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Patrolmen lauded for life-saving response

MOUNTAIN HOME AFB - Idaho -- A base Airman is alive today thanks to four patrolmen with the 366th Security Forces Squadron.

This month, the 366th Fighter Wing showed its gratitude by selecting Tech. Sgt. Rich Richardson, Tech. Sgt. Galen Dickerson, Staff Sgt. Tom French and Senior Airman Renee Hvizdak to receive Air Force Achievement Medals.

Sergeant Dickerson and his fellow patrolmen paused to reflect on what happened the afternoon of Oct. 26. According to police reports, the Airman left his work center saying he was going to lunch. Instead, he headed for a park in a secluded area in the base housing area where he deliberately hurt himself.

The Airman apparently changed his mind and used his cell phone to call for help, according to Sergeant Dickerson.

"He called his work center and told his work center that he hurt himself and needed some help," the sergeant added. "The work center then called the [law enforcement] control center."

In moments, Sergeant Richardson was on scene followed immediately by Sergeant Dickerson. Together, they raced to the bench where the Airman lay unconscious.
"It was a very strange day ... right before Halloween," Sergeant Dickerson said. "Both Sergeant Richardson and I remarked that we didn't know if this was an exercise or a prank because it just didn't seem real."

But the sudden realism of what they saw prompted both men to spring into action. They started first aid to isolate the source of the bleeding and applied direct pressure on the wounds to prevent further blood loss.

"We tried to revive him to see if he would respond to his name and make sure he was still with us," Sergeant Dickerson said. "He was somewhat responsive but not very much. You could tell he was pretty bad off."

Airman Hvizdak arrived roughly two minutes later. She pulled a roll of gauze out of a first aid kit, bandaged the victim's left wrist and started to apply direct pressure to prevent further blood loss. Meanwhile, Sergeant Dickerson was concentrating on stopping the bleeding on the other wrist.

As Sergeant French approached the scene moment's later, he saw the ambulance taking a wrong turn and was going the wrong way. Still in his patrol car, the sergeant chased down the misdirected ambulance and escorted the crew to the scene. Not knowing the type of incident the patrolmen were dealing with, Sergeant French then began collecting possible evidence at the scene to help investigators piece together what happened that afternoon.

The events of Oct. 26 happened within a span of roughly 10 minutes, according to Sergeant Dickerson. Thinking back, the patrolmen credit Air Force first aid training for their ability to stabilize the Airman long enough for paramedics to arrive.

"Your training kind of kicks in ... you see it enough when you go through the annual training and deployments," Sergeant Dickerson said. "It gets reiterated time and time again. You just sort of snap into motion after that."

"After going through the classroom [first aid training] and going to the desert, everything just takes control," Airman Hvizdak said. "You're going to help this person. You don't think about it. You just start doing what you need to do."

Quick thinking by these patrolmen proved invaluable since the Airman had only minutes of life left in him before they arrived, according to Col. Thomas Laffey, 366th Mission Support Group commander. On Thanksgiving Day, the colonel presented the achievement medals to Sergeant Dickerson, Sergeant French and Airman Hvizdak during a ceremony at the squadron headquarters. Sergeant Richardson, currently attending school at another base, will receive his medal in coming weeks.
Despite the lives-saving steps they took that day, the patrolmen don't consider their actions "heroic."

"I'm not a hero ... if the guy wanted to die, he would've died," Airman Hvizdak said. "He's the one who made the call. He saved his own life. I was just there to pick up the pieces."

"I'm just glad he's alive and he's doing well," Sergeant Dickerson added. "If something like this ever happens again, we'll be ready."

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