Kansas City Fire Department battalion chief who saved lives in Mendon train derailment rescues baseball fan

A Kansas City firefighter and nurse attended a Washington Nationals game Wednesday night, having been in the nation’s capital to receive an award for his efforts nearly a year ago. Todd Covington, a battalion chief with the Kansas City Fire Department, who had helped pull train passengers to safety when an Amtrak train derailed near Mendon, Missouri, once again found himself in a life-saving situation. Covington told NBC Sports Washington reporter Grant Paulsen he was watching the game when he heard fans yelling that someone was choking. He jumped over rows of seats and began giving the fan blows to their back before performing the Heimlich maneuver. The foreign object was dislodged about 20 seconds later, FOX5 DC reported. “We overuse the term hero but the guy saved a person’s life. Legit hero,” Paulsen tweeted. “We just chalk another one up for the good guys,” Covington told him with a laugh.
KCTV CBS 5 Kansas City

Mississippi River boating rescue in St. Louis County likely first of many ahead of summer season

VIDEO: A scene on the Mississippi River Tuesday afternoon is likely a sign of things to come. Two men were rescued by the Marine Task Force after their boat began taking on water. “This is the season for those water incidents,” said Capt. Matt Coppin with the Metro West Fire Protection District. It’s not just boating distress calls that start to increase ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Drowning calls will also be on the rise, according to Coppin. Coppin and his team have responded to several calls along the Meramec River. “These waters, even though they look calm and serene, can be really dangerous,” he said. The Metro West Fire Protection District prepares year-round for drowning and boating accident calls. “The simplest and easiest thing you can do is wear a life jacket,” Coppin said.
KTVI-TV FOX 2 St. Louis