First Responders Wow Community with Act of Generosity
Read how crewmembers helped a homeless woman with money out of their own pockets.
A group of first repsonders in Florida are being celebrated for their remarkable generosity..
It started last week in Broward County, when Fire Crew 37 received a call about a woman complaining of severe foot pain. Responding EMS workers found the woman with more than 10 bags and boxes of belongings, who said her feet hurt because she had been standing too long. She told the first responders she was looking after her mother, who had recently passed away, and had since been evicted from where her mother was staying.
The crew, who found the woman around 2 a.m., tried to make arrangements for her to find shelter for the night.
"We contacted Broward Sherrif's Office about a homeless outreach program we have, but that's only 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., so the service was unavailable," crewmember Daniel Rodriguez told Yahoo Lifestyle . "We couldn't go to a shelter because she had a dog with her. We were left with our hands tied."
But rather than give up, three of the crew members dug into their own pockets, and were able to pool enough money to put the woman and her dog up in a hotel room.
"We've never felt like this - all 3 of us unanimously felt compassion for this lady," says Rodriguez. "She was very appreciative, she cried with us, she talked with us about personal things. It wasn't just assistance, she also needed someone to talk to."
The crew loaded her on a stretcher due to her pain, and were able to get her safely checked in. They made sure to give her information on a number of local shelters and resources, and she told them her brother was coming into town to help her out.
"I always tell the crew that the saving of lives is expected, but when we do the unexpected - whether it's picking someone out in the rain and bringing them home or buying someone groceries, that's when we wow the community," District Chief Ken Kronheim told Yahoo.
Image Courtesy Broward County Sheriff's Office.