December 29, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2004-38)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R. Steve Huffman
Public Information Officer
(251) 208-5806/Fax: (251) 208-5813
E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org
DECEMBER FIREFIGHTER OF THE MONTH
Firefighter Stony R. Burk, 31, has been selected as the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department's December Firefighter of the Month because of an incident that occurred during his off duty time. While he was traveling in rural Monroe County, Alabama he encountered a motorcycle accident involving a man who had driven off the road into a ravine. When he arrived the only people present were friends of the accident victim who had been following him and witnessed the accident. Firefighter Burk offered his assistance and quickly descended to the patient's position in the ravine. Burk was told 911 had been called and he directed the patient's girlfriend to hold c-spine (hold the head and neck to keep it from moving) while he did an initial assessment of the patient's injuries. The initial assessment revealed a broken left femur that had pierced the thigh, a pencil sized puncture in the lower left quadrant of the patient's abdomen, and an open wound on the patient's left shin. The patient's vital signs were good and he had a strong distal pulse at the left at the left ankle. Some local Volunteer Firefighters arrived on the scene and Burk identified himself as being with the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department and told them what equipment he needed but al they had on board was a backboard and some bandages. Not having the proper equipment or splints to treat the patient, Burk went to his truck where he happened to have a Sunday newspaper and was able to splint the patient's leg with that. He noticed had bled excessively when positioning it for splinting so he applied more bandages, secured the splint and made sure there was still a distal pulse. The bleeding stopped then. With the assistance of the bystanders and volunteers the patient was moved to the roadway until the ambulance arrived. Burk jumped in the back of the ambulance and road with the patient where he was taken to a nearby farmers field where he was picked up by Life Flight and taken to a Pensacola hospital for further treatment.
Burk has been with the department for almost 5 years and is also a member of the Army Reserve. Burk was deployed from January 2003 until October 2003 in the United States in support of the war in Iraq. The Pleasant Valley Optimist Club presented Burk the honor at a breakfast at the Tiny Diny Restaurant Wednesday morning, December 29, 2004. A picture of Burk can be found with this release on the department's website.
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