Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Heal Fast Fellas

I just got this E-Mail regarding some formerly green-clad brothers that were injured while fighting a structure fire yesterday down in Indio, a small city located in the eastern end of our county.


On Tuesday at 7:18am CalFire responded to a residential structure fire (‘Paseo Fire’) in the 81000 block or Paseo Real, City of Indio. Initial arriving firefighters found a well involved garage fire and began their search for victims and fire attack. While knocking down the fire in the garage, it appears some of the garage roof truss structure collapsed leading to structural debris knocking the firefighters to the ground and covering them.  Below is the status of the injuried FF’s:
 
•           Fire Station 80 Firefighter II, Tom “T.J.” Frazier, 32, was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center where he was admitted and underwent orthopedic surgery for three fractures of the tibia/fibula bone structure in the lower right leg. Last evening, T. J. underwent successful surgery and continues to recover at Desert Regional Medical Center, Room 2212. The CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras family transported his wife from Sonora where they live to Riverside County to be with T. J.
 
•           Fire Station 80 Firefighter II-Paramedic Mike Vera, 30 suffered a concussion and back strain. Early yesterday afternoon, Mike was released from Desert Regional Medical Center and is at home recovering.
 
•           Fire Station 88 Firefighter II-Paramedic Michael Lambert, 31, was transported to JFK Memorial Hospital. Mike was evaluated for a possible concussion and C-3 cervical vertebrae fracture. Very fortunately, a MRI showed no problem with the vertebrae structure. Mike has been released to recover at home.
I don't know any of these guys by name, but may by sight. It sounds like they were lucky that it wasn't any worse. Cal-Fire does a good job down in the low desert, they work on good command and control and RIC/ff survival procedures. It looks like it may have paid off for them.
 
Heal fast fellas, here's hoping you get can back on the rig soon.
 
 
I thank God almost every day that this never happened to me or any of my crew. I pray it never happens to any of you as well.
 
I'll keep you posted if any further info comes out.
 
Thanks for reading,
Schmoe 

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