COVID-19 survivor credits West Orange firefighters for saving his life

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Fagan
West Orange resident Bill Squires is flanked by Firefighters Leon Sederwall, left, and Gary Braus, right, whom he credits with saving his life.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange resident Bill Squires was transported to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston by the West Orange Fire Department on March 26, 2020, with a high fever and COVID-19 symptoms. Squires required hospitalization and ultimately spent 32 days on a ventilator, followed by subsequent rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation before returning home on June 5. Squires returned to Fire Station No. 5 on July 26 to thank Firefighters Leon Sederwall and Gary Braus, who had transported him to the hospital. He credits them with saving his life and praised the efforts of all first responders.