Jacksonville firemen help sick passenger on flight

Group headed to Las Vegas steps up when passenger is in distress

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Some Jacksonville firefighters on their way to a bachelor party in Las Vegas helped rescue a patient on their flight who needed emergency medical attention.

They took off Tuesday and were on the second leg of their trip, flying from Houston to Nevada, when a call came over the PA system asking for anyone with medical training.

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The groom-to-be, Jason Kerr, and his friends stepped forward to take care of a 41-year-old man who was in some serious trouble in the air.

"He was very ashen gray," Kerr said. "His lips were purple and he had no radial pulse. Once we took his blood pressure his blood pressure was very low, so we were really (thinking) he wasn't getting the proper oxygenation or profusion, so something cardiac-related was going on."

But Kerr and his buddies were able to stabilize the man, giving him an IV and oxygen, so the plane was able to land in Las Vegas, where the firefighters handed their patient over to local EMS workers.

"I've been a fireman for 23 years, and you're a fireman 24-7," Kerr said. "There's over a thousand firefighters that protect the citizens of Jacksonville. If there was seven different guys going to Vegas today, you'd be talking to them. It's what we do."

Kerr said after the flight, the firefighters met the pilot and all got United Gold Wings, so they're official pilots of the plane now.


About the Author:

Emmy-nominated journalist Kristin Cason joined the News 6 team in June 2016.