A Tennessee firefighter is being hailed a hero after he turned his living room into a makeshift triage center during a deadly tornado, saving his neighbors’ lives with his quick-thinking and selfless actions.
As ABC News reported, Darrell Jennings, a veteran firefighter and EMT, used his training to treat those around him who had been injured during the storm and provided them refuge when their own homes had been destroyed.
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On March 3, several deadly tornadoes tore through the state of Tennessee, destroying homes, buildings, and claiming the lives of 24 people and injuring 88.
The area considered to have been hit the hardest was Putnam County, where five children all under the age of 13 were among the 18 individuals killed during the powerful storm.
“It hit so fast, a lot of folks didn’t have time to take shelter,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter told ABC News . “Many of these folks were sleeping.”
When the storm hit, Putnam County resident Darrell Jennings left his house and was greeted with an “unbelievable sight.”
The 32-year-veteran firefighter was stunned to find that his home was the only one left standing in the tornado’s wake.
“I heard screams and I looked to my right — none of my neighbors’ houses were there,” he recalled. “They were gone. As lightening flashed, I could see the subdivision side — the only thing standing was a tree.”
At once, Jennings sprang into action, radioing his fire department to send him “everything [they] have.”
He set up a makeshift triage center in his living room where he treated at least 20 of his injured neighbors, including several children. Pulses were checked, breathing assessed, and sternal rubs were applied.
“The floor was covered with people,” he recalled.
Jennings’ family, including his own teenage children, helped treat the injured as best as they could.
As he reported, his kids “cut clothes off of babies, dried them down, warmed them up,” and then “ran to their closets and grabbed their sweatshirts and all their shoes, and put those on the victims.”
The teens even walked injured children “through the debris maze” to a nearby church to receive even more care. Jennings said he is “still in awe” of his children’s willingness to “jump into action” during a time of crisis.
State Senator Paul Bailey who has known Jennings for years shared a photo with the heroic firefighter on Twitter.
“Darrell’s just one of many heroes,” Bailey told ABC News of his pal, center in above photo, adding that Jennings’ story is a shining example of why it is so important to learn CPR and first-aid.
“I think everyone needs to know basic CPR and they also need to have some knowledge of how to treat those that are wounded — especially if you live in an area that is prone to tornadoes.”
Jennings said he believes he and his family “were kept safe for a reason.”
“Through all of this, we are here by the grace of God,” he shared. “Our house was saved, we were kept safe… I fully believe that reason was so that we could be the caring point.”
He added that his home will continue to help his community, as it is now acting as the distribution point for food and supplies.
“We are a family now, more than neighbors.”
h/t: ABC News
