Story & Photos by Bob Bartosz

In late May, Montgomery County, Md., Firefighter Kevin Farmer was just finishing his tour of duty at Ladder Co. 12 in the Silver Springs area and was looking forward to heading south to Rocky Mount, N.C., to attend his annual family reunion. He also planned to celebrate his 37th birthday during his time off.

On May 30, Rocky Mount (N.C.) firefighters were dispatched to the Center City area for a gas leak. Engine Co. 6 responded to the gas leak and was one of the first units to be released from the scene.

Just as the Engine Co. 6 crew—Captain Michael Roupp, Fire Engineer Todd Joyner, Senior Firefighter Steven Coleman and Firefighter James Bridgers—started to head back to their station, they were dispatched to a local park for a cardiac emergency.

Engine Co. 6 was just a few blocks away, so they were on the scene in less than 2 minutes. Upon arrival, they found an adult male in cardiac arrest. The patient: Kevin Farmer. Firefighters immediately defibrillated and initiated CPR on Farmer. After 8 or 10 minutes of resuscitation efforts, Farmer’s breathing and pulse were restored. (All Rocky Mount firefighters are EMTs, and all of their apparatus are equipped with the latest basic life support equipment.)

The West Edgecombe Rescue Squad arrived on the scene with Paramedics Kenneth Campbell and Daniel Walker and initiated advanced life support. They continued care and transported Farmer to Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount.

Family members at the scene told Captain Roupp that Farmer was a firefighter and that he had responded to many of the same types of calls in Maryland. They thanked the firefighters for their quick action in saving his life.

Farmer was later transported to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C., where he stayed for a week and made a full recovery.

On June 6, Farmer called Rocky Mount Battalion Chief Larry Johnson to say that he had been released from the hospital and would like to stop by the station and thank the firefighters and paramedics for their efforts in saving his life.

Farmer later arrived at Station 6 for an emotional greeting and thank you. He was accompanied by his mother and his girlfriend who were also thrilled to meet with everyone. Captain Roupp presented him with some Rocky Mount Fire Department T-shirts and patches. Paramedic Kenneth Campbell presented him with one of his personal religious medals and wished him the best of luck in his recovery. Farmer told Johnson that he hopes to stop by each year to greet the Rocky Mount Fire Department personnel who saved his life.

Bob Bartosz has been taking fire photos for more than 55 years. In 1964, he was appointed official fire photographer for the Camden City (N.J.) Fire Department, where he served until last year, when he moved to Rocky Mount, N.C. He authored “Black & White and Red All Over” and “Tin Helmets Iron Men.”