On Friday, November 29, 2024, Lieutenant Rountree and Firefighter Kroll were driving Booster 83 to Station 86 for training. The crew noticed a vehicle in a ditch that most people would have assumed was a broken-down vehicle left on the side of the road. The vehicle did not appear to be damaged or otherwise left from a previous accident. They stopped and approached the vehicle when they noticed it was occupied, and the driver was slumped over in the driver’s seat. Lieutenant Rountree and Firefighter Kroll attempted to get the driver’s attention. The occupant did not respond and appeared to be in distress. The vehicle doors were locked, so Lieutenant Rountree went to the passenger side, broke out the window, and unlocked the doors to gain access to the driver. The
driver was not breathing and did not have a pulse. They requested an ambulance, pulled the driver from the vehicle, and began CPR. They applied the AED, delivered a shock, and placed an advanced airway. Within a few minutes, they were able to restore the driver’s
pulse. EMS arrived and transported the driver to the hospital.
These firefighters were on their way to a training assignment. They were not dispatched to the call. They observed a vehicle in the ditch, which otherwise would have been assumed to be an abandoned vehicle. This is what makes this situation more than a typical medical response for the fire department. Had Lieutenant Rountree and Firefighter Kroll passed the vehicle and continued to their training, the driver would have been found deceased at a later time. Their alertness and initiative allowed for
Successfully saving a life.
