On September 10, 2025, Firefighter Autumn Herrera responded to a dangerous house fire with her department. While working inside, conditions rapidly deteriorated. Autumn became separated from her crew and completely trapped in the intense heat. She attempted to evacuate through a window, but the extreme high heat had already melted the window frame shut. 

With increasing temperatures, separated from her driver and captain, and no way to extricate herself, Autumn had to call a MAYDAY. 

Trapped inside a burning structure, she was thankfully rescued by an incoming mutual-aid fire department. She survived, but the physical and psychological toll of that near-fatal shift was severe.

Over a year later, Autumn is still fighting — not against a fire, but against a corrupt and broken system. She is currently being treated for a severe pulmonary injury and psychological injuries, including PTSD. Instead of receiving support after surviving the ultimate nightmare, Autumn has faced undue strain, isolation, and apathy from her department and city. 

For the past year, Texas Workers’ Compensation has denied several claims regarding her respiratory injuries. Because of these denials, workers' comp refuses to cover her medical visits or her life-altering medications. 

Autumn requires a vital monthly injectable medication, along with a daily inhaled medication and a steroid rescue inhaler, to breathe and recover. Without insurance, the injection alone costs $5,000 every month. Her employer has forced her onto FMLA medical leave, meaning Autumn’s paychecks have completely stopped. To keep her health insurance active so she can afford her medication, the city has told Autumn that she must make the arrangements herself with the finance department to pay her monthly insurance premiums entirely out-of-pocket, despite paying into an employee assistance fund each paycheck. Additionally, city policies strictly prohibit Autumn from getting a second job to make ends meet while on FMLA. 

Autumn risked everything to protect and serve her community. Now, she has been left with zero income, mounting out-of-pocket medical bills, and the threat of losing her healthcare altogether. 

How Your Donation Helps: 

Every dollar raised goes directly to Autumn and her family while she focuses on healing her lungs and her mind, and as she waits for a paid leave extension from the city and fire department. Funds will cover: 

• Monthly health insurance premiums to prevent her coverage from being canceled

• Out-of-pocket costs for her medications and specialist medical visits.

• Basic living expenses (housing, food, utilities) now that her paycheck has been cut to zero. 

If you cannot donate, please share Autumn’s story. The system may have turned its back on this firefighter, but as a community, we do not have to. Thank you for standing with Autumn.