Firefighter Marvin Pigford is being remembered for his dedication to helping keep the Moselle community safe. โHeโs one of those people you call at 1 a.m. if somethingโs broken in the house,โ Moselle Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Jessica Jones said. โHeโd do anything to help.โ Pigford died on Sept. 4 from anaphylaxis after wasps stung him. He just had turned 51.
Jones told WDAM 7 that Pigford was at home when everything happened. โHe was working with a couple of guys that he typically works with from his company,โ said Jones. โHe was unable to give them enough time to get him help.โ Anaphylaxis happens when the body releases chemicals in response to an allergen. EMServ Ambulance Service Director Wyth Collins said symptoms can occur rapidly and may include swelling, difficulty breathing and nausea. โItโs like drowning,โ said Collins. โIf youโve ever gotten shortness of breath when youโre swimming, itโs like that. You cannot catch your breath.โ
For many people with allergies, an epinephrine pen is the go-to, but is usually prescription-only. That means every minute counts for people unaware of their allergies. โThe longer it builds, the longer it takes a person to get over,โ Collins said. โThereโs a whole host of things that happen after that that your body has to do to recover and reset.โ Collins said in these cases, medicines like Benadryl are not the answer.
โLittle bug bite, couple bug bites thatโs going to be great, but not for anaphylaxis,โ said Collins. โIf youโre looking at somebody, and they look like a cream or Benadryl might help, itโs not anaphylaxis.โ Jones urged everyone to create a medical plan of action to avoid situations like this. โDo people around you know how to use those rescue medications?โ said Jones. โIf not, have you looked into resources online to help you figure those things out?โ Pigford had been with the Moselle VFD for about a year and a half. His family has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral expenses.
