On July 23, 1999 at 08:27 p.m., the Cleveland Fire
Department, Bradley County and Cohutta Volunteer Fire Departments,
responded to a house fire located on Dalton Pike close to the Tennessee
- Georgia state line.
Upon arrival, Cleveland Fire Department Commander Frank Jaynes
advised that the house was a vacant residence, totally involved with
fire, and took control of fire ground operations which was a joint
effort by three different fire departments.
During the course of fire suppression, screams for help were
heard. As firefighting personnel rushed to see what was happening,
they found a male subject unconscious in a vehicle. The subject
was later identified as Wilbur Dycus, a member of the Cohutta Volunteer
Fire Department and Chief of Police in Cohutta, Georgia.
Chief Dycus was pulled from the vehicle and placed on the ground by
fire department personnel, at which time vital signs and symptoms
indicated he may have suffered a heart attack.
Immediately firefighters began performing CPR. While performing
CPR, personnel connected Chief Dycus to the AED, which stands for
Automated External Defibrillator. Chief Dycus was analyzed by the
AED as pulseless and apnic (not breathing) and a shock was delivered
followed with CPR by the firefighters.
Because of the training, dedication and teamwork of these
firefighters and four of Cleveland's finest, Chief Wilbur Dycus was
given a second chance at life and was able to attend the awards ceremony
on January 19, 2000 at the Cleveland Fire Department.
The following individuals from the Cleveland Fire Department were
given Life Saving Awards:
