CHANDLER, AZ — Two heroes and several lives saved — a pair of Valley paramedics were recognized Wednesday for jumping into action during separate close calls.
The first involved a massive blast in Chandler last August with a roof blown off part of a shopping plaza. In the rubble, four people were injured.
"A guy came stumbling out. He was severely burned, hat was melted to his head, arms were already turning red,” said Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department’s Jason Dean.
Dean was off duty that day. He was next door at the library when he heard the explosion and ran over to help.
"I felt pretty helpless actually. Normally, I have gloves, IV needles, burn gels, and the equipment I need,” added Dean.
His heroics were recognized Wednesday night at a ceremony put on by Tempe St. Luke's Hospital.
But Dean was not the only paramedic to be recognized.
"That night, all I wanted to do was go home to my kids,” said Guadalupe Fire Captain Alan Romania.
Captain Romania helped save a little girl's life last July.
Brandy Stoll says her 1-year-old Aliza almost drowned.
"It was something I would never want anybody to see,” said Stoll.
The family had a couple of friends over. The kids, who had on protective swim gear, got out of the pool. Aliza, though, removed her swim gear and went back into the pool.
"I just assumed she kind of went to go play around, but I saw Dad get up and call for her...,” stated Stoll.
Mom, who's CPR-certified, pulled her little girl from the pool and started chest compressions. Dad also rushed over to give mouth-to-mouth.
"I wanted to give her every breath that I had,” said Samson Aguilar, Aliza’s father.
The parents kept her alive until Captain Romania and other firefighters picked things up from there.
"It was amazing just to get her to her second birthday two weeks after we respond to her house for a drowning,” added Capt. Romania.
Out of the chaos and pain, Aliza’s parents grew a project of gratitude and compassion. The little girl's parents started the Aliza Project which helps parents with necessities as they care for a child in the hospital.
"I think it is something that kind of helps you come back down to Earth from having basically that shock,” added Aguilar.
