ABOVE VIDEO:Angry ants overwhelmed Jack Hurdt, 81, of Cocoa while he was pressure washing his sidewalk. (KLTV video)
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – A crew of Brevard County firefighters and paramedics have gone beyond saving a life — they’re showing they’re good neighbors as well.
Jack Hurdt
The Brevard County Fire Rescue crew rescued Jack Hurdt, 81, from an ant attack last Wednesday – and then came back and pressure-washed his front walk.
Hurdt sprayed a bunch of ants, which started biting, and before Hurdt knew it, he was collapsing.
“I went about 15 feet and pushed the doorbell,” said Hurdt. “The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, I was out,” he said.
Hurdt’s wife, Marjorie, was shocked when she opened the door.
Marjorie Hurdt
“His head was here and his shoulder was here, and the rest of him that way, and I couldn’t get nothing out of him,” said Marjorie Hurdt. “Scared me to death.”
Medics from nearby Station 44 came to the rescue, and when Jack got back from the hospital, he found a note, “Dear Mr. Hurdt and family, we finished pressure washing your front walk,” the note said.
A security camera confirmed it. The Station 44 crew had returned, unasked.
“About 10 minutes in, we had to leave to go to another 911 emergency, so we left, ran that call, came back and finished the job,” said Lt. Richard Woodling of Brevard County Fire Rescue.
Lt. Richard Woodling of Brevard County Fire Rescue. (KLTV video image)
Hurdt was surprised.
“I tell you, I just couldn’t believe it that people would go out of their way to help me like that,” said Jack Hurdt.
Lt. Woodling shrugged it off as just another day at the office.
“The citizens are our customers,” said Lt. Woodling.
“If my father or grandfather needed something, I would expect the fire department to do the same thing.”
