Affton Fire District Sends Four Rescue Techs and Two Paramedics to Joplin

On May 23 four St. Louis Metro Strike Teams were deployed to Joplin, MO to assist with USAR (Urban Search And Rescue) efforts. St. Louis Metro Strike Teams 1, 2, 3 and 5 organized and responded. (STLM ST1 – St. Charles; STLM ST2 – St. Louis City; STLM ST3 – St. Louis County; STLM ST5 – Jefferson/Franklin County.) Along with three other rescue technicians from the Affton Fire District, Aaron Rhodes, James Castro and Scott Manning, I quickly packed my gear and 72 hour bag into the District’s Rescue Truck and reported to Six Flags’ parking lot. (The District had already sent an ambulance and two paramedics, Medical Officer Don Woolem and Jordan Levinson, to Joplin with an ambulance strike force.)

Patch reporters Andrew Hudson and Sarah Flagg have already written exceptional articles on the details of our deployment, so I won’t go into that. However, two things do stick out in my mind after having a few days to readjust to being back in St. Louis and time to reflect on our deployment.

First, I must say the people of Joplin had a profound effect on us. We went down there to help them, and they were right there helping us! By 10 a.m. Tuesday pickup trucks and vans lined the streets filled with water, supplies and food. Whole families, young and old, all piled in vehicles, were handing out water and food to us and anyone who might be in need. In the middle of all this destruction and despair there was no fighting, no arguing, just neighbors helping neighbors. If that wasn’t enough, it seemed that they spent more time thanking us for being there than anything else. They were some of the most gracious and kind people I’ve met. We were humbled and honored to be there serving them.

Second, I’ve never been so proud of the men and women who continue to prove the fire service to be one of the most generous, selfless and noble professions in the world. Our teams, and teams from across the state, had hundreds of firefighters, rescue technicians and paramedics ready to leave their families behind and travel into an extremely dangerous environment for an undetermined amount of time in mere minutes. Once in the field the operations kept everyone busy and exhausted. USAR operations are technical and precise but after each area was cleared our assignments ended up being much more about our interactions with the residents of the areas we searched. I watched members of our team recover countless sentimental items for residents who had lost everything. Time in rehab was spent listening to the sad stories of families and offering any help we could manage. Our strike team members used every last ounce of energy until they were recalled and pulled out for the day. The men and women who made that immediate commitment in Joplin’s time of need should be commended along with the administrations that supported them. Helping others without limits or boundaries is what the fire service is about. I am proud to be a part of it.

Captain Ben Waser
Affton Fire Protection District