Montgomery fire lieutenant back to work nearly a year after a life-threatening accident

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (W.S.F.A) – Firefighters risk their lives every day to save others. Montgomery Fire/Rescue Lt. James McMicken did just that when he responded to a car accident. He was hit by another car, leaving him unresponsive.

McMicken says he’s never worked a day in his life because he was made for the fire department.

“I saw someone who is now a district chief here kick in a front door and disappear into a burning house, and I thought, ‘I want to do that,’” McMicken said.

He started working for the county fire department at the age of 18 and even though he knew the job was dangerous, he never thought he would ever be the way he was a year ago.

“I can tell you what I had for dinner that night and that was it,” McMicken said.

McMicken responded to a crash November 2023 when he was hit by another vehicle.

He was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and suffered multiple broken bones.

“I responded to the incident on another call and you could hear the chaos on the radio, and his partner had pretty much never seen anything like it,” Assistant Fire Chief Stanley Cooper said.

After a week in the hospital, McMicken underwent intensive therapy, never doubting that he would return to the job he loves.

“You just look at where you were before and you think, ‘I’m never going to get back there,’” he said. “You just have to throw that out of your mind and just move on.”

His perseverance inspired his entire department.

Two months before the one-year anniversary of the crash, McMicken returned to work. And on that birthday he wanted to do what he had to do: save lives.

McMicken said he is grateful for the support he has received from his department.

Not reading this story in the WSFA News app? Receive news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store!