In the early morning hours of August 24, 2013, RA 833 responded to the report of a traffic accident at the intersection of Gage and Central Avenues. Upon arrival, the members encountered a three-vehicle collision with people trapped and one vehicle already on fire.
Firefighter Tom Macintyre and Firefighter Erin James donned their turnout coats and approached the burning car. Inside they found a 20-year-old male, unconscious and trapped by the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle. With flames impinging on the passenger and himself, Macintyre attempted to remove the unconscious victim. Crawling halfway inside the vehicle, he managed to release the victim’s trapped legs and, with the help of James, was able to pull the unconscious victim from the burning car. At that moment, the passenger space became fully engulfed in flames.
Removing the patient to a safe area, Macintyre and James immediately performed CPR, as the patient was pulseless and not breathing. He had sustained blunt force trauma, respiratory burns, and third-degree burns to his face and chest. Ultimately, he regained heart rhythm and strong pulses and was transported to the hospital.
James and Macintyre’s actions exemplify the mission and core values of the LAFD. At great risk to themselves, they acted swiftly and decisively in a heroic fashion to give the victim of this accident the greatest chance of survival. Because of their conspicuous acts of bravery with calculated personal risk to their own lives, Firefighters James and Macintyre were awarded Medals of Merit.