Cambridge Springs volunteer fire police officer Robert Repa was looking forward to being released from the hospital on Friday. Repa
suffered significant injuries to both legs at the scene of the
Riverside Inn fire on Tuesday when he was struck by a vehicle as he
assisted with traffic control. Despite those injuries and a long road to
recovery ahead of him, he was in good spirits Friday and expressed
hopes of returning to his position with the fire department after
completing rehabilitation treatment.
Fire police officers assist with traffic control and other duties at fires, motor
vehicle accidents and other fire department activities. Repa, a
resident of the Cambridge Springs area for more than 30 years, has
served with the fire department for nearly a quarter-century, according
to Chief Jeff Murdock.
Repa’s good spirits were evident as he recalled the accident that injured him as the fire raged early Tuesday. “A guy ran over me,” Repa said with a laugh. “I’m doing OK.”
Repa’s positive attitude came in the face of what he described as two broken legs, crushed arteries and other injuries. “He’s banged up pretty good,” Murdock confirmed. “Everyone who has been to see him says he’s been doing pretty well, all things considered.”
Those
considerations include injuries to his ankles so severe that swelling
prevented casts from being put on his legs for several days, Murdock
said. “It wasn’t pretty, according to the people here,” Repa said, referring to the hospital’s medical staff. “I remember getting hit — it threw me over the guardrail and out into the creek.”
Murdock
explained that Repa wound up in a waterway near a culvert at the scene
of the fire. He had not yet heard from police on the results of an
investigation. A search of judicial system databases showed that no
charges had been filed as of Friday afternoon.
Repa expected to be released to a rehabilitation facility on Friday.