Seven airmen assigned to the 857th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada were recently honored for rescuing four people including a pregnant woman during a flash flood at Zion National Park in Utah, Air Force officials have announced.
“I am incredibly proud of the actions our Airmen took while hiking through Zion National Park,” 857th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander Maj. James Oltman III said in a statement to Task & Purpose. “We often talk to our Airmen about the choices they have to either watch or intervene when they come across a situation. These brand-new Airmen chose to act, which ultimately saved a life as a result. Their actions speak volumes about their character and the values we strive for within the unit. I am proud to have them on our team.”
Airmen 1st Class Will Martin, Demarcus Norman, Maximos Olade, Jacob Stillwell, and Rony Lopez-Aguilar, along with Airmen Andres Parra and Christian Reye all received coins from their squadron’s chief master sergeant during a ceremony held on Monday, an Air Force news release says. Challenge coins, as they’re called, aren’t awards in the typical sense, but they do offer an opportunity to recognize the recipient for particular actions — in this case they honored the airmen’s quick thinking and bravery.
“We are incredibly proud to recognize seven of our brave airmen who went above and beyond to save lives during a flash flood at Zion National Park,” Nellis Air Force Base posted on Facebook on Monday. “Their swift and selfless actions are a true testament to the core values of the Air Force: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.”
Recently, the airmen were hiking in Zion National Park when Airman 1st Class Martin noticed that the river was rising very fast, indicating that a flash flood was coming.
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“As the group made their way to higher ground, they spotted a woman floating on her back who appeared battered, blue, and lifeless,” the Air Force news release says.
Airman 1st Class Norman went into the river and was able to pull the woman ashore despite the strong current. The woman was “barely responsive” as the airmen contacted rescue personnel who told them to move her down the canyon so she could be picked up by a helicopter.
As the seven airmen carried the woman to safety, she told them that she was pregnant and had three other travel companions, including her husband.
The airmen were able to locate the woman’s husband and the other two hikers, including another man who was on the opposite side of the river with an injured knee. The strong current made it impossible for the man to cross the river, so the seven airmen linked arms and formed a human chain to get him to the other bank.
Afterward, the airmen moved all four people to an area where they could be rescued by helicopter. Video released by the Air Force shows one of the hikers being hoisted from the ground into the rescue helicopter hovering near steep cliffs.
“Thank you to these exceptional Airmen for your unwavering dedication and for embodying the spirit of service,” Nellis Air Force Base posted on its Facebook page. “Your actions are an inspiration to us all!”
UPDATE; 08/27/2024; this story was updated with a statement from 857th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander Maj. James Oltman III.
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