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Home > Blogs > Hamilton News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > April > 16
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
One year later…
Thursday will make one year from the firefighter training accident near the low level dam that critically injured two firefighters.
Four firefighters actually hit the water on April 17, 2007. Two of the firefighters were pulled out the cold water early. However, John Hansbauer spent several minutes in the turbulent water near the dam they not so affectionately call “the boil.” Chris Gabbard would tumble in the boil for 26 tumultuous minutes before he was pulled out.
Once out, Gabbard would be resuscitated three times before he was stable. He would spend the next six weeks in area hospitals recovering.
A year later, Gabbard is on light-duty at the Hamilton Fire Department awaiting doctor’s permission to go back to full duty. However, Hansbauer, who suffered a spinal injury during his few minutes in the border won’t be going back to the department.
Today, I’ll sit down with these two men to recount the last year of their lives and how they’ve changed since that fateful day a year ago. Tune in tomorrow.
John Hansbauer (left) and Chris Gabbard at a press conference in September from a JournalNews file photo.
