Fire Captain

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

12/6/1985

Special Act Award (Gold)

Fire Captain Eric J. Miller, on December 6, 1985, performed an extraordinary act of heroism at great risk to his personal safety and life in saving the life of a truck driver who was trapped under his overturned vehicle and an unstable load of lumber. Captain Miller had just arrived home, at approximately 7:15 p.m., when he heard a loud crash near his home. Captain Miller grabbed a flashlight, ran to his scene and found a diesel semi-tractor and trailer overloaded with lumber had overturned in his yard. He ran to the truck but was unable to locate the driver in or around the cab. He then heard cries for help coming from underneath the load of lumber. The lumber was extremely unstable and Captain Miller knew going through it was too risky. He decided the safest way to reach the driver was to tunnel under the bed of the truck through the mud. He returned to his home, called the CHP, and retrieved two small military styles shovels from the garage. Upon returning to the scene, he laid on his stomach and began to dig through the mud, rainwater and debris. After a while he finally reached the trapped driver who was badly injured, lying face down in the mud and having trouble breathing. Captain Miller dug around the driver’s face to get more space and air for him to breath. The steady fall of rain required Captain Miller to constantly remove the build-up of mud around the injured driver’s face. It was determined that his injuries were too serious to try and move him before help could arrive. As they awaited the arrival of rescue personnel, several anxious moments occurred as the constant flow of water, mud and debris caused several water and mud slides which in turn caused the lumber to shift over the two men. Upon arrival of the paramedics, they slid the driver into a backboard and he was safely removed through the opening to a waiting ambulance.