Brave firefighters honored for saving woman’s life
Orange County Fire Rescue firefighters received awards Friday for their bravery after rescuing a woman whose car was submerged in a retention pond.
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On April 10, firefighters at Orange County Fire Rescue Station 42 sprung to action as they reported to a scene of a car submerged in a retention pond.
There was no need for the service job to be called in as the incident happened next to the station and Firefighter Daniel Dias witnessed the car attempt to U-turn, but instead of the brakes the driver pressed the gas and went through a fence into the pond.
“I run in and say some lady drove into the pond. Someone says are you serious? And I say, yea someone did,” said Dias.
The Station 42 crew sprung into action upon arriving at the scene; Lieutenant Amber Lugo was the first in the water.
Read: Troopers find car involved in deadly hit-and-run crash in Orange County
“I actually didn’t think. I just jumped. When I was on the shore, it was sinking. I was yelling at her to get out, but she wasn’t climbing out of the window. So I just jumped in,” said Lugo.
Backup joined her, and they were able to pull the driver to safety as the woman was well enough to walk away from it all.
“It could’ve been a different outcome for her, so we are grateful we were here,” said Lugo.
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