Former Citrus County firefighter describes health crisis, disputes workers' compensation and benefit denials

Jonathan Hogerheide, a former Citrus County firefighter and EMT, addressed the board in public comment on March 25, describing a medical crisis he says began after a workplace ankle injury and culminated in open-heart surgery.

Hogerheide said he developed blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in April 2023 and later was found to have clots in his right leg and lungs. He told commissioners he believes the condition is related to his work in the fire service and that his workers' compensation claim was denied on the basis of an autoimmune condition. He said doctors later found clots in his right leg and lungs and that he developed a heart condition that required surgery. He described high monthly medication costs and said the county and his employer stopped his health insurance while he was hospitalized. "I am not upset about being fired. I am upset that they have pulled the rug underneath my feet," Hogerheide said.

He also said he was denied the state "heart and lung" benefit, which he described as unavailable because the workers' compensation process did not link his clots to a work cause to the satisfaction of the insurer or program administrator.

Why it matters: Commissioners heard a detailed personal account of an injury, subsequent complications and alleged administrative denials; Hogerheide asked the board to look into how first-responder injuries and benefits were handled.

Ending: Hogerheide concluded his remarks by urging the board to "stop disrespecting our first responders." No formal action or response occurred at the time; the board did not record any immediate direction to staff in the meeting minutes. Commissioners and staff may follow up through existing personnel, legal and workers' compensation channels outside the public meeting record.