Burn victim thanks firefighters, flight crew

Steve Schwalbach is healing well from the fire he survived. Today, he has just two scars on his body and has returned to work as a home builder. But one thing still lingers from the fire: his gratitude to the Longboat Key firefighter/paramedics and Bayflite crew that saved him.

On Thursday, March 31, he arranged to reunite at Bayfront Park Recreation Center with those who saved him to say thank you.

“They rescued me from a fire,” Schwalbach said. “A lot of times, they don’t get thanked enough.”

Firefighters responded to a report of a dryer fire Jan. 6, at Beachplace condominium. That’s where Schwalbach, who lives in Cincinnati, was visiting his parents, Jackie and Garry Schwalbach, and heard a noise coming from the double-stacked washer and dryer. He opened the service panel, and a flame burst out, causing Schwalbach’s hair and shirt to catch fire. His father used a towel to suppress the flames that engulfed him.

Longboat Key Fire/Rescue responded to the reported fire within minutes. When they saw that Schwalbach had been injured, half of the eight responders began treating him, while the remainder put out the fire. Because of the severity of Schwalbach’s burns, they contacted Bayflite, which transported him to Tampa General Hospital’s burn unit.

Fire Chief Paul Dezzi said that Schwalbach arrived at the burn unit less than an hour after firefighters arrived on scene — which is the department’s goal for such cases. Schwalbach spent eight days in the hospital and continues to attend therapy in Cincinnati.

Dezzi said that the experience was rewarding for the firefighters.

“You have a lot of calls throughout your career,” he said. “But you only have a couple that come back to thank you.”

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]