KINGDOM CITY, Mo. — A firefighter suffered a serious head injury while on a call Friday.
The News Tribune reported that North Callaway Fire Protection District volunteer firefighter Tim Hays was helping cut down a tree struck by lightning when his head was hit by a falling branch, according to Chief Lana Karhoff.
Hays was transported to the hospital, where he underwent surgery. Karhoff said he is now responding to verbal commands and is breathing on his own after a ventilator was removed, and he was even able to give a thumbs-up.
“He is still heavily sedated, letting his head heal,” Karhoff said. “Tomorrow they [may] reduce the sedation and let him wake up fully. We are very humbled by the outpouring from everyone and ask to keep up the prayers.”
Karhoff also thanked the Central Callaway Fire Department for their assistance with calls.
“They assisted us in responding to calls so that we could focus on Tim and his family,” she said. “We still had people responding, but we’re short-staffed because several of us were in Columbia. [Their] help took such a burden off of us, and I am just so thankful.”
A fundraiser was launched to help the Hays family with medical bills. Click here to donate.