Above and beyond

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Mat Pellegrino

Midway Fire District firefighters went above and beyond the call of duty Monday when they responded to an emergency medical call in Navarre and helped finish a job that one man set out to do.
Firefighters and Lifeguard Ambulance were called out to that emergency at home located at the 6400 block of Watermark Cove in Gulf Breeze early that morning. The homeowner reported to dispatch that their lawn care vendor, who was doing yard work for them, had been stung by a bee.
When EMS arrived, they learned the man was suffering from Anaphylaxis, a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction caused by the sting.
When Midway firefighters from “B shift” responded to the medical call, they knew they had a job to do. And that was to make sure the patient was OK. But they also knew that the lawn maintenance man had a job to do, but he was just unable to finish it.
So the firefighters finished it for him.
After treating the man, firefighters got behind the man’s mower and finished the job he set out to do.
They mowed the lawn, and even blew off excess yard clippings from the homeowner’s driveway.
When they were finished, they loaded the man’s equipment on his trailer and secured it for him.
When Midway Fire District Chief Jonathan Kanzigg heard about the kind gesture, he told South Santa Rosa News, it wasn’t unusual for his men to go above and beyond.
“They help people with flat tires, they help build wheelchair ramps for people who identify they have a need for one…they always give back to the community,” Kanzigg said.
The chief said there were three firefighters aboard Engine 37, which responded to the scene.
“They did what they set out to do,” Kanzigg said. “They treated him, they finished doing his yard work, secured his equipment and went on their way.”