Baltimore firefighter who survived 2022 building collapse shares livesaving breathing technique at Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A Baltimore firefighter made a special South Florida stop to share how he survived a terrifying emergency. He said a simple technique saved him, and now it’s just one of several lifesaving lessons local firefighters are learning.
It was January 2022 when firefighter John McMaster and many others from his department were responding to a building fire when the structure collapsed.
McMaster and three others were trapped inside.
“There was too much weight, too much lumber on us,” he said.
For 12 minutes, McMaster was buried in the rubble, but just moments before running out of air, he was rescued.
The other three firefighters, unfortunately, didn’t survive.
McMaster said a breathing technique he learned early in his career, called skip breathing, saved his life.
“Three quick inhales with a seven-second exhale, so, ‘Whew, whew, whew,’ and then you would exhale over seven seconds,” he said.
He’s now sharing his story with other firefighters, starting at the Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo, where firefighters from across the world this week are being reminded about the importance of safety and training.
“Our goal is to send them back to their firehouses, wherever they may be, just learning one thing that they can take back,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Mike Salzano.
It’s a simple technique that saved McMaster’s life.
The tragic story is now a powerful reminder.
“You’re not able to help yourself. The skip breathing is all you’ve got, and your brothers and sisters; that’s it,” he said.
Firefighters call it going back to the basics by remembering the skills they learned at the academy and learning new techniques, because as hundreds of firefighters learned on Thursday, those skills can save a life.
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