DUNEDIN, Fla. — Two Dunedin Fire Rescue firefighters pulled a resident from a burning home on Oct.14 and began advanced life support before the patient was airlifted to a burn center in critical condition, officials said.
First to arrive, Firefighter/Paramedic AJ Gonzales and Firefighter/EMT Makayla Bowers encountered heavy smoke, visible flames and reports of an occupant trapped inside, the department said on social media. After a brief size-up, the pair entered with a set of irons and a three-gallon water can, conducting a directed search toward the victim’s last known location.
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They found the resident in a rear bedroom and removed the person as fire conditions worsened and debris fell.
Outside, crews initiated life-saving care, including intubation and administration of a Cyanokit for suspected smoke inhalation, before a medical helicopter transported the patient.
The department said rescues of this kind are uncommon. Gonzales serves as a field training officer overseeing paramedic training and quality assurance; Bowers has been with the department for less than a year.
Do your ambulances carry structural firefighting gear — SCBA, forcible-entry tools (e.g., irons), and a water can/extinguisher? Why or why not, and how do you store and train for it?
