ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Ever Ready to Rescue

Fortunately for all of us, people dedicated to protecting the public never see themselves as off duty and are ever ready to respond when trouble strikes.

This lifesaving fact was again dramatically demonstrated when two cars collided Monday at the Garden Grove-San Diego Freeway interchange, setting one afire and causing the other to flip over on its roof, trapping the driver inside.

Jim Larsen, a Santa Ana paramedic-firefighter who had just come off duty, was caught in the traffic that was backing up behind the crash. When he saw the flames, Larsen jumped out of his car and made his way on foot about a quarter of a mile to the overturned car. He found the driver hanging upside down, pinned with his airway cut off and unable to breathe.

By this time, Wayne Oatis, an off-duty Los Angeles police officer and Cpl. Richard Collins, a Marine stationed at El Toro, had also rushed over to assist in getting the driver out. Larsen administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation and revived the seriously injured man, who was airlifted to a trauma center in Long Beach.

The courage and selfless dedication of good Samaritans and public service employees too often goes unnoticed. It’s reassuring to know that there are people such as Larsen, Oatis and Collins, who immediately and instinctively react to emergencies. Wherever they are, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they are on duty. This time it is Jong Young Lee, 37, who owes his life to them. Next time it could be one of us.