Richard Hall, 19, suffered an apparent head injury Saturday morning while Bradley County Fire Rescue firefighters were performing routine hose and equipment testing.
Hall was treated immediately at the scene by Bradley County Emergency Medical Service personnel, according to BCFR Chief Dewey Woody.
Woody said Monday that Hall is resting comfortably after receiving a skull fracture after the coupling failed.
“(Hall) was admitted to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit for 24-hour observation and was moved into a regular room Sunday afternoon,” Woody said.
Woody said Tuesday that Hall was released from the hospital and is in good spirits as he recovers.
Hall was fully decked out in his bunker gear when the coupling failed during fire hose testing, striking Hall in his forehead.
Hall was flown by LifeForce helicopter to Erlanger Medical Center.
Woody said the “freak accident” occurred just before 10 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters with Bradley County Fire Rescue had laid the hoses out in the Maytag parking lot, near BCFR Station 8 located at Five Points.
“When the hoses were put under pressure one of the metal couplings used to connect the hoses together failed and disintegrated. Part of the coupling struck Hall in the forehead,” Woody said.
“Hall was wearing his safety helmet and safety goggles, which no doubt prevented an even more serious injury,” Woody said.
BCFR routinely checks equipment and conducts annual equipment maintenance checks.
