Paramedics are often used to dealing with life threatening situations all of the time. However, usually the life is not theirs.

Scary Rescue

Manatee County Paramedics went to work on a man who was unconscious at a stoplight. The man had stopped at a stoplight and was unconscious.

Two paramedics, Carlos Santos and Joe Savasta, were working on treating the patient when he suddenly woke up. The patient immediately went for the gun in his glove box.

Santos yelled, "gun, gun gun," to alert Savasta and the sheriff's deputy who was working alongside them. The men were getting ready to run an EKG on the man when the incident happened. Deputy Dwight Robert lunged for the gun but did not reach it.

Disarming the Suspect

Santos is a gun owner, so he is familiar with the protocol for transporting and handling a firearm. Santos was also trained in security.

"I know what guns can do. I was able to grab the barrel and put my hand over the trigger guard. He was trying to get his fingers past my hand but I was able to stop him from doing it and got the gun out of his hand."

All three of them men reacted to the introduction of the gun. Santos got the gun and handed it over to Savasta. The man, Timothy John Neidert, was quickly subdued.

According to Public Safety Director Jacob Neidert, "This was a situation that could have really gone south.

Awarded For Bravery

Santos and Savasta both were given memeritorious service certificated for their bravery in the situation,

"Joe and Carlos are two of many first responders we employ in Manatee County who every single day go above and beyond for our citizens and put their lives in danger."

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge

EMS Chief James Crutchfield pointed out that the situation was "a reminder to not let our guard down." Santos and Savasta watched footage of the incident for the first time the day they received the award.

It gave them a different perspective on the whole situation. The suspect, Neidert, 51, was charged with attempted murder, resisting arrest, DUI, and refusal to submit.

In this situation, the deputies and the EMS paramedics reacted bravely. Either one of them could have been hurt, but they all went for the gun in order to come to the safest conclusion.