An Alabama volunteer firefighter returned to finishing the mowing so the recovering resident and her family had one less thing to worry about

The Anniston Star

ALEXANDRIA, Ala. — First responders are trained to protect life and property, but an Alexandria volunteer firefighter recently added lawn care to his list of duties following a medical emergency.

Members of the Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department were working a fundraiser last weekend when they received an urgent call from a fellow firefighter. The off-duty member was driving with a friend and noticed a resident slumped over a lawnmower.

| NEW RESOURCE: Performance stations: Design for health, resilience and readiness

The volunteer crew rushed to the home to find the woman suffering from a heat-related illness. Alexandria Fire Chief Jonathon Patterson said the team moved the patient to the porch and provided initial care before Piedmont Rescue arrived to transport her to a hospital.

As the ambulance pulled away and the crew prepared to pack up their gear, the lawnmower sat abandoned in the middle of the partially cut yard.

That is when Lt. Colton Brown stepped in.

Knowing heavy rain was forecast for the coming week, Brown realized the following day was likely the last chance the family would have to finish the chore. He told Patterson he was going to move the mower out of the way, but ultimately decided to finish the job.

“I thought, I’m just going to go ahead and finish this yard, and make sure when she comes back home, the family doesn’t have to worry about it, and she doesn’t have to worry about it either,” Brown said.

It took Brown about 30 minutes to complete the yard work.

Patterson, who has worked alongside Brown for more than a decade, said this type of behavior is entirely in character for the lieutenant.

“Colton, he’s a really good guy,” Patterson said. “He’s got a heart of gold. That’s for sure. He is willing to help anybody, willing to do anything. I’ve never known him not to help anybody.”

Brown, who joined the department in 2011, deferred the praise to his fellow firefighters and called the emergency response a “huge team effort.” He noted that the primary goal in his field is always to protect life and property, but sometimes the job requires a more personal touch.

“We’ll try to do what we can to help anybody that’s having a rough day,” Brown said.

Patterson noted that acts of service are the foundation of the volunteer department, which relies on individuals who sacrifice time with their own families to answer the call for neighbors in distress.

“You have to have a good heart, and you have to want to do it,” Patterson said.

While the fire department does not receive official updates on a patient’s condition after the person is handed over to ambulance personnel, Brown said he believes the woman is doing well.

Three Massachusetts fire recruits performed CPR on a cyclist who suffered a heart attack

States are easing stairwell, electrical and fire code rules to lower housing costs, raising safety concerns from firefighters and code experts

Three firefighters were killed and two others injured on the Knowles and Gore fires near the Colorado-Utah border, as hot, dry winds fueled major wildfire growth

“Fighting More Than Fire” explores the history of Black firefighters in Tulsa, from breaking racial barriers to the challenges and triumphs that shaped generations of service

© 2026 The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.).
Visit www.annistonstar.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The National Fire Protection Association and Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition honored two advocates for their efforts to promote residential fire sprinklers and advance community fire safety