A Tennessee firefighter recently comforted a new friend and was reminded in that moment why he chose a difficult and dangerous job. A photo of the fire captain cradling a young child after a car accident in which there were injuries went viral soon after he posted it on Facebook.
“It’s moments like this,” Capt. Chris Blazek of the Chattanooga Fire Department said, ” I am reminded, this is why I do the job.”
Blazek said he and a crew were dispatched to the scene of a highway car crash that involved the four-month-old little girl, her pregnant mom and two older children. The captain said the mother was in pain (she apparently suffered back and stomach injuries) and hysterical.
The two older children were fine, he said in his Facebook post, but the little one was upset. He said he examined the baby to check for injuries, and that his care had an instant impact. The little girl “immediately laid her head on my shoulder,” he wrote.
He said other firefighters had the scene under control, so he “decided to sit and take a break with my new friend.”
He and other firefighters stayed with the kids while their mom was transported for medical care. The firefighters waited until family members arrived to take the children.
The heartwarming image of the burly firefighter and tiny girl reminds us of the not only the rapid medical care first responders give to motor vehicle accident victims, but also the much-needed human touch they offer as well.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck caused by a distracted, drunk or otherwise negligent driver, contact an attorney experienced in personal injury litigation.