Close Calls: Who Has Your Back?

In each Close Calls column, we generally explore an operational incident in which a member(s) was injured, sometimes critically. In this column, we take a look at the elephant in the room: COVID-19. 

As of this writing, dozens of firefighters died in the line of duty from COVID-19. This story is about a veteran firefighter who is surviving, but not in the way that he or anyone else would hope.

My thanks to that firefighter, Charles Huebner, of District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services, for sharing his story. We sincerely wish him a full and healthy recovery, so he can get back to doing what he loves: turning out for emergencies.

(For everything concerning COVID-19 and the fire service, visit firehouse.com/covid-19.)

Account from Charles Huebner

Three years ago, I decided to leave a county fire department in Maryland to follow my dream as a “big city” firefighter. I loved what I did, but I wanted to do it more and in an urban setting. After the move, things were good, until they weren’t. When I tested positive for COVID-19 on March 14, 2020, my life changed completely.

Prior to my diagnosis, one crew member of my firehouse tested positive for COVID-19. At the time, I had a cough and a sore throat that wouldn’t go away with a cough drop. I knew this was weird, because I haven’t had sore throats since my tonsils were removed 10 years ago. While I was tested at a local testing spot, my heart rate was 140. I was further evaluated. Dehydration was ruled out.

I was one of the first in the department to test positive for COVID-19. (Seven of 12 members on my shift tested positive.)

After three and a half weeks, I finally tested negative and was cleared to return to work, but during my physical, my heart rate still was high: 130. I had every test possible: echocardiogram, EKG, stress test and blood work. The blood work showed that I had a liver infection. However, nothing was out of the ordinary to cause my fast heart rate.

After multiple changes to medications, my cardiologist found a solution: 50 mg of a Beta blocker twice a day. This came after having a resting heart rate of 130 for 106 days and a hospitalization for blood pressure of 200/106 (stroke status). To top it off, I had a small bowel infection in late summer for an unknown reason.

I am 29 years old, and as I share my story with you, I feel like absolute crud in the mornings. It’s either a good day or a bad day. My immune system is shot. I get migraines from lack of sleep. All that said, the biggest problem is this: I now could be losing the only thing that I know how to do best—being a firefighter/paramedic. The stress about the unknowns is the worst and puts my anxiety through the roof. If I were to get a pacemaker to control my heart, we all know that leads to retirement.

Comments from Chief Goldfeder

If you are looking for some political commentary on COVID-19, turn the page. You won’t get it from me.

To put it simply, COVID-19 is real, and steps can be taken to minimize it. However, that works for the general public—but not as much for firefighters, medics and related emergency service personnel.

So, from my standpoint, use all of your PPE, use masks when off duty and think. It might help.

Unfortunately, our brother, Huebner, was exposed. As a firefighter/paramedic, his chances of exposure are required. It’s part of his job.

However, what I want to focus on is this question: Who has your back if you do get exposed to this and other diseases or if you suffer a traumatic injury?

Did you read Huebner’s last statement? Let me repeat what he wrote: “I am currently waiting for a cardiac MRI to return to work, but my insurance won’t cover it.”

Remember, the last thing that Huebner had on his mind was worrying about not having “everything” covered. We all rely on having everything covered each and every day, but now Huebner worries that he doesn’t, for his survival.

We used to believe that it primarily was volunteer, on-call and part-time firefighters who needed to worry, but that hardly is the case these days. Normally, career firefighters (and their representatives) are focused on making sure that they have decent benefits in the event of injury or death. Don’t be so sure.

For numerous reasons, but particularly for the purposes of this article, I’ll share a quick story about President Ronald Reagan in conjunction with him dealing with the Russians.

Reagan learned of several Russian proverbs when he was preparing for talks with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. (Reagan’s advisor on Russian affairs, Suzanne Massie, suggested that the president learn some Russian proverbs to amuse his counterpart.) It turned out that Reagan liked “Trust, but verify” the best. As the story goes, Gorbachev got really annoyed at Reagan for overusing this particular one. Perfect.

Although firefighters don’t hesitate to respond when their help is needed, the people, services and benefits that firefighters expect to be there for them might not be what they were anticipated to be. Every firefighter, regardless of rank, status or type of department, must trust but verify that he/she is well-protected in the event of a medical or behavioral health incapacitation.

Size up right now

A few years ago, I was involved with what became the line-of-duty death of a Kentucky firefighter who died from burns that he suffered in a dwelling fire. Because he was flown to a burn unit in Cincinnati that’s near to my department, I was among those who were at the hospital with him and his family the next day. Guess who else was there? His chief, his fellow members, and the executive director and commissioners of his state’s fire commission. Another person who was there—and this absolutely shocked me—was a woman who represented the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims.

“Who?” I asked her after she identified herself to me.

Yep, Kentucky workers’ comp was there to, as she said, “Do whatever it takes to help the family get through this.” I never heard of that kind of “customer service.”

This woman, working with the Kentucky Fire Commission, was there to sit with the firefighter’s family and to start the paperwork immediately. Think about it: Forty-eight hours after the fire, the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims came to Ohio, sat in the burn unit and took care of the family. The family was handed a check (just to start) within days.

As a firefighter, you go to the firehouse to work, to train and to do all of the other stuff that’s required of you. You probably assume that if something happens to you, you will be taken care of from a benefits standpoint. Assume nothing.

Huebner’s story is just one of many in which firefighters believed that whatever happened would be covered. Don’t kid yourself. Every day, we hear stories about insurance, be it on or off the job, and, unfortunately, you must be proactive now to determine what coverages you and your brother and sisters have—and don’t have.

As firefighters, we do as much as we can to help others without a whole lot of focus on us. We do whatever it takes to take care of those who need us, but we don’t get the same when we need help.

So, as we look toward 2021, here is a New Year’s resolution: In addition to worrying about your community as a firefighter, start worrying about yourself and your family—as a firefighter. Take a few minutes to pose the questions that relate to the above to your local or company president, chief, mayor, council, board or commissioners.

Simply put, find out what the plans are and what coverages you have at your department in the event that you are slightly injured, seriously injured, disabled or killed in the line of duty. Ask the tough questions:

• What is the definition of “line of duty”?
• Are there age requirements?
• Who is covered, and who isn’t?
• Other questions to ask the correct people include:
• How long am I covered if I am disabled for an extended period of time?
• Is there any temporary or permanent disability plan?
• Who will pay my medical bills?
• Will I have any out-of-pocket expenses?
• What plans exist to supplement my income?
• How will my “event” affect those who also are covered on my insurance, such as my spouse, partner or children?

Be sure to also ask around to see how other firefighters have been treated and what their experiences have been.

Although none of us expect to ever have a need for these services, the fact is that thousands of us every year do rely on benefits to help us and/or our families get through some difficult times. Take advantage of this close call that Huebner still is experiencing and get an overall personal review of your benefits before you need them. Although this column was written in October 2020, we hope that by the time that it’s published Huebner is being taken care of, is doing better and is back to work—and that we all performed a “benefits” size-up.