East Butler firefighter injured in pool accident
East Butler Volunteer Fire Department firefighters responded to an emergency call for one of their own last Sunday.
Zac Hack, an East Butler firefighter, was flown to Allegheny General Hospital after he was hurt in a pool accident, according to a department's release.
“A lot of it is unclear,” East Butler chief Derek Thompson said. “All we know is he dove into a pool and hit his head.”
Thompson said his team was rattled in the emergency, which left Hack with two fractured vertebrae, but they worked well under a different kind of pressure. He said everyone in the department is supporting Hack in his recovery.
“I have spent a lot of time in the hospital with him,” Thompson said. “We're hoping for a 100 percent chance of recovery, but that's going to be up to the doctors.”
Thompson said everyone concerned about Hack has been optimistic based on the firefighter's improvement thus far.
“He's awake. We've talked to him. He recently got to eat solid food for the first time,” Thompson said.
A GoFundMe Page was created by a close friend of Hack's, according to Thompson.
The page is not affiliated with the department, but it has raised over $7,000 to help support Hack in his recovery.
Thompson said the department has their own plans to do something for Hack. He said the firefighter will not be alone when he fights his way back to health.
“I think he's going to (make a full recovery,)” Thompson said. “It's just going to be a lot of physical therapy and work.”
