February 09, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2011-21)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
R. Steve Huffman
Public Information Officer
(251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861
E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org
MOBILE FIRE CAPTAIN RECEIVES HONORS
Mobile Fire-Rescue Captain, Gary Holbein, 43, a twenty-year veteran of the department and a fire investigator assigned to the department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention, has been selected by three organizations to be the 2010 Firefighter of the year. On Wednesday morning, February 9 Holbein received the honor from the Pleasant Valley Opportunity Club. Earlier, Holbein received the local, district and state Firefighter of the year from the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 49 and the State VFW. Those awards will be presented at a later City Council meeting. Holbein will represent the State of Alabama VFW at the National Conference for the National Firefighter of the Year.
On July 10, 2010, Gary and his wife were visiting friends in Pensacola for the Blue Angels air show. It was a beautiful day to be out in the boat. But, as the end of the day drew near, they decided it was time to head into shore.
After dropping off a few of their friends on the shoreline behind their condo, they were headed back out in the water to pick up one more person before heading into the dock. As they made their way out, they heard people shouting to their right. They thought maybe it was just some boaters still having fun; just like all the other boats that were out on the water that day. But as Gary looked over to the boat in the direction of the screaming, it was not an act of fun they were watching, but that of pure pandemonium.
The people on the boat were waving their hands in the air, jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs...anything to attract attention and get help. Gary and his wife looked in amazement that not one boat that was passing them had stopped to help.
Gary immediately headed over to the boat and as his boat crept closer to theirs, they soon realized how serious the situation was. The people on the boat were trying to pull a man out of the water. When they got close enough to the boat, Gary and his friend Matt, jumped off the boat onto theirs and helped pull the man out of the water.
It was apparent the man was not breathing due to the purple discoloration of his skin and he had no pulse. The friends of the man told them that he had been under water for a long time before they knew where he was.
Gary immediately started CPR as his friend and another bystander assisted. His wife stood in awe as she watched Gary take control of the situation. He was so calm but assertive, like he had done this thousands of times before.
By this time, a marine policeman pulled up alongside the boat and helped them get the man onto the flat bed of the patrol boat to take him to shore. The marine police had already called for EMS and were on their way. Gary continued CPR all the way to the dock, never giving up until EMS arrived to take over. They were able to revive the man in the boat before they made it to the dock and he was breathing on his own.
Gary’s action, not only in performing life saving CPR, but in the rescue and taking control of the scene, played a huge role in the positive outcome for this man and speaks to the quality of men and women on this department and particularly to the abilities of Captain Gary Holbein.
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