Houston firefighter injured after jumping from second floor during call talks with FOX 26
HOUSTON - Imagine trying to help someone when they have a medical emergency and realizing seconds later that that person is out to take your life.
That was the reality for Houston firefighter Corey Grant less than two weeks ago. He’s recovering from his injuries and sat down with FOX 26 exclusively to talk about that fateful day that he feared could have been his last.
"There is still some bruising in this side of the area from when I fell and landed. I think this is the side that took the brunt of the impact," explained Houston firefighter Corey Grant.
He sustained the injuries after jumping from a second story balcony stairwell onto the ground.
The night was January 27, around 11p.m., Grant and Houston firefighter Andrew Hoegsberg responded to the call at a second floor apartment at the Ashford Buena Vista Apartments, off Bissonnet.
They were met by Jaime Marquez, 23, who had agreed to go to the hospital after being evaluated by the two first responders, but asked to get a shirt.
"As he is coming back, I heard the click. Like the click of the slide. It kind of gets your attention, and then I turned, and that's when I saw him walking around the corner. He probably took a step and a half, and that's when me and my partner bailed out of the door," said Grant. "There was no time to really process fear. It's, I have to get out of here, or I don't see my parents anymore."
The firefighters jumped about 10 feet from the second floor and ran to their emergency vehicle and drove to safety a block away.
"Immediate concern, especially given that it seems that the frequency of attacks on first responders is increasing throughout the country and here in Houston," said Michael Mire, Assistant Chief Emergency Response. "There is nothing that dismisses that type of behavior or aggression towards our firefighters."
"If I could ask one question, it would definitely be that. Why? I am there to help you, and now you pull a weapon on me and threaten my life," said Grant.
One thing he wants the public to know: "Whenever you dial 911 for a medical emergency, and you see that HFD ambulance or HFD fire truck show up, hey, these are the good guys, and they are here to help me any way they can."
His partner, firefighter Andrew Hoegsberg, did suffer a collar bone injury, and Grant says he is in good spirits.
As far as Marques, he is charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant.