Firefighters honored for saving man’s life

Published 6:03 am Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Carlyss Fire Chief Mark Ware held a special ceremony to present Capt. Joshua Lowry, Firefighter Operator Aaron Leslie, Firefighter Operator Jason Willis, Capt. Steven Scalia and Paramedics Joseph Sylvester and Miki Sieford with life-saving award pins.

September 2019 Carlyss Firefighters responded to a call regarding a traffic accident at La. Hwy. 27 and 108. They found a man ejected from his vehicle with lacerations covering most of his body.

When Paramedic Joseph Sylvester arrived at the scene, the man’s eyes were closed, and he wasn’t responsive. Then he spoke, startling Sylvester and Miki Sieford, an Emergency Medical Technician who recently finished her paramedic training.

“At the time, looking at the extent of his injuries I thought, if the injuries don’t get him, the infection will,” Sylvester admitted.

After 19 surgeries, including the removal of his left leg above the knee because of infection, 59-year-old Randy Francis is very much alive thanks to the quick response and recently completed medical trauma training of the Carlyss Fire Department.

“There were times I asked myself why, times I asked God why,” Francis said.

His wife, Sonja, said there were times he wanted to give up because of the pain.

Francis is glad he can still fish in a boat geared out for one leg. His humor is intact.

“I can’t sit too long,” he said, adjusting himself in a metal folding chair at the Carlyss Fire Station waiting for the event to begin. I don’t have a butt any more…no, seriously.”

He cuts his eyes sideways with a grin and explains that he didn’t have much skin left after being thrown out of the car. He said to imagine a cheese grater at work on human skin. Many of the surgeries were skin grafts. He pulled up the pants leg on his remaining calf to show the patchwork.

Francis doesn’t remember the accident, startling the paramedics, arriving at the hospital or the life-saving measures taken by the Carlyss firefighters. “We had just purchased special medical trauma equipment and completed the training the day before we got the call,” said Firefighter Instructor Jason Willis.

“The firefighters’ quick response, the equipment and the skills are the reason he’s still here,” his wife Sonja Francis said. “There wasn’t much left to work with.”

She said that she is also grateful for the person who called the fire department.

“So many things could have gone differently,” she said.

First responders seldom follow up on patients.

“The case really pulled at me,” Willis said. “It’s not typical to see the people we treat again, but for some reason I decided to reach out.”

At the hospital, Francis was semi conscious and intubated. Three ribs were broken. Vertebrae were broken and one of his lungs collapsed.

After his surgeries and recovery, COVID restrictions and hurricanes, Francis did his own reaching out to express his appreciation and agreed to be present for the award ceremony.

During the presentation, Carlyss Firefighter Aaron Leslie told how Capt. Steven Scalia “just would not stop with this training. Now we talk about why we didn’t have this equipment all along.”

“This department made a large investment in some training equipment to provide a life-saving service,” Scalia said.

Getting everyone on board with the expense wasn’t smooth sailing.

“It did pay off, Scalia said.

“In my eyes, they always have been heroes,”the chief said. “We are a small fire district and this incident is just one example of the Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Educational excellence (PRIDE) these men and women exhibit on a daily basis. This call will be forever etched in the minds of these firefighters, knowing that the countless hours they spent in training and preparation allowed them to have the knowledge, skills and abilities to save a life. These individuals, many of them Type A and very competitive, came together as one unit.”

“I don’t have the words,” Francis said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and the Lord Jesus. Life is a gift.”