Cayuga County Emergency Services director needs organ transplants, fundraiser planned

Fundraisers are planned for Brian Dahl, director of the Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services.

Cayuga County legislators bowed their heads in a moment of silence Tuesday afternoon during their meeting at Emerson Park for Brian Dahl, director of the county's Office of Emergency Services. Dahl is in need of both a liver and kidney transplant and was admitted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester this past weekend.

Dahl, who has served as an emergency responder for over three decades between the Throop Volunteer Fire Department and the county's emergency management office, has needed a liver transplant for the last four years.

Deputy Director Niel Rivenburgh, who has worked with Dahl for about 10 years, said his office has been inundated with phone calls and emails from friends, colleagues and family members. Those calls, he said, are the only interruptions in the day-to-day activities of the office. Rivenburgh is taking the reins, but he briefs Dahl when appropriate.

"We're all responders," Rivenburgh said. "Even our office staff are responders in their own right, and when one of us is down, all the rest of us pick up and keep going, because that's what the one of us who is down would want done."

It's not clear how long Dahl will be on medical leave, but he's on a list for the double organ transplant. In the meantime, his sister Debbi Purcell, is organizing a fundraising event and a GoFundMe page to help Dahl with expenses.

Purcell knows firsthand how costly these procedures can be. She gave a kidney to another one of her brothers, Gary Dahl, several years ago. Between the travel back and forth to the hospital, family members staying nearby in hotels and the testing done after the procedure, there's a lot of different expenses that add up. 

The benefit Purcell is organizing is called "Bunkers for Brian," with the slogan: "Real heroes don't wear capes. They wear bunker gear." Bunker gear refers to personal protective clothing that firefighters and first responders wear. 

The benefit will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Throop Fire House, 7159 Beech Tree Road, Auburn. There will be a $15 per person donation or a $30 per family donation (of up to five people). There will be a pasta dinner, music, raffles and door prizes. Purcell is still looking for raffle and door prizes and food donations for the event. 

Also at the benefit, Purcell said, will be a table for people to sign up to become an organ donor. Purcell, Gary Dahl and Brian Dahl had sat down for an interview with The Citizen last year about the importance of organ donation. 

"Really, it's not a big, scary thing," Purcell said in a phone interview Wednesday. "If I can get more people signed up on the national registry," she paused, "yah."

Besides the fundraiser, a GoFundMe page, as of Wednesday afternoon had raised $2,600. 

"He (Brian Dahl) has given up sleep and family time in his service to others whether it is managing the disaster zones for local floods or wildfires, an accident scene, ambulance call, or coordinating a fire scene to try and save a home," she wrote. "Brian has never looked for acknowledgement or a simple thank you. Now Brian needs our help."

For more information on the benefit or to donate items, email Purcell at purcell64@gmail.com. To donate to the GoFundMe page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/bunkers-for-brian.