Close Calls: Battalion Chief Attacked at Crash Scene

Any of us with any level of responsibility for training, guiding, leading and just plain “passing it on” to new firefighters has always told the young firefighters to always expect the unexpected. Yeah, that’s a broad scope, but it never fails to deliver. In this Close Call, we highlight the risks we all take when responding and assisting those who need us. 

In Polk County, FL, located east of Orlando, Battalion Chief Kevin Shireman was responding to a motor vehicle crash when the car crash victim attacked him. Specifically, Shireman was brutally bitten, leaving him with significant injuries. This was hardly a simple bite. Nearly one foot of his skin was literally ripped off. The bites to Shireman's left arm required emergency surgery. His leg was also seriously injured and needed surgery, followed by additional surgery, as well as a long healing process and eventual plastic surgery. Shireman was in the hospital for 13 days, and had 63 staples as a part of the surgery.

The following incident details were provided by Shireman. 

The incident

On April 25, 2017, at about 8:40 p.m., Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) Battalion Chief 4, Kevin Shireman, along with PCFR E451 and PCFR MD45 received an incident through dispatch regarding a single motor vehicle crash off the roadway into a residential fence.

Upon arrival, Shireman reported a single vehicle passenger car off the roadway into a residential fence, with no road blockage along with what appeared to be no occupant(s) in the passenger car. Several bystanders indicated that no other vehicles were involved. The vehicle in question had sustained obvious front-end damage with no other apparent exterior damages observed.

Shireman cautiously approached the vehicle in question and observed a subject standing outside, leaning into the vehicle’s left rear passenger compartment. Shireman observed no damage (blood/skin tissue) on the car’s steering wheel, windshield, nor A and B posts to the driver’s side. 

Upon contact, Shireman identified himself as a battalion chief with PCFR and asked the driver of the vehicle if he was OK. The male subject then acknowledged by saying, “I need a smoke,” at which time Shireman observed the subject holding a cup with several smoked cigarettes/cigars.

Shireman responded, “Sir, I am checking on your welfare,” at which time the subject became aggressive by placing his face close to Shireman’s face without contact. “I don’t need no welfare,” he responded. Shireman redirected by saying, “No sir, are you hurt anywhere?” The subject then backed away, holding both arms above his head with one hand raising his shirt. Shireman observed the subject’s eyes to be red/bloodshot with no obvious injury. 
 
Without being provoked, the subject then became aggressive and hostile toward the bystanders, yelling obscene, indecent and lewd language. As the subject moved from the left rear to the left front of the vehicle, he staggered into the driver’s seat and retrieved the vehicle’s key from its ignition.

Shireman radioed dispatch to request that the Polk County Sheriff’s Office step up their response due to the subject’s demeanor—ethanol/ethyl alcohol (ETOH)/excited delirium (ED). Shireman then canceled the response of E451 and downgraded MD45 from “responding” to “en route for continued medical evaluation.”

Shireman continued to monitor the subject’s behavior. The subject began to intentionally walk in and out of traffic, and Shireman asked him several times to get out of the roadway to await the arrival of law enforcement. At several points, Shireman stopped traffic completely so vehicles would not strike the subject. The subject then became aggressive toward Shireman again, placing his face near Shireman’s without making contact. “I ain’t afraid to go back to jail,” he said, then walking off toward a few bystanders. The subject then began lunging at the bystanders and speaking obscene, indecent and lewd language.

MD45 arrived on scene to take over directing of traffic. 
 
Upon arrival of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy attempted several times to have the subject retrieve his driver’s license and registration from his vehicle. The subject refused twice by throwing keys at the deputy, striking the deputy in the chest, and saying, “It’s in the car; find it yourself, mother------.”

On the third attempt to retrieve the subject’s license and registration, the subject intentionally placed the keys that were attached to a rather large lanyard over Deputy John Skinner’s neck. Deputy Skinner immediately removed the keys from his neck and advised the subject that he was being placed under arrest. The subject then became aggressive and refused to comply with Skinner’s commands.

At that time, Shireman, Deputy Skinner, MD45 Paramedic Brandon Little and MD45 EMT Gilbert Thomas wrestled the subject to the ground. During this process, the subject grabbed Shireman between his legs, holding onto Shireman’s groin as they went to the ground.
 
While in the prone position, lying on top of his arms and hands, the subject refused to comply with Deputy Skinner’s commands to place both arms and hands behind his back for handcuffing procedures. Because he refused the commands, Deputy Skinner used his Taser on the subject’s waist, causing him to squirm about in a violent effort to resist.

During that time, the subject bit Shireman’s left arm, breaking the skin and leaving several teeth impressions. With the assistance of Shireman, Little and Thomas, Deputy Skinner was able to place handcuffs on the subject. As he struggled, the subject continued to speak obscene, indecent and lewd language. He was then assisted to his feet and escorted to a Polk County Sheriff’s Officer cruiser. 

Before placing the subject in the cruiser, it was determined that law enforcement would place an additional restraint on the subject’s legs. While they tried to place the leg restraint, the subject began to kick at the deputy, resisting the restraint, and in the struggle, the subject was able to bite Shireman a second time on the same arm as he first bit him. 

The subject refused to let go of Shireman’s arm, and Shireman, the subject and two deputies fell toward the ground behind the cruiser, landing atop Shireman’s leg. Before going to the ground, Shireman was able to pull his left arm free from the subject’s mouth. From the ground, Shireman crawled away from the subject and the deputies, but his right leg had sustained injuries.

Deputies were able to retrieve/secure Shireman’s skin from the subject’s mouth. The remnants of Shireman’s skin were placed in a baggy. The deputies restrained the subject, who continued to struggle and direct obscene, indecent and lewd language at several deputies. 

In an attempt to place the subject in the cruiser, the subject bit at a deputy’s finger and threatened to do bodily harm to that deputy and his family.

The subject was later transported to Bartow Memorial Medical Center for a continued medical evaluation. During the subject’s time in the hospital, he was able to loosen his leg restraint by thrashing his legs about, and struck a deputy in the face, causing pain and swelling.

Aftermath of the injury

As a result of the bites, Shireman’s left arm was seriously injured: The skin was completely removed from below the elbow to the top of the wrist. PCFR MD45 transported Shireman to the local Level 2 Trauma Center at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where he met with trauma surgeon Olu Sobowale, MD, and Seema Patel, MD.

Shireman was immediately taken to surgery for wound care of the left arm involving debridement, the surgical removal of foreign matter and dead tissue from a wound. The skin remnant retrieved/secured from the subject’s mouth was of no use.

The following day, it was determined that Shireman would need an additional surgery on his left arm, as well as a skin graft and possible surgery to the right knee due to injuries to his ACL, meniscus and MCL, which will be followed up at a later date as an outpatient. 

Shireman remained at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center for 13 days. On May 1, Shreekant Tripathi, MD, performed a skin graft using skin from Shireman’s left thigh. During the surgery, 63 staples were placed, each staple holding the skin in place during the healing process.

On May 8, Shireman was released from the hospital with restrictions, meaning he could not go back to work (full or light duty). Further, he did not have full use of his left arm, as he could not push, pull or bend it due to the recent skin graft. On May 12, the 63 staples were removed from Shireman’s arm.

On May 26, Shireman met with Grant Garlick, MD, for consultation on his right knee. It was determined that Shireman would have surgery on May 31 to replace the ACL and repair the meniscus due to a “bucket handle” tear. Following surgery, Shireman was not allowed to bare full weight onto the right leg; he had to use a brace and crutch. Shireman went from physical therapy three times a week for six weeks to physical therapy two times a week for the next four weeks with continued restrictions.

On June 14, after a follow-up appointment, Shireman was released with full activity/movement to the left arm. Shireman is currently working administrative “light duty” at headquarters in the Training Bureau.
 
The subject was charged with:  

• Aggravated battery on firefighter/EMT – 1 count     
• Battery on LEO – 1 count                             
• Battery on LEO – 1 count                                
• Escape – 1 count
• Resist officer with violence – 2 counts                     

A trial is pending.

Key takeaways from Shireman

Since I began performing public service on a daily basis, I say to each member with whom I come in contact that there is nothing routine about what we do—and I stand by that statement. There are calls/events/incidents that are similar in nature or cause but not “routine”; therefore, I encourage them not to get complacent. Complacent actions can cause harm or death. Get the big picture! Don’t get tunnel vision.
 
As for April 25, I was dispatched to an event—a motor vehicle crash—the type of event we go to on a daily basis. After running through the entire event in my mind, I’m confident that I did everything correct. My actions at the time were focused toward the safety and well-being of the driver, bystanders, the MD45 crew (Little and Thomas) and Polk County Deputy Skinner. 
 
The subject’s action to intentionally place the lanyard of keys over Deputy Skinner’s neck was alarming. I feared that the subject would do great bodily harm to Deputy Skinner; therefore, at that moment, I focused on Deputy Skinner. I stepped in to assist him in controlling the situation along with Paramedic Little and EMT Thomas, just as most would have done. 

From Chief Anthony Stravino

What appeared to be the start of a routine call turned into one of the most horrific injuries that any of our firefighters has sustained in years. Due to the vast geographical size of our county (Polk County is larger than three states), we routinely arrive in desolate or remote areas, meaning help is often far away or with delayed response times. It is not unusual for both the deputies and firefighters to routinely help on calls. Many of the firefighters and deputies are friends on and off duty. It was second nature for these firefighters to assist an officer in need. We stand together on that thin blue line with our police brethren, as they do on that thin red line with us.

No fire chief wants any harm to come to any of their personnel. Ever. Even when risks must be taken, there are often ways to manage and minimize the risk; however, there will be times where the outcome is unavoidable. 

As we reviewed our policies and procedures to see if we could do something different or better in the future to protect our people from similar occurrences, we came to the conclusion that given the same set of circumstances and the fact the deputy needed assistance in subduing a very violent and dangerous individual, there was no other alternative short of not helping our brothers and sisters in blue, which is not in our DNA as firefighters and public servants. We will continue to inform our personnel of the dangers involved in such actions and continue to support them in their decisions. 

From Chief Goldfeder

As Chief Stravino stated and as I've written many times in this column, some situations aren't avoidable, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from incidents like this to further increase our awareness and readiness. 

It seems more than ever, firefighters and EMS personnel are being attacked. Why? Societal stuff (aka nothing WE can change). So once again, as is our responsibility, we adapt to meet the needs of those who call us.

With that in mind, here are a few general thoughts:

• What is your department policy as far as sizing-up all calls—not just the structural fire. What are your personnel taught to look for? Keep your eyes wide open.
• What is your department policy as far as responses to possible violent incidents? I say “possible” because, of course, we don't always know. But if things get ugly, what are you and your crew expected to do—or not do?
• Does your department train with law enforcement so that everyone knows what to expect as far as roles, duties and responsibility on scene?
• What does the initial radio report sound like? Does your policy require a clear picture of what is being observed? Remember, each officer should always give the same standard type of report answering specific agency-driven questions to best describe your conditions. You're on scene so answer reasonable questions such as: What do you see—vehicles, people? Are there obvious hazards? What are your additional needs to manage the scene? Are crews taking action or in a wait-and-see staging mode? 

Further, are your dispatchers trained to understand that information to fire, rescue and EMS is as critical as it is to responding law enforcement? Unfortunately, in some areas, having a police radio in fire apparatus may result in better information to firefighters—but it should not be that way. A simple rule for emergency communications personnel is to “keep no secrets.” In other words, if you are advising law enforcement of additional information pertaining to the scene, fire-rescue personnel must also be advised.  

Perhaps one of the most critical factors we all must be aware of is the laws in each state, as far as your responsibility and authority as a firefighter, EMT or medic. Gordon Graham—my partner at FireFighterCloseCalls.com, attorney, risk management expert and founder of LEXIPOL (Lexipol.com)—reminds us of how critical it is for our fire department policies to be state-specific and legally verifiable. 

While you (as a chief or commissioner) may “like” a certain way of doing things and want to call it a policy, the question must be asked to determine whether it is legally defensible and whether your members regularly trained on it? While we may think we are doing the right thing, we must KNOW that we are doing the right thing—and our training and policies must match up.  

Unfortunately, Chief Shireman went through a life-altering experience by doing his job, exactly as expected. Fortunately for us, we can learn from him and use this as a “checkup” to ensure that our personnel understand what can happen on a run such as this, and what we should be prepared for so that we are legally doing what is expected of us.

My sincere thanks to all those who were involved in this horrible incident for sharing the story, especially Battalion Chief Kevin Shireman, as we all pray for his continued recovery. Thanks also to Chief Tony Stravino for his assistance and cooperation in this article.

Sidebar: Polk County Fire Rescue

Polk County Fire Rescue provides service to nearly 700,000 residents across 2,100 square miles. Its seven battalions utilize cross-trained, dual-certified firefighters and EMT/paramedics responding from 50 fire-rescue stations. They have a large urban area as well as a large rural area, and respond to nearly 90,000 calls for service annually.