From West Tennessee Healthcare –

It started like so many calls do. On a Wednesday afternoon, West Tennessee Healthcare EMS was dispatched to what sounded like a routine medical emergency. An unconscious person.

Nothing in the 911 call suggested danger. An ambulance was sent, along with a supervisor, and the local Jackson Fire Department responded too, just like they always do when someone in our community needs help.

When the crews walked inside, they did what they are trained to do. They went straight to work.

But within moments, something was wrong.

Eyes began to burn. Throats started to sting. Breathing became harder. The responders realized quickly that something in the home was making people sick. They made the call to get themselves and the patient outside, even as they were still trying to provide care.

What no one knew at first was that a dangerous chemical gas had filled the space. A mix of common household products had created a toxic gas, something that can seriously harm the lungs and airways. There was no way for the crews to know that before they arrived. There was no warning. There was only a patient who needed help.

As the situation unfolded, more resources were sent. In the end, seven ambulances and multiple support vehicles were tied up in this one call. Two people from the home were patients. Several firefighters and EMS team members became patients too. Four EMS professionals were treated after being exposed while doing their jobs.

And still, the care never stopped.

One of the responders who had been doing chest compressions on the patient began having breathing trouble himself. Even then, he kept working until the patient was safely handed off at the hospital.

Others did the same. They were caregivers first, even while their own bodies were reacting to the exposure.

“This is what our folks do,” said Kevin Deaton, Director of EMS for West Tennessee Healthcare.

When something that looks like a normal call suddenly turns into something dangerous, they do not walk away. They step up.

At the hospital, another team was already moving. The Emergency Department had the right experts on the line and was ready before the first crews even arrived. Staff members had to change clothes. Equipment and ambulances had to be cleaned and made safe before they could go back into service. The fire department, hospital teams, and EMS worked side by side to make sure everyone was treated and protected.

Because of the exposure, some symptoms did not show up right away. Even after the scene had cleared, a few responders later came in to be checked when breathing problems started. It was a long night. But by midnight, all of the affected employees had been treated and released and continued follow-up care afterward.

Behind the scenes, this one call also showed how fragile the system can be. Several ambulances were out of service at once because they had to be decontaminated. Even so, the team made sure no emergency calls were missed. Other, less urgent transports were paused so the focus could stay where it mattered most.

James Fountain, VP of Operations for WTH – JMCGH with oversight of day-to-day operations that include EMS/ED, said incidents like this show just how quickly a call can change.

“There is no such thing as a routine call in emergency response,” Fountain said. “Our teams proved that day that even in dangerous, unpredictable situations, their focus stays where it belongs, on taking care of people and taking care of each other.”

What stands out most is not just the danger, or even the scale of the response. It is the heart of the people who answered the call.

In West Tennessee, EMS, fire departments, and hospital teams do not work individually. They work together. They train together. They show up for each other, whether it is a chemical exposure, a winter storm, or a patient who needs urgent care in the middle of the worst conditions.

This incident is also a reminder for all of us at home. Mixing household chemicals can be dangerous, even deadly. Most people are not trying to do something harmful. They are just trying to fix a problem and do not realize what can happen when certain products are combined.

For first responders, it is another reminder that every call carries unknowns. They walk into homes, ditches, wrecked cars, and back rooms. They crawl through glass and twisted metal.

They step into situations most of us would never want to face…and they do it for strangers.

On this day, the outcome was tragic for the patient. Several responders were hurt in the process.

After incidents like this, teams come together to review what went well and look for ways to improve. Patient and responder safety is always the top priority, and they continue to learn and prepare through training and strong teamwork.

And every single person involved did exactly what they signed up to do. They showed up. They stayed. They put others first.

That is what healthcare heroes look like in West Tennessee.

(PHOTO: West Tennessee Healthcare, EMS Jackson Fire Department – Emergency Teams Respond to Hazardous Chemical Call