The Anniston Star
ALEXANDRIA, Ala. — First responders are trained to protect life and property, but an Alexandria volunteer firefighter recently added lawn care to his list of duties following a medical emergency.
Members of the Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department were working a fundraiser last weekend when they received an urgent call from a fellow firefighter. The off-duty member was driving with a friend and noticed a resident slumped over a lawnmower.
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The volunteer crew rushed to the home to find the woman suffering from a heat-related illness. Alexandria Fire Chief Jonathon Patterson said the team moved the patient to the porch and provided initial care before Piedmont Rescue arrived to transport her to a hospital.
As the ambulance pulled away and the crew prepared to pack up their gear, the lawnmower sat abandoned in the middle of the partially cut yard.
That is when Lt. Colton Brown stepped in.
Knowing heavy rain was forecast for the coming week, Brown realized the following day was likely the last chance the family would have to finish the chore. He told Patterson he was going to move the mower out of the way, but ultimately decided to finish the job.
“I thought, I’m just going to go ahead and finish this yard, and make sure when she comes back home, the family doesn’t have to worry about it, and she doesn’t have to worry about it either,” Brown said.
It took Brown about 30 minutes to complete the yard work.
Patterson, who has worked alongside Brown for more than a decade, said this type of behavior is entirely in character for the lieutenant.
“Colton, he’s a really good guy,” Patterson said. “He’s got a heart of gold. That’s for sure. He is willing to help anybody, willing to do anything. I’ve never known him not to help anybody.”
Brown, who joined the department in 2011, deferred the praise to his fellow firefighters and called the emergency response a “huge team effort.” He noted that the primary goal in his field is always to protect life and property, but sometimes the job requires a more personal touch.
“We’ll try to do what we can to help anybody that’s having a rough day,” Brown said.
Patterson noted that acts of service are the foundation of the volunteer department, which relies on individuals who sacrifice time with their own families to answer the call for neighbors in distress.
“You have to have a good heart, and you have to want to do it,” Patterson said.
While the fire department does not receive official updates on a patient’s condition after the person is handed over to ambulance personnel, Brown said he believes the woman is doing well.
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