Firefighter Injured While Responding To Wildfires Shares His Story

An Oklahoma firefighter injured while responding to last week’s wildfires was released from an Oklahoma City hospital.

The firefighter with the Greenleaf Volunteer Fire Department will now undergo rehabilitation before heading back home to Alva.

Even though Ronald Vasquez is confined to a wheelchair, he was all smiles on Tuesday. “I feel great,” said Vasquez. “I'm excited and hopeful to get my legs back, get to walking.” 

The 21-year-old firefighter wouldn't let a broken pelvis get him down. “I got a plate with seven screws,” he said about his recent surgery.

Vasquez was injured when two fire trucks collided last week while responding to wildfires in western Oklahoma. “There's some tough terrain to navigate through,” he said.

He said he was out with several crews looking for hotspots when they were overcome by smoke and dust from a gravel road. “It was, I would say, zero visibility,” he said.  

Vasquez says a tanker was stopped ahead of them. “As we got closer, we finally were able to see it, but just too late,” he said.

After the two trucks crashed, Vasquez was pinned between a 500-gallon water tank and the cab of the fire truck. He said he never lost consciousness. “I got on my radio, made my mayday calls,” he remembers. “They all got on it, it was like bees on honey.”

Once he was flown to OU Health in Oklahoma City, he said that the care continued. “My nurses, I can't give them enough praise, they've been spectacular,” he said.

Stephenie York, LPN, was among his care team. “He makes caring for him easy just because he's smiling all the time,” York said. “He is ready to get that rehab done and get back out there and protect.”

Vasquez agrees and says he won’t let this injury stop him. “That's pushing me further because I saw all the heroic people there that day and what they were able to do and what they're capable of that's something I would like to do for somebody else in my spot,” he said.

Vasquez was moved to a rehabilitation center in Oklahoma City where he will undergo therapy for the next six weeks.

A fund has been established to help with the young man’s medical expenses. Donations may be sent to:

The Ron Vasquez II Love Fund

Alva State Bank

518 College Avenue

Alva, OK 73717