Austin firefighters help unload family's trailer after dad overheated
AUSTIN, Texas - A crew of Austin firefighters went above and beyond their call for duty when they helped a family unload their trailer after the father became overheated trying to do it himself.
"It's really hot outside and we'll get calls for people that are dehydrated and overexerted themselves. This was that type of call," said Austin Fire Lt. Alex Vanegas.
It was a typical summer day for the Austin Fire Department’s Engine 28 A-shift crew this past weekend when they got a call that someone had overheated.
When the crew of four arrived on scene, they met Jacentia Lewis and her boyfriend, both U.S. Army veterans, along with their 10-month-old baby boy who all just moved to Austin from Kansas. EMS was treating her boyfriend who had become overheated while trying to unload their family’s U-Haul into their new third floor apartment.
"He was just working really hard, and he had got dehydrated and exhausted," said Jacentia Lewis.
EMS gave the fire crew the 'all clear' once they had the situation under control, but Firefighter David Brooks says he couldn't leave right away. "I noticed that the apartment was empty so I brought it up to my Lieutenant, like they’ve got a full trailer, we should probably help them unload it," said Brooks.
Lt. Vanegas and the crew were all onboard to help this family especially after seeing the baby boy.
"We didn't want the baby to not have a crib to sleep in so I said, ‘Hey, we're going to leave, but within the next couple of hours, we'll be back and we're going to unload the U-haul for you’," said Lt. Vanegas.
That’s exactly what this crew did. They carried all the furniture up one by one until the U-haul was empty.
"It's not part of our job, but as the fire department, we're here for them," said Lt. Vanegas.
The whole job only took them only about 20 minutes. "It was really just a relief. We just moved here, and these guys are just able to help us, and just seeing them move everything, it was just like, wow, I'm just so happy that they're able to help us," said Lewis
To this mom, she says it meant the world for them to do this. "We're just truly, truly grateful that they were able to do that for us," she said.
To the firefighters, they say it was just the right thing to do. "We all have the same mindset that the people come first. The community comes first," said Brooks.
The Austin Fire Department's good deeds do not stop there. Wednesday, Station 48 helped a mom and her three kids after their car broke down a quarter of a mile away from their home. The firefighters hooked up their car to the station's brush truck and towed their car home.
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