News

Wis. Paramedics in Viral Photo Say `Shovel it Forward`

Ashley Luthern

02/03/2015

Feb. 03--A photo of Greenfield firefighters and paramedics shoveling a patient's driveway has gone viral with more than 1,600 shares and 21,000 "likes" on Facebook.

Now, those same paramedics are using their newfound notoriety to "shovel it forward."

A Greenfield fire engine and two paramedic units were dispatched to assist a man suffering a severe cardiac problem on Sunday as nearly a foot of snow blanketed the Milwaukee area, Fire Chief Jon Cohn said.

Paramedics tended to the man, who had started shoveling his driveway before the emergency, and took him to St. Luke's Hospital. The man's name and condition have not been released, per federal privacy laws.

A female family member wasn't able to get her car out of the driveway because of the snow and Greenfield police officers drove her to the hospital.

On the way back to the fire station, paramedics talked about the worsening weather conditions and decided to pick up shovels from the station and return to the house to finish what the man had started, paramedic Tom Konieczka said.

They cleared the driveway in 30 minutes.

"Anybody else on our department and at any other fire department across the country probably has done something like this or is doing something like that right now or will," Konieczka said.

Cohn received an email from hospital staff commending the paramedics for their lifesaving measures. A few hours later, a passer-by emailed a photo of the paramedics shoveling the driveway. Cohn posted it to the department's Facebook page and soon reporters from across the country were calling.

"We're still humbled by all the attention that we've received," Cohn said. "We're a pretty small fire department but we have a giant heart and I think that's what the public is getting to see today."

Cohn recognized Konieczka and his colleagues Tia Rondeau, Chad Weber, Patrick Chenery, John Cram and Lt. Dan Weber on Tuesday for their efforts. They upheld the department's mission, which is simply "do the right thing," the chief said.

"We are encouraging our neighbors to be everyday heroes and if they know somebody who needs some help, go out and shovel their driveway," Cohn said.

He also urged residents to participate in the Hunger Task Force's annual peanut butter drive. Peanut butter can be donated at any Milwaukee-area fire station and more than 100 local Walgreens locations.