Support EMT Firefighter Joe Kay’s Recovery!

On the evening of Sunday 9/19, one of our community's active EMS and Fire crew members suffered a horrific motorcycle accident that left him with a long and difficult road to recovery.

EMT and Firefighter Joseph Kay is a valuable member of Regional Ambulance Service along with Killington Fire and First Response, and dedicates his time to helping the men and women of Rutland county, putting his life on the line to save others every day. On Sunday evening, Joe hit a patch of sand while on his motorcycle and flipped multiple times before crashing into an embankment. Joe was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center and was rapidly flown by helicopter to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he remains in the surgical ICU. He is lucky to be alive, but his injuries are extensive, and he will have months of rehabilitation to regain the use of his left arm, along with adapting to the loss of three of his fingers on his dominant hand and healing from multiple other fractures and injuries.

Joe is one of the most kind hearted souls who will ever hold your hand in your time of greatest need, and now it's our turn to be there for him. He is fortunate to have a great support system with his wonderful wife Laura, family, and friends, but Joe will ultimately be out of work for several months while recovering and Laura will be forced to take time as well to care for him at home. Their quaint house will likely require adaptations to make it more accessible for Joe over the coming months, and they are already looking into the possibility of a service dog to aid Joe over time. His goal is to get back to doing what he loves, and attending the advanced EMT course this winter to better himself as a provider for the people he serves. Your contributions go directly to Joe and his family to supplement his living costs while he is out of work recovering, along with supporting home accessibility renovations and the cost of a service dog if they need. Let's show Joe the same support he shows us whenever we call 911!

#JoeKayStrong