Colleagues Remember Ft. Lauderdale Medic Killed While Changing Tire

Oct. 01--Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Timothy Heiser said when he saw Lt. Kevin Johns and his truck behind him, he knew the 48-year-old firefighter had his back.

Heiser remembered all of the "thousands of times (Johns) had done it -- risked his life" and went on to the next call.

Now, when Heiser thinks of Johns' gear still hanging in his station, he has to choke back tears.

"It's (just) knowing he's not going to put it on again," Heiser said during anews conference on Wednesday morning at Fort Lauderdale Fire Station 2.

Johns, who died Tuesday after being struck by a car on Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, leaves behind a wife and three children. That doesn't include more than 450 members of his family in the fire department, Heiser said.

"We've lost an extremely seasoned fire lieutenant, a seasoned paramedic and a leader to this department," he said. "It's going to be very difficult not having him around."

The Jupiter resident was set to retire in April after more than 28 years of service. Records show Johns and his wife owned a day care center in Jupiter called Clubhouse University.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday at Sanctuary Church, 1400 North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale.

On Tuesday, Johns pulled over to the side of southbound I-95 to fix a flat tire near the Yamato Road exit around 7 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sergeant Mark Wysocky said. While he was changing the tire, Johns was struck by the Hyundai Sonata driven by West Palm Beach resident Lorenza G. Simmons, according to FHP.

Simmons attempted to avoid a Toyota Rav4 that was slowing for traffic and veered to the right. The Hyundai was unable to avoid the collision and hit the Toyota in the right rear. The momentum carried the Hyundai off the road, hitting Johns.

Charges have not been filed.

State Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, wrote a letter to FHP calling for a formal investigation into the crash. Slosberg, who is part of the Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee, requested the cellphone records of the two drivers be examined to see if either many have been texting or on social media when the crash happened.

"Many of these types of traffic crashes occur because a driver is distracted from the conditions on the road," he wrote.

Though the veteran firefighter had been on tens of thousands of calls, saving many lives, Heiser said one of the most heroic efforts was when he saved nine firefighters a decade ago.

In 2004, a boat fire got out of control in Port Everglades with firefighters on board. Johns was given the Silver Medal of Valor for his efforts, according to Heiser.

It's a "tremendous loss" to the city, but an even greater loss to the fire department, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler said. "They lost a family member too."

Lt. John Bloomberg, who lives down the street from Johns in Jupiter, agreed.

"You knew you were in good hands when you were with him," he said.

Throughout the news conference, Bloomberg also held back tears while he thought of the man he's known for more than 17 years.

Scott Conner, a firefighter in the department, said he saw Johns on Thursday for work.

As firefighters, he said you don't imagine dying the way Johns did. "For us, that's not the way we want to go."

When Johns' crew heard what happened Tuesday, many rushed to Delray Medical Center to support their friend while others had to stay at the station.

"When the bell rang, they responded because that's what we have to do," Heiser said of those firefighters who couldn't go to the hospital.

On Wednesday afternoon, flowers were placed up against the flagpole outside of Fire Station 13 along east Sunrise Boulevard and A1A in Fort Lauderdale, where Johns was headed to work Tuesday. Flags in the city and fire stations were lowered to half staff.

"I'm devastated," said Linda White, who has lived next door in Jupiter to Johns for the past 20 years. "He was a wonderful family man and a wonderful neighbor. I can't say enough nice things about him."

Staff Writer Linda Santacruz contributed to this report.

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