Even when they are off duty, many emergency-response people find themselves performing life-saving skills.

Alan McCutcheon, a Washington firefighter/EMT and others, did just that Thursday night in Greenville after leaving the football game between East Carolina University and the University of Central Florida. Washington and Greenville officials are hailing McCutcheon as a lifesaver. McCutcheon’s life-saving effort is expected to be recognized by the Washington City Council during its meeting Monday evening, according to City Manager Brian Alligood.

McCutcheon, during a brief interview Friday, said he’s not a hero, just a firefighter/EMT who loves his profession because it allows him to help people. His wife assisted him Thursday night.

“We were doing what we love to do. That’s why we do what we do — because we love to help people. Nowhere near being a hero; that’s for sure. It’s all left in God’s hands; that’s for sure,” McCutcheon said.

McCutcheon’s effort was brought to the attention of Washington officials by Chad Edwards, a master patrol officer with the ECU Police Department in a letter he wrote to Robbie Rose, chief of the city’s Fire-Rescue-EMS Department. Edwards wrote: “I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to Washington FF/EMT-I Alan McCutcheon. As he and his wife were leaving the ECU football game on 12/04/14 they came upon the scene of a motor vehicle crash that had just occurred on Charles Blvd. One of the drivers was unresponsive in the roadway and Greenville Fire-Rescue had an extended response time due to heavy game day traffic. Mr. McCutcheon assisted other medical personnel by starting chest compressions. He remained on the scene until the incident was under adequate control.”

The man, whose identity is unclear, is recovering at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, according to the letter.

Rose said McCutcheon’s effort reflects well on the department.

“Our motto is “Dedicated to serve and trained to save.’ I think this just goes right back to that,” Rose said.

Alligood also said McCutcheon’s effort reflects well on Washington’s firefighters/EMTs.

“It reflects on the outstanding folks we have who work for the City of Washington. It just says a lot about the great people who work here, that they are committed to not only doing their job here but helping others wherever they need to. It’s absolutely incredible. They just did a fantastic job. You couldn’t ask for anything better,” he said.

Edwards noted that Greenville fire-rescue personnel arrived at the scene and continued compressions and shocks for about 12 minutes until the man was stabilized enough to transport.
“Mr. McCutcheon, his wife Carolyn, and other volunteers could have continued on their way, but instead chose to do what they do best and worked together to save the life of a stranger. I realize their work often goes unappreciated and that FF McCutcheon would probably not tell you this story voluntarily so please thank him and any other City of Washington personnel who were on scene,” wrote in the letter.

McCutcheon said he and his wife, who is an intermediate-level EMT, came upon the three-vehicle accident scene. They went from vehicle to vehicle, assessing drivers and passengers, he said. Upon arriving at the third vehicle, they found a man outside the vehicle and determined he was unresponsive, McCutcheon said.

“I’m not sure how he got there. There was a crowd of people around, and there was like a blanket under his head. So, I am assuming someone pulled him out of his car, maybe, and laid him on the ground. Someone said they thought he had a seizure, which I don’t think he did, but I can’t say that,” McCutcheon said. “He had a medical problem anyway, to where he was unresponsive. He wasn’t breathing or anything. … He had no pulse, so that’s why I say he must have had something more than a seizure.”

McCutcheon said he and his wife began CPR on the man. Soon afterward, two doctors arrived at the scene, Dr. Emilie Pendley, with ECU Emergency Medicine and medical director for Beaufort County EMT providers, and Dr. Bryan Kitch. The two doctors often work football games at ECU. The responders continued to work on the man, he said. Eventually, Greenville EMS personnel transported the man to Vidant Medical Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even when they are off duty, many emergency-response people find themselves performing life-saving skills.

Alan McCutcheon, a Washington firefighter/EMT and others, did just that Thursday night in Greenville after leaving the football game between East Carolina University and the University of Central Florida. Washington and Greenville officials are hailing McCutcheon as a lifesaver. McCutcheon’s life-saving effort is expected to be recognized by the Washington City Council during its meeting Monday evening, according to City Manager Brian Alligood.

McCutcheon, during a brief interview Friday, said he’s not a hero, just a firefighter/EMT who loves his profession because it allows him to help people. His wife assisted him Thursday night.

“We were doing what we love to do. That’s why we do what we do — because we love to help people. Nowhere near being a hero; that’s for sure. It’s all left in God’s hands; that’s for sure,” McCutcheon said.

McCutcheon’s effort was brought to the attention of Washington officials by Chad Edwards, a master patrol officer with the ECU Police Department in a letter he wrote to Robbie Rose, chief of the city’s Fire-Rescue-EMS Department. Edwards wrote: “I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to Washington FF/EMT-I Alan McCutcheon. As he and his wife were leaving the ECU football game on 12/04/14 they came upon the scene of a motor vehicle crash that had just occurred on Charles Blvd. One of the drivers was unresponsive in the roadway and Greenville Fire-Rescue had an extended response time due to heavy game day traffic. Mr. McCutcheon assisted other medical personnel by starting chest compressions. He remained on the scene until the incident was under adequate control.”

The man, whose identity is unclear, is recovering at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, according to the letter.

Rose said McCutcheon’s effort reflects well on the department.

“Our motto is “Dedicated to serve and trained to save.’ I think this just goes right back to that,” Rose said.

Alligood also said McCutcheon’s effort reflects well on Washington’s firefighters/EMTs.

“It reflects on the outstanding folks we have who work for the City of Washington. It just says a lot about the great people who work here, that they are committed to not only doing their job here but helping others wherever they need to. It’s absolutely incredible. They just did a fantastic job. You couldn’t ask for anything better,” he said.

Edwards noted that Greenville fire-rescue personnel arrived at the scene and continued compressions and shocks for about 12 minutes until the man was stabilized enough to transport.
“Mr. McCutcheon, his wife Carolyn, and other volunteers could have continued on their way, but instead chose to do what they do best and worked together to save the life of a stranger. I realize their work often goes unappreciated and that FF McCutcheon would probably not tell you this story voluntarily so please thank him and any other City of Washington personnel who were on scene,” wrote in the letter.

McCutcheon said he and his wife, who is an intermediate-level EMT, came upon the three-vehicle accident scene. They went from vehicle to vehicle, assessing drivers and passengers, he said. Upon arriving at the third vehicle, they found a man outside the vehicle and determined he was unresponsive, McCutcheon said.

“I’m not sure how he got there. There was a crowd of people around, and there was like a blanket under his head. So, I am assuming someone pulled him out of his car, maybe, and laid him on the ground. Someone said they thought he had a seizure, which I don’t think he did, but I can’t say that,” McCutcheon said. “He had a medical problem anyway, to where he was unresponsive. He wasn’t breathing or anything. … He had no pulse, so that’s why I say he must have had something more than a seizure.”

McCutcheon said he and his wife began CPR on the man. Soon afterward, two doctors arrived at the scene, Dr. Emilie Pendley, with ECU Emergency Medicine and medical director for Beaufort County EMT providers, and Dr. Bryan Kitch. The two doctors often work football games at ECU. The responders continued to work on the man, he said. Eventually, Greenville EMS personnel transported the man to Vidant Medical Center.