Tom Torell: He Kept On Saving Lives

It wasn't a big grin.

But it was always there, that wry twist across his face. Part of a packaged deal that included a hard handshake and a joke or maybe a story. Those stories - sometimes they'd make you wonder just what kind of guy Tom Torell was. But you knew.

You knew because time and again Torell would leap out of his warm bed on a cold night to fight smoke and ash and flames and fear, and even when he saved a life he didn't care if anybody said thanks. It was just what he did.

Later, after he got hurt and was put on the Fire Department's permanently disabled list, you knew because he found a way to keep on saving lives. And it was nothing less than staggering all the hours he put in training people in emergency medical care.

Torell died of cancer Thursday at his Kenmore home. He was 56.

``Tommy was one of the most committed guys I've worked with,'' says Steve Call, manager of King County Medical Services Division where Torell worked until last year.

``He was one of the nicest guys, too. Even after he retired we'd probably talk to him or see him once a week. You know, he'd left us as an employee but not as a friend and, well, his spirit is always going to be here.''

As a child, Torell chased fire trucks. As an adult, he drove them.

In 1955 he volunteered with King County Fire Protection District No. 16, better known as the Kenmore Fire Department. In 1966, Torell became the third firefighter in the department's history to start drawing a full-time paycheck.

``I fought many a fire with Tommy, and no matter how bad it got he always had a story, always something to say that had the effect of making things go easier,'' says Harlan Brager, a 20-year Kenmore Fire Department veteran.

Torell rose to lieutenant, was promoted to captain and then, in 1974, he was injured on the job. But he didn't stop; he just changed course.

No longer able to work as a firefighter, Torell joined the fledging Seattle-King County Emergency Medical Services Division.

The Rev. Jerry Montgomery, who founded King County EMS and was its first manager before joining the ministry, hired Torell.

``I thought he was a great talent, a wonderful man. In spite of the fact that Tommy had physical limits because of his injury, he was absolutely tireless,'' Montgomery said. ``There were days when he would be in great pain but he would keep on working, and I don't think anybody even knew he was hurting but me because of that smile.

``You know, he told me once he had a choice of suffering the pain or enjoying a smile.''

By 1978, King County Medical Services Division had become nationally and internationally known for its innovative and outstanding lifesaving services. Montgomery says Torell deserves a large share of the credit.

``He helped lay the groundwork, he developed the curriculum for the emergency training program. It simply would not be the outstanding service it is today if not for Tom.''

Capt. Ron Profit, now emergency medical coordinator for the city of Bellevue, was one of Torell's early students.

``Tommy just loved people. He would have adopted the whole world if he could have. I was kind of like an adopted son; I called him dad and he called me son,'' Profit says. ``I really looked up to him as one of the founders of emergency medical training. He taught literally thousands of us how to save lives, and every time one of us saves a life it's Tommy saving a life.''

At that rate, Profit figures, Tom Torell will be saving lives for a long time to come.

Torell is survived by his wife, Arlene; his sons Mark, Greg and Todd; his mother Alleen Torell of Bothell; sisters, Christine VanDussen and Joan Hanson, both of Kalispell, Mont.; and four grandchildren.

Services were scheduled for noon today at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 16348 68th Ave. N.E., Bothell.

Remembrances may be sent to the Medic One of the donor's choice.