Blog: City Blog

Firefighters Honored for Freeing Teenager, Saving His Finger

Congratulations to the five City firefighters with Engine 1 and Rescue 1, who last summer freed a 19-year-old man whose finger had gotten stuck in the frame support of his truck. The firefighters were able to spare the teen from losing his index finger.

For their actions, Capts. Cecil Risden and Jack Lay, Master Firefighters Matt Beavers and Rusty Jenkins, and Senior Firefighter Jacob Mason were honored today as Firefighters of the 3rd Quarter 2016.

From left: Chief Stan Sharp, Capt. Cecil Risden, Capt. Jack Lay, Master Firefighter Matt Beavers, Master Firefighter Rusty Jenkins, Senior Firefighter Jacob Mason, and Mayor Madeline Rogero

From left: Chief Stan Sharp, Capt. Cecil Risden, Capt. Jack Lay, Master Firefighter Matt Beavers, Master Firefighter Rusty Jenkins, Senior Firefighter Jacob Mason, and Mayor Madeline Rogero

The firefighters used a metal saw to remove part of the frame support and free the patient enough to be transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center’s emergency room via Rural/Metro Ambulance – albeit with the piece of metal still attached. As doctors were preparing to amputate the victim’s finger, Rescue 1 team members Risden and Beavers attempted one final time to separate the metal from flesh. With hydraulic spreaders and a band saw, they were able to cut the frame near the lodged finger, then carefully used the spreaders to push the metal far enough apart to safely remove the young man’s finger.

Mayor Rogero hands proclamations to Firefighters of the 3rd Quarter honorees.

This incident reminds us that our Fire Department does so much, day in and day out, to keep us safe and out of harm’s way, Mayor Madeline Rogero said.

"These sorts of mishaps happen all the time," she said, citing as an example the rescue last week of an electrical subcontractor who'd slipped and gotten stuck dangling from a utility pole at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. "Thank goodness for KFD. If not for the Fire Department, who would rescue us when we have these kinds of accidents?

"It’s reassuring to know that, when we’re in a world of trouble, the men and women of KFD will be there to help."

In 2016, the Fire Department responded to more than 23,000 calls for emergency service and provided EMS staffing at 250 different special events. Firefighters also provided CPR training to 2,930 people; fire safety education to 15,203 students; and fire extinguisher training to 848 students. Last year, the 100,000th student visited the Fire Safety House.

Posted by evreeland On 20 February, 2017 at 5:55 PM