West TN firefighter saves friend’s life
HOLLOW ROCK, Tenn — Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it’s a Hollow Rock firefighter.
Find out how a volunteer firefighter used the training he learned to save the life of a co-worker and a friend.
Would you trust your life in the hands of a friend?
Well, a volunteer firefighter leaped into action when he saw that his friend was choking.
He says, he noticed that his co-worker was surprisingly quiet so he looked up to find him fighting for his life.
“I was kind of looking at my phone, a little bit here and there. My co-worker wasn’t moving, he was kind of slumped over. His face was purple and his lips were blue. He wasn’t moving and he wasn’t breathing. So I just hopped over the table and did what anybody would do in that situation,” said Hollow Rock Firefighter, Matthew Stanridge.
Stanridge said he didn’t think of anything else except, I have to save him and that his training kicked in immediately.
“He was in need and I was there. It was just me and him and I was real worried about him. I’m just going to be honest, real worried,” Stanridge said.
He says, even though he saved the life of a dear friend he does not see himself as a hero, but more of a public servant that was there to do what anyone else would have done,” Stanridge said.
There’s so many people in the world that have done greater things, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m just a man, you know. That’s all I am,” Stanridge said.
Stanridge also says the experience changed his perspective on life.
“That really grounded me and humbled me, because you know what if I hadn’t been there? He would have been there by himself. That would have hit hard,” Stanridge said.
Officials at the Hollow Rock Fire Department said that they are proud of what Stanridge did.
“I’m not going to take my hat off because my head will swell. You know it is. It’s great when somebody comes and says, hey one of your guys did this, save another person you know. That makes you feel real good up in here. Because we just did our CPR training, not too many months ago and evidently he was paying attention,” said training officer Hollow Rock Fire Dept., Bob Dill.
The safety officer said he was grateful to see Stanridge’s training pay off.
“I was proud. I was proud you know, that made me feel good that he helped a fellow man, a fellow worker,” said safety officer, Hollow Rock Fire Dept., Wayne Moore.
The man who was saved did not want to be interviewed, but says he’s grateful to still be alive.
