‘We’re not counting out a miracle,’ fire chief says of firefighter’s brain injury

Macon County firefighters are keeping vigil at the hospital after one of their men suffered a traumatic brain injury Saturday afternoon.

Darrell Plank lost consciousness when he was hit in the head by a metal coupling as a fire hose snagged on the truck, Fire Chief Micah Kauffman said.

An ambulance on the scene of the fire off Ga. 128 near the Taylor County rushed Plank to Medical Center, Navicent Health, where he remained in critical, but stable condition Monday morning.

The 29-year-old father of five had a CT scan Monday morning that revealed Plank suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain, according to a Facebook page asking people to pray for his recovery.

Plank, a 10-year veteran of the fire department, suffered a serious skull fracture.

“We are certainly holding out hope,” Kauffman said. “We certainly are a community of faith and I think that sets our department apart a little. We’re not counting out a miracle.”

Plank, who is a carpenter by trade, is a dedicated father and a man of deep faith and conviction, his chief said.

“Darrell is always energetic, full of life,” Kauffman said. “He’s the life of the party wherever he’s at.”

The Facebook page, Praying for Darrell, is following his medical condition while he remains in the hospital.

“Since this happened, we have kept a fireman or two there,” Kauffman said.

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 9:30 AM with the headline "‘We’re not counting out a miracle,’ fire chief says of firefighter’s brain injury."