On April 5, 2016, officers responded to a house on fire with residents trapped inside. Once on scene, officers attempted to contact the trapped occupants and they heard someone respond from the bedroom.
Without regard for their personal safety, Lieutenant Mitch Harrington and Officer Farley entered the home to attempt a rescue. However, a couch ignited and Officer Farley exited the home to put out any flames on his back.
The ceiling then collapsed and the front door was forced shut leaving Lt. Harrington trapped inside. While two officers attempted to open the front door, Officer Livingston went around the rear of the house and kicked the back door open.
Kneeling on the ground, Officer Livingston crawled in and pulled out a distressed individual, who turned out to be Lt. Harrington. With severe burns, the lieutenant was taken to the hospital where it was discovered that his uniform had melted into his torso, but his ABA® XT02 Level II armor protected the area it covered from injury.
The extended exposure to the smoke and fire inflicted serious physical injuries that required extensive medical treatment. Lt. Harrington suffered these injuries as a direct result of his extraordinary performance in the line of duty. Firefighters arrived and were able to rescue one of the two residents.
We welcome Lieutenant Mitch Harrington, SAVE #1953, The Safariland Group SAVES CLUB®.
