By Rebecca Palmer
The Deseret Morning News
SANDY, Utah — Ken Jackson volunteered to serve in the special forces in Vietnam in 1964 and still is suffering emotionally from leaving behind a friend killed by enemy machine guns.
After returning to the states, Jackson spent more than two decades as a deputy with the sheriff’s office in Park County, Colo., before his love for Utah’s mountains brought him back to the Beehive State.
Recently, the gregarious veteran got paid back for his years of service by a trio of Sandy firefighters who went above and beyond the call of duty.
At almost 64 years old, Jackson can barely walk and is largely confined to his basement apartment on 1700 East.
He has to use oxygen tubes 24 hours a day and spends much of that time surfing the Web on a flat-screen television in his living room.
All of that makes Jackson very concerned about safety, so he called Sandy’s fire prevention hotline and asked for help with a fire extinguisher and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Sandy officials, who work with Lowe’s to provide free detectors to needy residents, told Jackson they couldn’t help him with an extinguisher but would send firefighters right over.
“This is one thing the fire department really works on is customer service,” explained Sandy Fire Deputy Chief Bruce Kline. “You don’t have to be hurt or have a house fire for the fire department to come and help.”
After checking the apartment and installing a carbon monoxide detector, firefighters Chris Welch and Mike Kessel and engineer Tim Patterson sat down for a visit.
Soon, however, they returned with a fire extinguisher in hand.
“It’s always better to arrive and have someone to talk to rather than find someone lying on the floor,” Kessler said.
Even days later, Jackson was almost brought to tears by the act of kindness.
“I was humbled,” he said. “I didn’t really question where they got it from. I was grateful.”
Later, Jackson learned that the city fire prevention specialist had provided the extinguisher, although doing so isn’t part of city policy.
While the firefighters were especially glad to help a veteran and former law enforcer, each said he got into the business to help people and would do the same for any Sandy resident.
“We didn’t do anything different than any other crew would do on any given day,” Patterson said.
Ready with a quick smile and fervent brown eyes, Welch agreed. “It’s in our personalities,” he said. “I do it because I love it.”
Monday, Jackson is scheduled to visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center for surgery that will leave him immobile for six weeks.
“Really, let us know if you need anything,” Patterson said on the way out the door.
Copyright 2010 The Deseret News Publishing Co.