By EMS1 Staff
RAYMOND, Miss. — An off-duty EMT went above and beyond, and saved a paraplegic man from his burning van.
WAPT reported that AMR EMT Courtney Trullos was on her way to work when she saw the man’s van on fire, with flames shooting out from under the hood.
“At the time, I didn’t realize he was a paraplegic. I saw the wheelchair in the back seat and that’s what he was reaching for,” Trullos said. “Once the flames started growing, I just said we had to go and get him out of immediate danger.”
Tullos rescued the man before returning to the van to grab the wheelchair.
“I think I broke the door in the process, not that that’s important now, but I did get the chair out, too,” she said. “His way of life would be on hold for a while until he could get another one, because it’s a specialized chair. I’m glad I was there before it got to the point you see in the pictures and video. Just thinking of what could have happened, I feel blessed that I was able to help.”
Raymond Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Wilson said Tullos’ actions made the department proud.
She “represented us in the best kind of way that you could imagine by doing that,” Wilson said. “Just being there, stopping and helping on her own. It makes this whole community proud.”