By Elizabeth Roman
The Republican
Copyright 2007 The Republican
All Rights Reserved
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A firefighter who was in Mercy Medical Center after being injured on the job left his hospital bed on Saturday to help extinguish a blaze in a nearby room.
Ludlow firefighter William J. Dubuque, 31, was brought to Mercy after suffering an asthma attack from chlorine fumes he breathed while fighting a shed fire.
That same night, a patient at Mercy took off his oxygen mask and lit a cigarette, which started a fire, according to a spokesman at the hospital, where smoking is prohibited. “I heard the code red on the intercom, and I just jumped up and out into the hall,” Dubuque said. “There was thick black smoke and people running around.
“The nurses probably thought I was a mental patient. Here I am - this bald guy with tattoos - running around in a johnny asking the nurses where the fire is,” he said.
Dubuque spotted a former co-worker, Joseph J. Komendecki, a respiratory therapist and emergency medical technician.
Komendecki and Quentin Jones, a personal care technician at the hospital, had already entered the room with a fire extinguisher.
“Code red drills are common for the station, just so everyone is always prepared, but a code red in a room was unusual,” Komendecki said.
“I came around the corner and nurses were closing doors and getting patients safely out of the area. Quentin went in with a fire extinguisher, and he extinguished the fire on the bed. Then he handed it over to me and I saw the chair and the wall were still lit. I tried to extinguish those and get out of the room,” Dubuque said. The patient already had left the room on his own.
“The fire was already out when we arrived,” said Springfield Fire Department spokesperson Dennis G. Leger. “There was $25,000 in damages to the single room, but no injuries.”
Dubuque said the nursing staff was responsible for keeping everyone safe.
“It was amazing what they did. Everyone was just working together,” he said.
“We feel our staff did a wonderful job staying calm and professional,” said Sharon Adams-Babineau, vice president of patient care services at Mercy. “We have extensive training for emergency situations and the staff worked quickly and got everyone out safely.”
As for Dubuque, “It’s just part of the job,” he said. “Crazy stuff is always happening to me.”
Several years ago, while cleaning up after a fire in Ludlow he was struck by a motor vehicle. He was sore, but otherwise fine.
Last fall while off-duty, he stumbled upon a structure fire near his home and jumped into the building to see if there was anyone inside. Everybody was safe, so Dubuque jumped out a window. Again he was sore, but fine.
Dubuque grew up in Palmer and attended Springfield College where he received a bachelor’s degree in emergency medical technology.
He served as a volunteer firefighter in Palmer for five years before joining the Ludlow Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic eight years ago.
Ludlow Fire Chief Charles P. Chaconas, said he remembers appointing Dubuque.
“Bill is a very hard worker. He’s one of those types of people who is always looking for something to do.”
The staff at Mercy is back to business as usual, while Dubuque, of Ludlow, said he is looking forward to taking a few days off to spend with his children William Dubuque Jr., 4, and Adianna Dubuque, 2.
“I was just a small part of stopping the hospital fire. I didn’t really do much. I just always happen to be where things are happening,” he said.
Ludlow firefighter William J. Dubuque stands in front of a fire truck at fire headquarters in Ludlow on Monday.