AIRMAN RESCUES BABY FROM FIRE

  • Published
  • By Pascual Flores
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  While off-duty and visiting a friend at a nearby fire department during the summer, an Airman here responded to a dwelling fire with people trapped inside.

With the fire located around the corner from the fire station, Senior Airman John Muirhead, of the 87th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department, stopped his vehicle when he noticed a woman hanging out of a third-floor window holding onto an infant.

"I knew I had to do something," Muirhead said.

He ran to the dwelling and climbed to the second-story roof. He then directed the woman to drop the infant to him from a height of nearly 20 feet.

The frantic woman dropped the baby, and Muirhead made a life-saving catch.
After quickly checking for injuries and ensuring the infant was breathing, the Airman passed the baby to a police officer.

The trapped woman then attempted to jump out of the third-floor window. Muirhead tried to catch her, but lost his grip because of the force impact. He almost fell from the roof himself.

The woman landed on the ground below and suffered a serious head wound.
After climbing down from the roof, Muirhead rendered emergency first aid to the woman by removing his shirt to use as a pressure bandage until emergency medical professionals arrived.

The woman later died from the injury.

Local firefighters rescued an additional two children and one adult during the fire.
"I am very proud of (Airman Muirhead's) quick actions," said Tom Nicometi, the deputy fire chief of the 87th CES fire department. "He has developed into a true leader in the department,"