Deale Man Saves Woman's Life Amid Battling Wildfires

A south county man and four others from his wildlife firefighting crew saved the life of an unconscious motorist while battling forest fires in northwestern Virginia on July 3.

According to a release by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Deale resident and Anne Arundel County firefighter Stephen E. Stanton provided roadside emergency medical care to a woman that ultimately saved her life.

Eric Peterson of Calvert County, Sergio Castillo of Worchester County, Mark Miller of Carroll County and Keith Golden of Montgomery County each contributed in saving the woman’s life, as well.

Stanton, a former Woodland Beach volunteer firefighter, and the others were returning from a full day of firefighting when they came across a nonresponsive woman lying on the road near a smoking car.

The men then administered medication to restore her breathing while other members extinguished the car fire, according to the release. Paramedics then transported the woman to a nearby hospital. 

“According to information from the local hospital emergency room following the incident, the woman would not have lived without the emergency medical assistance the crew provided,” DNR Forest Service Crew Boss Mark Beals said in the release.

After rescuing the woman, each of the five men continued to fight wildfires for 10 more days in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, facing grueling conditions and “oppressive” heat.

Do you know Stephen Stanton or any of the heroes mentioned above? Show them your appreciation in the comments!