ASBURY PARK, N.J. – A 21-year-old volunteer firefighter was killed in a single-car crash while responding to an emergency call in New Jersey early Christmas morning.

Natalie Dempsey, a firefighter and vice president of the Mizpah Fire Company in Atlantic County, New Jersey, died at the scene of the crash. Mizpah in South Jersey is about 24 miles northwest of Atlantic City.

"At this time the Mizpah Fire Company has to announce the passing of Firefighter/Vice President Natalie Dempsey," read a post Tuesday afternoon on the volunteer company's Facebook page. "Please keep her family in your prayers. We will keep you all updated on any funeral arrangements. This will be a funeral with full honors due to it being a line of duty passing."

Hamilton Township Police say that Dempsey apparently lost control of her vehicle, veered off the roadway and struck a guardrail. She was the only passenger in the black 2001 Honda Accord, according to a statement from the police department.

Chief Jay Davenport of the Mizpah Volunteer Fire Department said Dempsey was on her way to a call. He said the department is like "a close-knit family" and "This one has hit us hard."

Davenport said Dempsey had been a volunteer firefighter for three years, hoped to become a police officer and attended the police academy over the summer. He said she was "a beautiful person ... a light in the sky."

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Russ Zimmer on Twitter: @russzimmer