“Even during his own fight, he never stopped thinking of others"
James “Jimmy” O’Toole, a St. John’s Regional Fire Department lieutenant and a leading advocate for firefighter occupational cancer protections, has died at age 46.
O’Toole died on April 25, 2026, according to an obituary from Barrett’s Funeral Home in St. John’s, N.L.
His funeral service is set on Friday, May 1.
O’Toole “worked to advance protections for firefighters facing occupational cancer, helping to establish presumptive coverage for multiple cancers in Newfoundland and Labrador and later expanding that work across the country,” the funeral service said, adding that “his impact will be felt for generations of firefighters who are safer because of his work.”
Leadership and OHS advocacy
Born and raised in Pasadena, N.L., O’Toole began in emergency services as a volunteer firefighter and later studied paramedicine. He joined the St. John’s Regional Fire Department in 2001. According to Barrett’s, firefighting for him “was never just a job. It was a responsibility, a brotherhood, and a purpose he believed in deeply.”
He rose to the rank of lieutenant and served as president of IAFF Local 1075, representing career firefighters in the region. In that role, he was involved in efforts to strengthen protections and supports for firefighters exposed to occupational hazards, including carcinogens.
The obituary described O’Toole as “a tireless advocate for the people he served alongside,” noting that he served on national committees, mentored younger firefighters and “gave a voice to those who needed one.” Even while facing his own illness, he “continued to speak up, to push for change, and to protect others,” and spoke about “the realities families face when illness takes hold.”
Community, family and final arrangements
O’Toole was also active in community and charitable work linked to serious illness and cancer. Through his involvement with the Cancer Care Foundation and other causes, he supported families dealing with serious diagnoses, “often quietly and without recognition,” Barrett’s said. The funeral home noted that “even during his own fight, he never stopped thinking of others.”
He is also remembered as a husband and father. The obituary stated that “Jimmy was, at his core, a family man,” and that “everything in his life began and ended with his wife Crystal” and their two sons, Ryan and Gavin, who were “his pride and his purpose.” Barrett’s said he was often at rinks and ball fields “cheering, coaching, laughing, and building a life around the moments that mattered most.”
O’Toole is survived by his wife Crystal; sons Ryan and Gavin; his sister Jeannie and her partner Jim; sister‑in‑law Ashley and her partner Mitch; brother‑in‑law Jeffrey and his partner Nicole; nieces, nephews and a great‑nephew, along with extended family and close friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Neta and Jim, and his dog Reggie.
