Crash strikes close to home for firefighters

Aurora Assistant Fire Chief John Lehman drove to the scene of the Air Angels helicopter crash along Eola Road late Wednesday thinking professionally about what needed to be done.

Emotionally, though, he knew it would be a tough night.

He knew at least one of the pilots working for Air Angels and had to be prepared that the victim of the crash was a friend.

"It's stressful, no doubt about it," Lehman said. "I knew it was very bad and I had initial reports that there were no survivors. At that point you're kind of in a different gear but you're still preparing yourself that it might be someone you knew."

His friend, it turns out, worked the shift earlier in the evening and wasn't involved in the accident.

Other firefighters and paramedics responding to the scene, though, were in similar situations. They work closely with Air Angels, which has a relatively small staff of about 15 people, he said.

"Several people in our organization have close ties to people in their organization," Lehman said.

Knowing such situations can, and do, develop, the department makes sure to offer staffers an emotional outlet. About 15 members of the fire department who were on the scene around midnight were pulled off the site about 3 a.m. to meet with victims services. Another crew went in to replace them.

Lehman said they'll have a chance to emotionally debrief in three days when they return to work for their normal shift and a more in-depth session is scheduled.