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Local first responder saves man on flight
A firefighter with Lake Country Fire & Rescue proved first responders are always on the job, after saving a man's life on a Southwest flight.
DELAFIELD, Wis. - A firefighter with Lake Country Fire & Rescue proved first responders are always on the job.
When Matthew Haerter boarded a flight to Arizona last week, he was ready for a little R&R.
"It was very last minute to head west," he said.
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Fate had another idea. The assistant chief of Lake Country Fire & Rescue found himself on one of the most stressful shifts of his entire career. It happened on a Southwest flight departing Milwaukee on Sunday, March 17.
Via a passenger on the plane
A passenger on board lost consciousness halfway through the flight. At the back of the plane, Haerter said the crew wasn’t sure if the man was still breathing.
"It would have been something that probably could have gone a different direction if the individual had not been treated in the way they were," he said.
Haerter said he even gave the man an IV that Southwest had on board. He said the pilot questioned if an emergency landing was necessary.
Matthew Haerter
"You’re not going to be on the ground in five minutes," he said. "You can’t call for another ambulance or fire engine to help."
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He stayed with the man for two more hours until they reached their destination in Arizona. He said emergency crews were waiting when the doors opened.
Ironically, when he had time to look at his phone, Haerter said he got an email, congratulating him on 30 years as a paramedic.
Lake Country Fire & Rescue
"Anyone else in the same position would have done the same thing," he said.
Southwest provided the following statement.
Another passenger reached out to FOX6 News about Haerter’s heroics.
She said she recognized Haerter because of Lake Country Fire & Rescue’s therapy dog, Tesla.
Wisconsin K-9 medic class, first responders trained to help partners
Lake Country Fire & Rescue had a K-9 medic class Thursday, helping first responders prepare to treat their four-legged partners.
Tesla wasn’t on board the flight, but Haerter joked the dog would have been a big help to keep everyone on the flight calm.