Porter Community Supports Wounded Fireman Hit On Muskogee Turnpike

Friends and fellow firefighters are raising money for a Porter volunteer firefighter who was hit by a car on the Muskogee Turnpike. With every call that comes in, Michael Seals wants to ditch his arm sling and get back into his gear.

“I still get the pages, and I want to go,” said Seals. “We had grass fires the other day, and I was itching to go.”

His injuries are holding him back. One month ago, Seals and other volunteer firefighters were working a crash on the Muskogee Turnpike.

Related: Porter Firefighter Hit By Car While Responding To Crash On Turnpike

He says the last thing he remembers is hearing screeching brakes on a car as it came right towards him.

“I remember rolling and then waking up,” he said. “I did get knocked out.”

The car slammed into him, breaking his arm and leaving lots of bruises.

“As of right now, I don’t have to have surgery, but I was banged up,” he said. “Bruises all over me, sore in places I didn’t know I could be sore in.”

Seals has a three-year-old daughter who loves to come see her dad at work.

“That was the first person I thought of,” he said. “I had them get my phone out and call somebody to pick her up from school.”

Seals is getting worker's compensation right now, but that only covers 70% of his salary. Bills are starting to pile up, and he’s still not sure when he’ll be able to get back to work as an EMT.

“Honestly, I don’t know if luck is really the word,” he said. “It’s just a blessing. Somebody was watching out for me.”

Despite the pain and not being able to work or respond to calls, Seals says things could still be a lot worse.

Porter firefighters are teaming up with Coweta firefighters to offer barbecue sandwiches this Saturday at 11 a.m. outside the Coweta Fire Department. All of the proceeds will go towards Seals and his recovery.