From the desk of Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Collette Peters:

On Friday, August 9, USP Atwater and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, lost one of our own. Tragically, despite swift response from his co-workers and local emergency medical services, Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist Marc Fischer was pronounced deceased upon arriving at the local hospital following his exposure to mail saturated in an unknown substance. My deepest sympathy goes out to Mr. Fischer’s family, the employees of USP Atwater, and our entire agency as we grieve his untimely death.

We are working closely with our law enforcement partners as they investigate the circumstances.

A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Marc Fischer had served the Federal Bureau of Prisons proudly for over 23 years. Spending his whole career at USP Atwater, he joined the Agency on January 2, 2001, as a Correctional Officer. On May 2, 2004, he was promoted to a Correctional Systems Officer, a position he held until September 12, 2009 when he was promoted to Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist.

The death of Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist Fischer reminds us that our work as corrections professionals is inherently dangerous. A sad truth that USP Atwater is too familiar with having lost Correctional Officer Jose Rivera sixteen years ago. Our risks are known, and our grief is felt, across the FBOP and by correctional agencies around the world.

Mr. Fischer leaves behind his wife, and his son and daughter. He also leaves behind countless grieving friends and colleagues.

We will come together and support each other through this trying time, providing counseling and other services, and we will continue to honor Marc Fischer as we fulfill the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

On behalf of the CPOF staff, board of directors and field representatives, we wish our deepest condolences to his family. Our National Honor Guard team will be present to represent us all and ensure that we properly “take care of our own.”