The condition of three firefighters injured in an apartment explosion in Dallas has improved. Once listed in critical condition at Parkland hospital, all three are now in serious but stable condition. But Dr. Marshal Isaacs, Medical Director for Dallas Fire Rescue, said the difficult journey isn’t over.
“I don’t want anybody to think that now that they’re out of the woods that they’ll be discharged in a matter of days and resume their lives and careers,” said Isaacs. “They’ve got long roads of recovery ahead of them.”
In addition to being under the care of Parklands burn center, one of the largest in the nation, he said each firefighter has a colleague by their side daily.
“From the chief and his command staff, to our chaplains, and then our rank and file members who are here each and every day,” said Isaacs.
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On the outside, the firefighters’ families are feeling the weight of a new, unanticipated financial burden. Together, all three families launched a GoFundMe page to help cover expenses. The goal is set at $250,000.
The description on the page reads, in part: “The extent of their injuries are such that there will be unforeseen medical issues for the rest of their lives with the possibility of never fully recovering…”
Dr. Isaacs, also one of the many who visits the firefighters daily, said it’s the expertise of the medical staff and the strength of the firefighters themselves that has kept them going.
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The injured firefighters were identified as Capt. Christopher Gadomski, Engineer Ronald Hall, Officer Pauline Perez, and Officer Andrew Curtis.
Curtis, who has been with DFR since July 2018, suffered a foot injury and was discharged the same day.
Perez, who joined the department in July 2019, remains hospitalized at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas with burn injuries.
Gadomski and Hall are both being treated at Parkland for burns and undisclosed lower extremity injuries. Gadomski has been with the department since April 1999 and Hall since May 1985.
