GILA BEND, AZ — A Gila Bend paramedic is being treated at a Valley hospital after being injured while working on a fire truck.
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, just after 5 p.m. Friday, deputies were called to the Gila Bend Fire Station for an injured firefighter.
Deputies found a paramedic had been performing maintenance on the engine of a fire truck when it came down on the firefighter.
At a news conference Sunday, Gila Bend Fire Chief Arelia Henry said 34-year-old paramedic Cody Jordan was underneath the cab of a fire engine when it unexpectedly fell and trapped him underneath.
Henry says the incident happened while Jordan was on shift. His fellow firefighters on shift quickly gained access to Jordan and pulled him out. They immediately began life-saving measures.
Jordan was flown to a level 1 trauma center, Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear, in critical condition.
Henry says he is being treated for his injuries and has undergone surgery to stabilize his chest which was fractured in multiple places. He is now in stable, but critical condition and is expected to undergo more surgeries in the future.
Henry says Jordan has a "long recovery, but we're expecting a good turnout." She says her department is grateful for all of the thoughts and prayers and says departments from across Arizona have reached out to show support.
Jordan's wife, Lisa, was in attendance at Sunday's news conference and added, "Cody is my rock, my person, my support system, my love, my best friend. I couldn't stay strong through all of this without all of this support. Just, thank you to Gila Bend specifically, Cody loves them all like a family."
The Gila Bend Fire Department along with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is investigating how the incident occurred.
