POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Off-duty Central Florida firefighter helps prevent a potentially tragic situation and saves a life.
Jeremy Metsky, a firefighter/EMT with Polk County Fire Rescue, was heading home from his shift on Sept. 11 around 9:20 a.m. when he spotted an individual sitting on the edge of an overpass wall above the westbound lanes of Interstate 4 near mile marker 3 in Tampa.
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According to a news release, Metsky contacted Florida Highway Patrol and quickly got off at the next exit.
After notifying FHP, Metsky reached the overpass, exited his vehicle and began to talk with the individual.
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Mestsky established a connection with the suspected jumper until law enforcement officials arrived.
When troopers arrived, they distracted the individual, which gave Metsky an opportunity to successfully remove the individual from the overpass wall and secure the individual from a potentially tragic situation.
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“The composure and bravery firefighter/EMT Metsky displayed when he was faced with a difficult situation is exceptional,” said Rick Parnell, Polk County Fire Rescue interim fire chief. “We are extremely proud of firefighter/EMT Metsky’s quick-thinking and the brave actions he displayed yesterday morning to help save a life and assist his fellow first responders.”
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