IAEP Members Act Selflessly to Help During Worcester Fire
December 19, 2011
Paramedics with UMass Memorial and members of Local R1-95 are
recognized as heroes after being first on the scene to a devastating
apartment fire in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The EMS
professionals with UMass Memorial first noticed and reported the fire on
Dec. 8 at 4:20 am while at the UMass Memorial Providence Street EMS
station, which is adjacent to the rear of the triple-decker that became
engulfed in fire. Quickly after reporting the fire to their EMS
Communications Center, three of the paramedics and their supervisor ran
into the burning building before the Worcester Fire Department (WFD)
arrived. Fighting through the heat and smoke, the paramedics assisted a
resident to safety that was found on the second floor. The team tried to
re-enter the building but were not able to due to conditions
intensifying beyond their equipment. As they stepped away from the
building, the first WFD unit arrived and the EMS team informed the
firefighters about the conditions and a potential second person in the
building. While the firefighters entered the building, the paramedics
proceeded to clear the adjacent triple-decker of occupants for their
safety. The UMass Memorial team opened up their
Providence Street
Station for the several families evacuated from the fire, as well as to
any WFD personnel that needed shelter, facilities, etc.
The EMS
supervisor of the team became the leader of the medical branch of the
incident, fully integrating into the incident command system with the
WFD.
The firefighters evacuated the burning building after signs
it would collapse, but two firefighters and long-time partners, Jon
Davies and Brian Carroll, went back in after a report that someone may
still be inside. It was not too long before the fire consumed the entire
building causing it to collapse with Davies and Carroll still inside.
“One
of the paramedics entered the building along with other firefighters to
try and retrieve the two men,” said Russ Smith, President of Local
R1-95. “Carroll was rescued from the basement but Davies was trapped
under building debris on the first floor. A paramedic performed CPR on
Davies while still in the building.”
Davies was eventually pulled
from the building and the EMT’s performed resuscitative measures all
the way to the hospital. The crew went to extraordinary efforts to
revive Jon, but unfortunately he was pronounced dead at UMass Memorial
Medical Center. Davies was a 17- year veteran firefighter and father of
three sons. He died a true hero, giving his life in trying to save
another.
The cause of the fire is still uncertain, but the
apartment building’s owner had refused to fix code violations, including
structural defects in the building’s foundation.
“I just can’t
say enough great things about the members of Worcester EMS,” said Smith.
“Their selfless actions and courageous behavior constantly make me
proud. There’s something to say about such a special team of people who
go beyond their duties and just consider it a day’s work.”
The
Worcester EMS professionals are brave, selfless individuals, who risked
their own lives that day to move the distressed residents to safety.
What they do every day in the EMS profession and the dangerous
situations they find themselves in, continuously lead them to be
recognized for overextending their duties. Not only did the honorable
actions of the EMS team save lives that day, but their quick reactions
may have potentially prevented a greater tragedy that could have
occurred.