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Congratulations to Capt. Alex Garces, recipient of the City of Coral Gables “Firefighter of the Month Award,” for the month of September, 2016.
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Capt. Garces has been selected September’s Firefighter of the Month for his outstanding display of individual initiative surpassing job requirements as well as for his acts of concern and consideration in dealing with the public, specifically for his response to a medical emergency while off duty. While on vacation with his family in Disney World, at the swimming pool of the hotel he heard his wife scream and ran to see what the problem was. She quickly alerted him that a 3 year old child had been found at the bottom of the pool. Capt. Garces ran over to where the child was and jumped into action, taking over resuscitative measures until Rescue arrived. The child was then transported to a local pediatric hospital where he spent two days in the intensive care unit. Capt. Garces and his family paid a visit to the family at the hospital where they were advised that the boy had a rough two days, but had no neurological deficits and would make a full recovery. Undoubtedly without Capt. Garces’ quick response and medical training, the outcome could have been very different.
Capt. Garces has worked his way up through the ranks and is currently a Fire Captain on Battalion “A.” Among his many accomplishments is the completion of a Bachelor’s degree in September 2015. Capt. Garces has spent countless hours training and teaching in the EMS field and was a member of the Coral Gables Fire Department’s Extrication Team. He has no doubt touched many lives within the City of Coral Gables and the Fire Department and is a role model and leader for the younger guys in our department to look up to.