted husband, father, brother, and son. J started his firefighting career as a cadet in a High School program, where his enthusiasm for life quickly earned the respect of his instructors. J graduated at the top of his class and was quickly hired by the Irmo Fire District. His passion for the craft and his thirst for growth quickly endeared him to his peers. J spent his off duty time attending classes and conferences, constantly pushing himself to improve and learn.
J had a profound impact on the Irmo Fire District. His enthusiasm was infectious, not just for the job, for everything. He influenced attitudes, behaviors, and performance by setting a great example of how to be a human being. He was positive, funny, and outstanding at everything he did. He was a selfless servant, always looking out for the other people in his life, and he always went the extra mile to serve the citizens of Irmo.
The Muller legacy extends well beyond Irmo. J was known to thousands of firefighters across the country through training events and conferences that he attended, because he made an impact everywhere he went. Many of the organizations that J trained with invited him to become an instructor with them. J’s message about the importance of the job, the importance of training, and the value of what we do touched a nerve with everybody who heard it. The people he left behind are committed to carry his message forward. We should all strive to remember that when we take our oath, “it’s an oath, it’s not a ceremonial high five. It’s a commitment, so live it.”
Although “J” was devoted to his career, he was even more devoted to his family. He loved spending time with his wife Emma, his son Cole and the rest of his family. Family adventures were important to J, and almost always involved a stop by one of the fire stations.
May 6, 2025; 5:30 pm
Irmo Firefighter Line of Duty Death
On May 26, 2023, Irmo Fire District firefighter James Michael Muller was killed in the line of duty during a structure fire in an apartment building located at 167 Stoneridge Drive in Columbia, SC. At the request of the Irmo Fire District, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigated the causative factors relevant to the firefighter fatality.
Through the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts investigations of firefighter line-of-duty deaths to formulate recommendations for preventing future deaths and injuries. The program does not seek to determine fault or place blame on fire departments or individual firefighters, but to learn from these tragic events and prevent future similar events.
NIOSH investigators visited South Carolina June 25 through July 1, 2023, interviewing personnel from various agencies that responded to the fire and collecting data. Workload constraints and personnel changes at NIOSH pushed the delivery date of the report back several times.
The status of NIOSH is currently in transition. NIOSH is organized as part of the Centers for Disease Control and was recently eliminated as part of a cost cutting strategy, but that decision has been reconsidered and portions of NIOSH that include the FFFIPP are returning to work. This report was one of the last to be completed by NIOSH investigators before their positions were eliminated, and for a while it was unclear if NIOSH was going to be able to publish any more LODD reports on their website, including this one.
The Irmo Fire District received this report on April 10, 2025 with permission to disseminate the report as we saw fit. The report was initially shared with the Muller family and then shared with our personnel. The Irmo Fire District is a tight knit family and we are committed to supporting the mental health of everyone affected by the loss of Firefighter Muller. Limiting the report’s distribution until now allowed us the opportunity to grieve again, process the report’s findings and prepare ourselves for its release.
It has been almost two years since we lost J, and in the interest of public safety and transparency the Irmo Fire District shared this report publicly on April 29, 2025 so that others might learn from it and commit themselves to preventing a similar fatality or injury in the future. We are pleased to report that NIOSH resources have returned to work and published this report on their website on May 6, 2025. Training resources are expected to accompany the report at a future date.
If you or somebody you know is struggling with mental health issues, please reach out to one of these resources:
- National Alliance on Mental Illnesses (NAMI)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: TEXT OR CALL 988
- Firestrong firefighter family crisis support available 24/7: call (844)525-3473
“If every firefighter had an ounce of the drive and passion J had, the fire service would be unimaginable. If everyone had an ounce of character of what he displayed, the world would be a better place. The IFD is better because of him and what he gave and we thank him for that.”
-Captain Casey Clinkscales (FB)