KIHEI, Hawaii (KHON2) — The Maui firefighter injured during a storm remains in critical condition, but officials said he is showing promising signs of progress. We’re also learning more about how Good Samaritans stepped up to help and continue to do so.
Maui County officials have identified the injured firefighter as 24-year-old Tre Evans-Dumaran, who was swept into a drain storm and was found 800 yards away near the shoreline in Kihei. Jeremy Gillespie, a firefighter visiting from Ohio was on the beach when he saw two firefighters dragging someone out of the water.
“I saw that they were alone. It was just them two, and they didn’t have any equipment. So, I went to see if they needed any help. When I got there, it turned out to be one of their own guys. And, he was pulseless and unresponsive,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie, who was a paramedic for four years, jumped in to help provide CPR. He points out that there were others on the beach who also jumped in to help.
“Probably about five or six other people showed up to help out. There was a nurse there, and we took turns providing CPR for the next 10 minutes until AMR showed up,” said Gillespie.
The help from the community continues. A Go Fund Me page has been set up for Evans-Dumaran and as of Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 31, more than $30,000 has been donated. Gillespie said he’s delighted at the outpouring of support for a fellow firefighter.
“It’s amazing to see everybody come together like that everybody on that scene was a complete stranger, and most of those people were probably on vacation. I would really like to know who the rest of the people are. I think they deserve some and more credit than I do,” he said.
He’s hoping that they could all meet again one day and that Evans-Dumaran will be there fully recovered.
