Level Plains officer saves two from burning car in ditch
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — A Wiregrass police officer has been recognized for helping save two people from a fiery fate.
'The flames were so hot that I could feel the hair on my arms,' said Officer Brandon Bass.
This week, the Level Plains Police Department honored Bass, a Patrol K-9 Officer, with the Life Saving Award.
On May 24, Bass responded to a call on Highway 84 and Gladys Street after reports of a car running off the road and landing in a ditch. But when Officer Bass arrived on the scene, the situation was worse than imaginable.
'The car was bursting into flames. Multiple bystanders were yelling for help…There was two inside of the vehicle. At that time, we kind of take it as we don't know how many was in there. We gotta quick jump into action.'
Thanks to the help of three Good Samaritans and a level plains reserve officer, Bass was able to remove the two people from the burning vehicle safely.
With the potential of a serious injury or even death staring him in the eye, Bass said he didn't hesitate to help save those in the car.
'They say we train for a lot, but some stuff you just can't train for. You have to make that decision just that quickly. I would want someone to do what I did for my family.'
According to Bass, the Life Saving Award is not just handed out regularly. Even though he did not jump into action with the thought of winning the award in mind, he did say it felt good to be recognized for his work.
'In law enforcement, we don't get recognized for what we do. We have a bad name and most people don't know what we deal with on a daily basis. To see that we're recognized for that, it actually shows the good that we do; that we do really care about people.'
Bass explained that he was just extremely happy that both individuals were able to make it out safely.
The Level Plains officer also wanted to extend his appreciation to the Henry County Sheriff's Department for their assistance in the rescue.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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