Firefighters are most accustomed to helping those in emergency situations but Saturday, Brownwood firefighters began asking the public to help one of their own.
Members of the Brownwood Professional Firefighters Association gathered Saturday morning to discuss helping 44-year-old firefighter Jake Landess who has recently been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, one of the most aggressive forms of leukemia. Landess has a wife and three children, with the youngest in high school.
Landess has been with the Brownwood Fire Department since 2001. Recently, he began running a fever and missed a couple of shifts before going to his family physician who ran some tests and then immediately admitted Landess to the hospital. Landess underwent a bone marrow test which determined his diagnosis of AML. He is currently at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas where he has been given rounds of chemotherapy twice daily for three days and now is being given IV drip chemotherapy 24 hours a day for seven days. He is expected to be hospitalized for at least two months according to BFD Captain Greg Woodcox.
With his hospital bills reaching over $100,000 as of this past Wednesday, fellow firefighters decided to help ease the financial burden on the Landess family. Several fundraisers are in the works, the first of which started today. Several of the members of BPFFA will be gathering donations, with goals of at least $100 from each of their 31 members.Brownwood News made the first donation to this campaign and encourages other local businesses and individuals to do the same, helping to support these men who take care of our community on a daily basis (alongside the many other emergency responders in the area agencies). Donations will be accepted through the month of June and will end with these firefighters shaving their heads to show support of their brother, Jake Landess in July. University Cuts Barber Shop has agreed to help shave all their heads.
Woodcox stated that all of the members are going to participate. Those with heads that are already shaved may sport crazy wigs for the occasion.
“Everybody is going to participate, it’s a good way to show our support for him,” said Woodcox. “We’ll do other things (fundraisers) after this.”
With Landess’ diagnosis not being workman’s compensation eligible, he will rely on holiday, sick day, and vacation pay, according to Woodcox. The City of Brownwood also has a catastrophe fund which Landess will qualify for, possibly up to a month and a half of pay, said Woodcox. His job is secure, said Woodcox, explaining that Chief Del Albright has already confirmed his job security despite the length of time he will need to be off for treatment.
It’s asked that nothing be sent to Landess while he is at Baylor, such as plants, because his immune system is “down to zero” with the chemo, according to BPFFA secretary Matt Campbell.
“AML is about as bad of a diagnosis as you can have with Leukemia, treated as aggressively as possible, depending on how much his body can handle,” said Campbell.
Donations may be dropped off at Brownwood Fire Stations at the following locations:
Station 1: 809 Main Street
Station 2: 1511 Indian Creek Road
Members of BPFFA stated that those wishing to donate may also give either station a phone call and they will be happy to pick up donations. Checks should be made payable to Brownwood Professional Firefighters Association (BPFFA), with a memo stating “Jake Landess benefit fund.” An account is also being set up at TexasBank in Brownwood benefiting Jake Landess.
Pictured above is Jake Landess as he surveyed damage at a recent wreck in Brownwood. Below are some of the members of the Brownwood Professional Fire Fighters Association. Pictured left to right are: Chad Hill, Blake Guthrie, Bradley Gilmore, Captain Greg Woodcox and Matt Campbell (secretary).
