Firefighting crews are doing what they do best in the middle of the night, pulling down downed power lines, and rescuing stranded motorists, all while protecting the lives of those who are trapped inside.
But in an effort to keep the fire from spreading further, the military is conducting an operation to drag a firefighter who is doing a heroic firefighting mission, and then pull him into a helicopter to safely take him to the hospital.
“What we’re trying to do is, you know, to get him to our medical facilities, so that we can get him back to safety and get him treated and be able to get his family home,” Colonel Robert Naylor, a spokesperson for the Army Public Affairs Office, told ABC News.
The pilot is expected to fly back to the United States to receive treatment.
The Department of Defense’s official Facebook page posted a picture of the firefighter, who was being pulled by a helicopter from the scene.
“In a moment of weakness, a member of the fire service was able to pull a firefighting vehicle onto the ground in the vicinity of the accident scene,” it said.
“A fire fighter was on the scene and he was pulling the vehicle and his wife and their 4-year-old son were all safely on board.”
But that’s not the only heroic act the firefighter is expected of.
“The fire fighter took care of the patient on the ground and helped him get back to his home safely and in a manner that allowed him to continue to work and attend school,” Naylor added.
“Our first priority is the safety of our troops and the community at large, and the military has always done the right thing.”
In a statement, the Air Force said that it is “very proud of the firefighters and their courage.”
“Their actions were heroic and represent the dedication of our military personnel, and they are an example of the kind of people who work to protect our troops,” the statement said.
But the pilot has been praised for his actions.
“I was glad I was able a member was doing his job,” pilot Mike Capps told ABC affiliate WESH.
“It was definitely a good feeling to know that they’re going to be OK.”
