By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- • Thomas “TJ” Kochera, a 34-year-old New Haven firefighter-paramedic with nearly ten years of service, died Friday after experiencing complications during a second surgery to address a congenital heart defect.
- • Kochera was described by New Haven Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin and regional EMS partners as one of the premier pre-hospital care providers in Connecticut, credited with numerous cardiac arrest saves and emergency rescues.
- • In addition to his duties with the New Haven Fire Department, Kochera worked as a paramedic for American Medical Response in the Bridgeport area since 2012.
- • Kochera is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 2 years and 8 months.
- • His death came four days after the passing of retired New Haven firefighter Thomas Kelly, bringing the department’s losses to six in five years, according to Chief Coughlin.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Thomas “TJ” Kochera, a firefighter-paramedic with the New Haven Fire Department, died Friday, June 6, 2026, following complications that arose during surgery, Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin confirmed. Kochera was 34 years old and had served with the department for nearly a decade.
Firemen’s Benevolent Association of New Haven/Facebook
Kochera had undergone elective surgery to correct a congenital heart defect that Coughlin described as one that had not disqualified him from active duty service. Following the initial procedure, Kochera experienced pain that required a second surgery. A complication during the second operation resulted in cardiac arrest, according to the chief. Kochera was assigned to the Howard Avenue firehouse at the time of his death.
Beyond his work in New Haven, Kochera had served as a paramedic with American Medical Response in the Bridgeport and Fairfield areas since 2012. Yale New Haven Hospital for EMS described Kochera as one of the region’s most distinguished pre-hospital care providers, crediting him with numerous cardiac arrest saves. American Medical Response in Bridgeport noted his compassion, professionalism, and dedication to both colleagues and patients. A fellow New Haven firefighter recalled in a public tribute how Kochera assisted him in carrying an unconscious fire victim down a hallway and stairwell of a burning building four years ago; the victim survived.
Coughlin credited Kochera with contributing procedural improvements to the department, including a proposal to strategically hold one of two responding paramedics in reserve during certain calls so that a second unit remained available for simultaneous emergencies — an approach made feasible by advancements in the department’s computer-aided dispatch system. “He kind of wanted to share the wealth,” Coughlin said.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker issued a statement mourning Kochera’s death, noting that residents across the city are alive today because of his work in the field. “The City of New Haven and the New Haven Fire Department mourn Firefighter Kochera’s passing, grieve alongside the Kochera family — especially his wife and two young children — and will be by their side during this difficult time,” Elicker said. Kochera is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 2 years and 8 months.
Kochera’s death followed by four days the passing of retired New Haven firefighter Thomas Kelly, who died 34 years after sustaining a traumatic brain injury when he fell 30 feet through a roof shaft during a fire response in 1992. Chief Coughlin noted the department has lost six members in five years, including Kelly. The Firemen’s Benevolent Association of New Haven has established a donation fund to support the Kochera family.