By Police1 Staff
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Two officers were honored for their actions after rescuing an unconscious man from a fiery vehicle, WUSA9 reported.
Dash cam footage captured Montgomery County Officers Cody Fields and Brian Nesbitt rescuing a driver from a smokey, flaming car on Sept. 1, 2015.
The officers responded to reports of a smoking vehicle with a driver still inside. When Fields arrived, he rushed to help the unconscious driver as the vehicle filled with smoke.
“The windows were up, the doors were locked, the driver’s side was pinned up against the jersey wall,” Officer Cody told the news site. “So the only actual access we had to the vehicle was from the passenger side where all the flames were.”
Nesbitt arrived as Fields used his baton to break the front passenger window. They pulled the driver, 34-year-old Rashad Isreal, from the car and he was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Isreal is grateful for the officers’ responses.
“They are the heroes. ‘Cause without them, I don’t know where I’d be at,” he told the news site.
Both officers were awarded the Medal of Valor on Feb. 11 by Chief Tom Manger.
“Officers Cory Fields and Brian Nesbitt placed their own lives in danger and exhibited uncommon bravery and dedication when they rescued Mr. Isreal, who was unconscious, from his burning vehicle,” Chief Tom Manger said.
Fields is a three year veteran of the department while Nesbitt has been with the force for 12 years.