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WEST JORDAN — Firefighters are always on the move, protecting property and saving lives. But sometime the things they do that are not part of the job make a huge difference for a family.
A West Jordan man is saying thanks to the city’s firefighters for their “above and beyond” effort earlier this year that enabled his wife to be with him at the hospital during a medical emergency.
Kirk Gates said three firefighters fixed his disabled minivan — the couple’s only vehicle — when he grew ill and couldn’t complete the job himself.
“I wanted her there [at the hospital], and to have her there and what they did to make sure she was there was just beyond anything I could ever imagine,” Gates said.
Gates said he was attempting to put a trailer hitch on the minivan in January when he became extremely dizzy and had to stop work in the garage and go inside his house.
I looked at the car and it was just like, 'this will just take a few minutes to get it fixed and back on the road.'
–Capt. Mike Bain
“I passed out on the floor first, and then I got up and I passed out on the couch,” Gates said.
Family members said Gates passed out several times during the ordeal.
The West Jordan City Fire Department crew — comprised of Capt. Mike Bain, engineer Zack Sumner and firefighter Collin Steele — quickly arrived on scene, determined Gates needed to go to the hospital, and got him into an ambulance.
Their job, it turned out, had only just begun.
“We noticed that the wife had no means of transportation,” Bain said. “The muffler and a few other parts were uninstalled on the vehicle.”
Bain quickly got to work with Sumner at his side, handing him tools.
“I looked at the car and it was just like ‘this will just take a few minutes to get it fixed and back on the road,” Bain said. “I believe that with the stress that was going on with the call and everything and worry about her husband, I don’t think [Gates’ wife] could have done it. So, it was something I felt like that we could step in and help out and get her going on her way.”
When Steele walked into the garage, he was surprised at what he witnessed.
“I think [Capt. Bain] set a really good example for all of us to always go above and beyond and help someone out who needs help,” Steele said.
Bain said he used to “love” working on cars, but hadn’t had time for it recently.
“That’s just kind of part of our job and that’s what we do day-in and day-out — just go and help people, whether it’s fixing their car or giving them a ride to the hospital,” Sumner said.
When Gates’ wife arrived at the hospital, he was also surprised.
I think (Capt. Bain) set a really good example for all of us to always go above and beyond and help someone out who needs help.
–Collin Steele
“At first, I’m like, ‘wait, the firefighters!?’” Gates recalled. “She said, ‘yeah, the firefighters finished the job, bolted the muffler and everything back up so I could come up here.’”
Gates said the firefighters did good repair work, too.
“I was kind of wondering if they would have missed a bolt, but they didn’t,” Gates said. “They didn’t even miss a bolt. They bolted everything back up just like it was supposed to be.”
Words, Gates said, can’t describe his gratitude.
“They kicked into gear and went above and beyond — way beyond — their duty to do something like that so she could be up there with me, because I wanted her there,” Gates said. “They’re unsung heroes to me, because they just came in and did the job without any expectation of recognition whatsoever.”
