Pleiman receives Spirit EMS Star of Life Award

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(Gaylen Blosser photo)

GREENVILLE – Spirit EMS had several individuals recognized and awards given at their 2024 Christmas Party. This year Keith Pleiman was recognized along with the heroic efforts of those who stepped in and helped save this man’s life.

On December 16, 2023, at approximately 7:35 am, the Sidney Police Department in Shelby County, Ohio, received a 911 call on a report of a male subject who had been severely burnt.

The information initially gathered was minimal, however, the report did indicate that a chainsaw had exploded, and the male subject had been burnt. Shelby County Sheriff’s Office veteran dispatcher Dustin Butterfield immediately dispatched Spirit EMS, who is contracted to serve the Houston Joint Ambulance District, to the scene.

Within eight minutes of being dispatched, Spirit EMS veterans Paramedic Rich Nihizer and Advanced EMT Jeremy Miller drove through the fog and arrived on the scene.  The fire had burnt the patient’s clothing off, leaving his partially burnt underwear to remain. It was
quickly learned the patient was burning lumber on a property that he was attempting to clean up when a two-gallon can of accelerant exploded, setting his entire body on fire.

“As you will hear from our patient, what he learned in childhood to stop, drop, and roll, he immediately did. But he quickly realized, after doing so, that other parts of his body were still on fire. He was able to use water in a small creek to put the remaining fire out,” said Brian K. Hathaway, President and CEO of Spirit EMS.

Upon an intensive assessment of the patients injuries, it was determined quickly that CareFlight was going to need to be called to the scene to transport the patient to a Level 1 Trauma Center for his burns and critical status.

Members of the Houston Fire Department were quick to respond and set up a landing zone, while the EMS crew transported him to that location to await the arrival of pilot, Tom Streit, and flight nurse paramedics Anna Ludwick and Dani Beck.

“Spirit EMS then passed off care to the care flight crew realizing that the chance of survival for our patient would take an act of God and lots of prayers,” said Hathaway.

Upon arrival at the Miami Valley Hospital Trauma Center, the patient was intubated, spent two weeks on the ventilator, and was admitted to the hospital until nearly Easter of this year.  He has undergone 15+ surgeries for skin grafting in addition to 27 transfusions of blood platelets and plasma.

The Spirit EMS Star of Life recipient, Kevin Pleiman, was recognized and supported by his family and shared his appreciation to the first responders who helped save his life on that fateful day.

The following were recognized for their heroic efforts and received the Star of Life Award as presented by Spirit EMS for the amazing job and collaboration on December 16, 2023, in saving the life of Kevin Pleiman: Spirit EMS Paramedic Rich Nihizer, Spirit Advanced EMT Jeremy Miller, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher Dustin Butterfield, Representatives of the Houston Fire Department, Pilot Tom Streit, CareFlight Nurse/Paramedic Anna Ludwick, and CareFlight Nurse/Paramedic, Dani Beck.

Hathaway also shared some information on how passionate Kevin is about plasma and blood drive donations in and throughout his community. He has been a donor for many years.

“As a token of our appreciation for his dedication and in commemoration of the Star of Life event, Spirit EMS will be taking pictures from this evening’s Star of Life event and wrapping one of our Houston- based ambulances with pictures of this evening’s ceremony to promote plasma and blood donations, so that other lives can be saved,” closed Hathaway.