SMFD Saves Another Life!

Written by Bob Barbieri

Members of our volunteer fire departments do many things besides fight fires and respond to ambulance calls. In a recent column, we talked about their commitment to supporting our troops. In Nassau County they spearhead Operation Wounded Warrior and provide hundreds of pounds of goodies to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan through Adopt a Battalion. There is variety in their role as life savers as well.

Sunday, June 13. As the Sunday drill was winding down and members were storing their gear, a car drove onto the ramp at the Stewart Manor Fire Department headquarters on Covert Avenue. A young family in the car was evidencing a high degree of anxiety. The driver got out and excitedly told the members that there was a “purr” in the engine compartment. One of the astute volunteers remarked that, “it’s a BMW, they are supposed to purr”. “NO, NO, not like that” said the driver, “it sounds like a cat!”

The conversation continued, What are you trying to say? I think there is a cat trapped in the engine compartment; it’s been there for 3 days, we can’t get it out. You only hear it when the car is moving. Sure enough, with the hood now open and the car rolling back and forth, a cat’s meowing and purring were heard. The exact location remained in doubt. Out came the tool boxes, screw drivers, pliers, socket wrenches, what are you doing with a hammer? “Please trust us”, said Fred Powell. George Keyloun added “we really know what we are doing”. The rescue progressed. Obviously the car owners were animal lovers and willing to take great financial risks to save a cat.

Assistant Chief Jeff Hammond started at the front bumper assembly removed a few items but the cat was not in there. Frustrated with the misguided rescue attempts, the cat started to whine. It became clear that it was somewhere further back. Ah ha, here in the pan under the engine. With Hammond on the ground under the car, off came a few more parts and there was the kitten. A TINY kitten!

After a quick and successful reassembly of the car, the family took the kitten to a vet, and returned with the good news that the little guy was OK. That’s when FF/EMT George Keyloun said that his family would like to adopt it. The happy ending!

While this column is meant to be light, the volunteers do not take any rescue lightly and they get many positive feelings when they save any living thing. This writer recalls a few years ago when he and Diane Fairben, EMT/FPFD, were standing by at the command center at a house fire in Bellerose Village that a firefighter brought out a cat that looked like a drowned toy. It was soaking wet, cold, covered in soot including its nostrils from smoke inhalation, and showing few signs of life. The EMTs put the cat on an adult non-rebreather mask, revived it with oxygen, cleaned it up and returned it to the home owners. Much of the house and contents were damaged but the family had their beloved pet and that was a very positive outcome on that not so great day. For the rescuers it felt good and compensated to some degree for the many not so positive outcomes.

Back to the BMW/kitten story: the Keyloun’s have named the kitten with 9 lives (+or- 1 or 2) Beemer Stewart, he’s 4 weeks old, weighs 1lb. 2oz. and is keeping them up nights with hourly feedings. You can’t make this stuff up!

Please join your volunteer fire department.