Eureka Police Chief Michael Werges on Jan. 6 honored local students Sam Heacox and Jake Yallaly for providing emergency medical services to a substitute teacher when he suffered a serious fall.
Werges said the two Eureka High School seniors demonstrated calmness, professionalism and initiative during the incident, which took place at South Technical High School. Both students are enrolled in the firefighter/EMT program at the school.
“These young men exemplify the values of service, leadership and preparedness we strive to foster in our community,” Werges said. “Their actions reflect credit upon themselves, their families, their schools and the city of Eureka.”
Heacox, 18, of Eureka and Yallaly, 18, of Union received the Chief’s Civilian Letter of Recognition on behalf of the Eureka Police Department at the Jan. 6 Board of Aldermen meeting. The two teens were joined by family, friends, fellow students and Eureka Fire Protection District crews. Both Yallaly and Heacox are members of Eureka Fire’s junior firefighter program.
Heacox said he “felt ecstatic” to receive the recognition, with Yallaly adding that the letter will look great on future job applications. Both students will be graduating from Eureka High and South Tech this spring.
“It just feels good that I was able to help out in the community,” Yallaly said.
Jumping into action
It was a normal school day in November when the incident occurred, Heacox said. Students in the firefighter/EMT class were studying for a new chapter at an outbuilding, separate from the main building on campus, he said. Other trades students were observing Spire technicians at work when a substitute teacher took a fall down a steep embankment, falling onto rocks and thorny bushes, Heacox said. The students ran to the outbuilding, looking for EMT students who could help the teacher, he said.
The teacher suffered multiple head and arm lacerations and was unconscious when Heacox, Yallaly and several other classmates found him on the scene.
“(The teacher) had agonal respiration, that’s what we call it in our EMT class. It’s not really breathing, but like shallow, fast breaths,” Heacox said. “One of the trade school kids was by his head, trying to keep his head elevated so he’s not resting on the rocks. He had a couple of good gashes on his forehead. He was bleeding pretty profusely from those, because your head’s so vascular. I yelled up the hill to grab a backboard and some gloves for us.
“It’s interesting because we had just finished our chapter on backboard and splinting, stabilizing victims.”
Yallaly said he and Heacox did a primary assessment on the teacher’s vital signs, then immediately wrapped his wounds the best they could with the supplies they had at the outbuilding, until the school nurse came down from the main building with more supplies. He said another student immediately called 911 when the teacher first fell.
Yallaly said he and Heacox gave the paramedics a full report when they arrived on scene and took over medical care for the teacher.
“It was definitely a little nerve-racking because, for a lot of us, this was our first experience with the EMT side of things,” Yallaly said. “We were thinking, ‘Oh, OK, we actually need to do what we’ve been taught.’
“It was a good experience as well to use what we’ve learned and actually see how it helps a patient,” he added. “You obviously don’t want anyone to get hurt, but when they do, we try our best to help them out.”
Heacox said one of the paramedics stayed outside with the students and commended them for their efforts in stabilizing the teacher.
“One of our counselors also gave us a talk,” Heacox said. “He knows that that’s a lot of stress that was just put on us, but we handled ourselves well in a professional manner. And then we just went back to class and kept studying.”
Junior firefighters
Werges said he was proud of the two students, adding that they serve as a positive example for the community. He told the Eureka firefighters that they are lucky to have the teens in their junior firefighting program.
“I’d love to have them, but they’re going to be great with you, too,” Werges said. “God forbid, if we need someone, hopefully they’ll be responding to our houses.”
Heacox and Yallaly have been junior firefighters since their freshman years in high school. Yallaly said the program provides real-world experiences, starting with a job interview at the beginning of the program.
Junior firefighters spend time with crew members, learning practical skills like how to use various pieces of equipment or provide CPR. Heacox said the junior firefighters also go on select calls with the firefighters, acting as “gophers,” grabbing anything the crews need during the emergency situation.
“I would encourage anybody who’s thinking about joining the fire service or any kind of public service to join the juniors,” Heacox said. “It’s a great experience booster, and it really opens your mind about public safety (and) how much Eureka Fire does for the community.”
Heacox and Yallaly said they plan on becoming firefighter/EMTs after graduating from high school. Heacox added that he’s also contemplating becoming a traveling nurse, but isn’t sure just yet.
Eureka Mayor Sean Flower said more people should look into the junior firefighting program and commended the students on taking classes at South Tech High to prepare themselves for a career in firefighting.
“I think it’s exciting,” he said. “We’re getting guys up here who are able to do important work right away.”
Heacox said he was a guard for the Eureka football team and participated in track and field. He is in the National Honor Society and recently found out he is an AP Scholar. He also works at Dickey Bub Farm & Home in the power equipment department.
Yallaly plays with Heacox for the Eureka Legion Post 177 Baseball Club. He works at the Legends Country Club and Dive Bomb Industries, which makes duck hunting gear.