In August of 2021, my crew & I responded to an arson fire after the Sheriff’s Office received a domestic call.

 

Once on scene, I discovered fire in the basement of the home, and it quickly began to grow. Black smoke filled the air, and the temperature rose with every second. I looked back at my crew and told everyone to immediately clear out; the fire had made the conditions too dangerous, and a flashover was eminent.

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I ended up being caught in the flashover as I was trying to leave the house, which caused me to become disoriented. I couldn’t leave the home on my own - I was pulled out of the flames by my crew members. The next thing I knew, I was being transported to Grady Memorial Hospital (Atlanta’s only ACS-verified Level I trauma and ABA-verified burn center) in downtown Atlanta, with second and third degree burns on my hands and back.

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I spent two weeks in the burn unit, having skin grafts done on all of the damaged tissue. I am thankful that I was discharged and able to recover at home. It was a long journey. I lost full mobility in my hands, which required a lot of occupational therapy to regain all that I had lost.

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During recovery, I saw the community come together to support me in a way I can barely describe in words. B.A.D.G.E. stepped in to cover my family’s bills and various other costs. Squad 4 of Atlanta Fire fed me while I was in the hospital, and Forsyth County Fire and other fire departments raised money to help my family make it through those difficult times.

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Since the incident, I have regained full function in my hands, and I returned to full duty after 8 months. I can’t say enough about the B.A.D.G.E. program and organization. Brenda Howell hand-delivered the check that helped me and my family through those times. I am proud to still be here today, doing what I love and helping others. I know that is only because of the support I received from beginning to end.