A firefighter took swift action when he realized another first responder’s life was in danger on Saturday in Florida.
While Orlando Fire Lieutenant Ben Wootson was driving down the road with his young son, he witnessed a crash involving a Seminole County deputy and knew it was up to him to assist, Fox 35 reported Sunday.
The off-duty firefighter approached the vehicle on S. Orange Avenue and Wayside Drive and did what he was trained to do.
“The engine compartment was already on fire. As I was pulling him out there were probably two golf ball size flames where his legs were. God put me in a place where we were running late – I was in the right place at the right time to save someone from having a catastrophic injury,” Wootson recalled.
An image shows the vehicle seconds after it went up in flames:
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Matthew Luxon crashed the vehicle due to a medical emergency, and a GoFundMe page has since raised $26,912 to help his family as he recovers.
“Matt has already had two successful surgeries and is getting ready for one more! He is on the mend and starting to feel a little bit better! Thank you to everyone who has donated this far!” the page reads.
In a social media post on Saturday, the Orlando Fire Department recounted the story, noting that Wootson also made sure his son was safe in his own car before helping the deputy:
The agency also reminded followers that firefighters are never truly off-duty “and that training and preparing for situations like this can make a difference when seconds count.”
Meanwhile, Wootson feels thankful he was able to assist in the rescue effort.
“It’s who I am it’s what we all do. Firefighters, first responders. We are not here to be heroes, we are here to be normal – to help people in need on and off duty,” he commented.