Grand Haven Tribune
CROCKERY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — He fell into a 49-year-old fire officer, who was also shocked. That 30-year firefighting veteran was treated at the hospital and released later that night.
Officials declined to name either man.
The younger firefighter “will obviously be off work for a while,” Crockery Township Fire Chief Gary Dreyer said during a follow-up press conference Tuesday afternoon.
The 30-year veteran planned to be back at work today, the chief said.
“He was told to take 24 hours,” Dreyer said.
Dreyer reviewed the circumstances of the evening call that included the electrocution death of 43-year-old Jason Bearup at the man’s 11845 Apple Drive home in Crockery Township.
Bearup stayed home Monday to work on his house. Work included the use of a lift device with a long forked arm.
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Capt. John Wolffis said at some point during the day, it appeared Bearup was operating the lift — which he owned — when the long arms came in contact with primary power lines.
Bearup was electrocuted and fell from the vehicle onto the ground, where his wife found him upon her return home from work at about 5:50 p.m. Monday.
It is unknown how long Bearup had been laying there, Wolffis said. The lift machine was still running.
Despite the man’s wife and firefighters’ efforts to revive him, Bearup was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our hearts are with all of the families involved,” Dreyer said during his Tuesday press conference.
While the seriousness of what happened continues to sink in, Dreyer said he appreciates all the support he and his department have received.
What happened
Firefighters responded from their station and were on the scene within five minutes of the call, Wolffis said.
“It was an ordinary medical call,” Dreyer said.
He noted that firefighters initially didn’t know the case involved anything electrical.
“The initial reports were a subject not breathing,” Dreyer said. “Further update was that CPR was in progress.”
Dreyer said firefighters saw a woman performing CPR and immediately proceeded with patient care.
“Usually as you approach, you look for signs of danger,” Dreyer said. But with the bystander there unaffected they concentrated on helping the patient.
“We had five personnel on the scene when one received the shock,” Dreyer said.
Officials believe an arc of electricity jumped from the lift, which was still touching the power lines, over to the firefighter as he changed position and stepped closer to the machine.
He fell forward and onto another firefighter, spreading the shock to him, too, Dreyer said.
“Two personnel pulled away to work on him,” the fire chief said.
Two people continued to work on the original patient and a call for extra help was made.
The injured firefighter was in cardiac arrest. The AED on the scene was being used on the original patient.
Fortunately, one of the fire officers had an older AED unit in his personal vehicle. That was retrieved and two shocks later, the injured firefighter had a pulse.
That man was talking later Monday night.
“He just can’t wait to get home,” Dryer said.
The chief said they are waiting for a final report, which they will review.
“Once we get the results, we’ll address those,” he said.
At that time, they can work toward improved safety and prevention measures, he added.
In the meantime, the chief is required to file a work injury report with OSHA.
When asked if he considered his firefighters heroes, Dreyer said “they would say they are not doing anything besides their calling.”
“I think their actions were outstanding, exemplary,” he added. “All of our personnel that responded yesterday basically responded exemplary.”
Both injured firefighters said they planned to continue with their work.
Dreyer said the fire department is like a second family to the firefighters.
“This hits close to home,” he said. “It’s a very difficult situation – probably the most difficult in my 24 years in the fire service I’ve had to face.”
Dreyer has been Crockery Township Fire Chief for 11 years.
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