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Firefighter-EMT dies while on the way to help Harvey victim

Brian Sumrall was on his way to give hay to a cattle owner who was impacted by the hurricane when he was hit by a truck

By FireRescue1 Staff

HOUSTON — A firefighter-EMT died Sunday while he was on the way to help a cattle owner who was impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Houston Chronicle reported that firefighter-EMT Brian Sumrall, with the Batson Volunteer Fire Department, was driving a tractor down the road when he was hit from behind by a truck driven by Joe Patton. Sumrall died at the scene after being ejected from the tractor.

“Brian would have done anything for anybody. It didn’t matter who it was,” Batson Chief Fred Yust said. “He would give you the shirt off his back. He was just that kind of guy.”

Sumrall was a veteran firefighter with the Houston Fire Department as well as a senior captain of Batson Volunteer Fire Department. He recently helped pull people from their flooded homes during Hurricane Harvey.

“Brian was an EMT, too. He and I rescued one woman who couldn’t get out of her house. She had medical problems, and Brian comforted her and kept taking her vitals until we could get her to a hospital,” Chief Yust said.

Sumrall also rescued animals that were stranded in the floodwaters and organized their food and care.

“We were still passing out hay and medicines he had helped collect. He was all about caring for the animals and taking care of everybody,” Chief Yust said.

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