EMT falls in line of duty

Sept. 3, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

WILLOW - Like they did dozens of times before, Tim and Virgie McKeown responded as a team to an emergency. At 3 a.m. Friday, they left their house to take care of a neighbor across the road, who called 911.

&#8220The ambulance call was for a neighboring department, not our primary station,” Christian Michael Hartley, their son, said in an e-mail. &#8220But they never cared about time or circumstance, only that someone needed help.”

Tim and Virgie started setting up oxygen equipment to help their neighbor.

&#8220Then my father dropped to the ground,” Hartley said. &#8220No clutching of the chest, no screams or yells, no pained stare with a guttural moan. He just dropped, like his feet suddenly disappeared.”

Virgie McKeown suddenly was faced with two patients, although other medics came racing when they heard a medic was down, Hartley said.

Emergency responders from Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Sunshine, Willow, Houston and Central Mat-Su went to McKeown's aid, bringing four ambulances. The ambulances were needed for the ailing neighbor, Virgie McKeown and for the medics who would need

critical-stress debriefing.

Tim McKeown, 67, died, in spite of EMTs working 45 minutes to revive him.

&#8220He died doing his job on Labor Day weekend,” Hartley said.

Hartley and his wife, Alma, were so inspired by the McKeowns' work as EMTs, they entered into the service themselves.

&#8220It was a family affair,” Hartley said. &#8220All four of us went on calls all the time.”

As first responders, they went without the support of an ambulance or extra supplies. And they did it repeatedly in rural Alaska.

&#8220Sometimes, it would be a minor call, but the person was sitting on a shotgun,” he said. &#8220Or a car crash and a guy threatened us with a knife. In rural areas, you never know what to expect. You have to be really comfortable with your skills when you're walking into a person's house alone, and they looking at you for help.”

Another way the family served their community was to man the first-aid station at the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival for the past six years.

Tim McKeown died two days before Hartley's son's first birthday, five days before Alma's 22nd birthday and 60 days before he would have turned 68.

&#8220He died doing what he did to serve God,” Hartley said. &#8220I want my son to learn he should always be doing something to help others. It's just a family trait to help other people first.”

The family plans a memorial service for Tim McKeown at 3 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Willow Community Center, and everyone is invited, said Clint Vardeman, deputy director of public safety for the Mat-Su Borough.

&#8220Tim was dedicated to the service and a passionate advocate for quality emergency medical care,” Vardeman said. &#8220He will be greatly missed, both as a medic and as a person.”

As far as anyone can remember, Tim McKeown was the first borough medic to die on duty, he said.

Hartley extended an invitation to the service, saying people should come dressed as they please.

&#8220My father wasn't big on rules,” he said.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@frontiersman.com.