Support Firefighter Goins' Recovery Journey

This is Firefighter Frederick Goins. While fighting a residential house fire on June 26, 20205 in DeKalb County, GA, the building collapsed. It was an abandoned building, and the firefighters were standing on the outside performing a defensive attack when the front of the building—where FF Goins was standing—suddenly collapsed, pinning him underneath burning debris. Twenty-five of his brothers dug through burning wood, hot stone, and metal to rescue him. He was removed, but not before suffering severe burns.

He will be in the ICU burn unit for at least a week and will have to undergo skin grafts and possibly multiple surgeries. He will then need extensive physical therapy to get him back to where he can return to the job he loves.

Firefighter Goins is married with four children under the age of six. While this is considered an on-the-job injury (OJI) by the department, the many trips to and from the hospital, meals away from home, lost part-time income, and other incidental costs that accompany such a severe injury are not covered. Every little bit can and will help ease his financial burden, allowing him and his family to focus on his recovery from these injuries.

He is a proud man who doesn’t like attention drawn to himself, but we, as his brothers and sisters, want to help him however we can.