This from Firefighter Close calls – Falling down a well

Just goes to show you don’t always know what you will find at the scene of a fire. Watch your footing when you’re out there.

Georgia Firefighter Falls in Well - Close Call

A Bowersville, GA Firefighter is in stable condition after being trapped in a well for 20 minutes April 19.
Michael Certain, who fights fires for the Bowersville Station, was hospitalized with injuries not con-sidered life-threatening after he fell into a well while fighting a fire.
An abandoned house on Redwine Church Road was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene around 2 a.m.
Certain fell into the 12-foot open well as he was fighting the fire on the back side of the house.
Smoke filled the top of the well, leaving Certain's breathing apparatus as his only source of clean air.
Certain said he worked to stay calm and set off an alarm system to let other firefighters know he was in trouble.
"I knew I had to keep my presence of mind," he said.
As he waited to be rescued, he made two failed attempts to get out of the well.
"I tried to climb out, but the walls were too far apart and I couldn't get a good grip," he said.
Certain said he started "filter breathing," after his breathing apparatus alerted him he had only 5-10 minutes worth of air left.
He breathed through a makeshift filter as much as possible to conserve the air in his breathing apparatus.
"I did that until I felt the signs and symptoms of getting close to passing out and then I'd use my pack again until I got my wits about me," he said. "I did that three times before I felt some debris fall down. I heard some of the other firefighters hollering and knew they had found me."
As two firemen attempted to lift him out of the well using a fire hose, Certain said he lost his strength and fell back down.
They tried a second time and he mustered the strength to keep his grip on the hose.
"I knew I had to hold on," he said. "That was my only lifeline."
Both County Fire Chief Jerry Byrum and Certain credit his firefighter training for saving his life.
"Michael is a very good fireman with a lot of training," Byrum said. "I think the training played into helping him get out of that situation."
Certain was transported by ambulance to Cobb Memorial Hospital in Royston and later transferred to Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens.
Certain was in stable condition, awaiting further medical evaluation as of press time.
"I just want to thank all the firefighters that were on the scene and EMS workers for everything they did," Certain said.
The fire department, Hart County Sheriff's Office and state fire marshall are investigating the fire.