On June 11, 2024, the Byron Fire Department along with Mercy EMS and the NYS Police were dispatched to a call in the middle of the night for a small child with trouble breathing. 3-year-old Daysee Burr was at home recovering from having her adenoids and tonsils removed when she started to vomit blood. As Daysee’s dad, Daniel, held her on his shoulder, he realized she was turning blue. Daysee’s Mom, Makenzie, immediately dialed 9-1-1 and spoke with dispatcher Ashley Gorgeo who provided instructions. Luckily, two friends who have been living with the family and have military background jumped right into the situation and took control, performing CPR.
Within minutes, first responders converged on the Burr residence, requesting Mercy Flight 5 out of Batavia to respond to the scene for transport to Strong Hospital. Two troopers on scene set up a Mercy Flight landing zone with Elba Fire as the ground contact.
“The teamwork by many people was instrumental in the call going from being really serious to the child coming home two days later. From the parents realizing their child needed immediate help, to the dispatchers giving the proper prearrival instructions and dispatching the appropriate units, to the Medics treating the child, to everyone working together at the scene, to the helicopter transport, to Strong’s care of the child, everything went well,” says John Durand, Safety Officer for the Byron Fire Department.
At a press conference at Mercy Ambulance headquarters on Call Parkway on Monday afternoon, the Burr family thanked all that helped during the incident.
Video of Press Conference–Pictured-left to right front- John Durand/Byron Fire Dept. /Safety Officer, Daniel/dad, Daysee, Makenzie/mom, and two-year-old twins, Gracelyn and Leelyn, MaryJoe Wilkins/Mimi, back/left to right-Trooper Machniak, Megan Amcher/Mercy EMS EMT/Basic, Mike Cornett/Mercy Flight Paramedic, Mike Sheflin/Senior Emergency Services Dispatcher, Ashley Gorgeo/ Dispatcher, Tatum Higby/Byron Fire EMT, Laura Platt/Byron Fire/1st Medic, and Byron Fire Chief Robert Mruczek.