New Haven, CT, Fire Lt. Samod "Nuke" Rankins.
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A Connecticut firefighter who was seriously injured in a residential fire that left a colleague dead in May talks about losing his friend during the call.
Nearly two months later, New Haven Fire Lt. Samod "Nuke" Rankins can't talk about what happened while responding to a two-family house fire that left him critically injured and claimed the life of fellow firefighter Ricardo Torres Jr. But that doesn't mean he's still not haunted by the event.
“There’s not one day I haven’t thought about it multiple times," Rankins told WTNH-TV. "When I wake up, go to sleep, when I hear a fire engine down the street, when I turn the news on."
Rankins isn't hesitant talking about Torres, though.
“Ricardo was the best guy I’ve ever worked with. He was like a brother to me, a close friend," he said. "He cared about his family, he cared about his community. His work ethic was strong—he had the best work ethic on the job.”
Before the call, Rankins recalls he and Torres discussed being eager to mentor the new crop of hired firefighters coming in. Rankins had similarly coached Torres as he was coming up.
“We just couldn’t wait to start working with these individuals, show them the right way," he said.
When the seriously injured Rankins was taken to the hospital, he was placed in the ICU as doctors worked to heal his damaged lungs. But even then, Torres was top of mind for the firefighter.
“I got off the ventilator, woke up from the coma. I asked my doctor and my nurse about (Torres), but it seemed like everyone was avoiding it or would change the topic," he said. "When the chief came, he was the one who notified me, who told me because I had no clue. I’ll never forget that day."
Now, he's focusing on healing his body. It is still painful for him to breathe, but he can walk on his own.
“The physical part has been the most challenging, at this time, because of the injuries I sustained,” Rankins said. “Bilateral —both lungs— my trachea, my throat, inhalation, burn inhalation injuries. I hurt my back and my right eye.”
And the lieutenant also knows that there's the mental and emotional healing to get through.
“I feel like I don’t want to get out of bed," Rankins said. "I don’t want to be bothered. I feel like being alone. I’m not on my phone."
“My hope is to survive this career with my health and sanity intact," he added.
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July 07, 2021 at 10:13PM
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Video: Injured CT Firefighter Remembers Fallen Colleague - Firehouse.com
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