Off-duty firefighter praised after saving woman

An off-duty firefighter has been praised by paramedics after he rushed to the aid of a seriously injured woman who had been hit by a car in Birmingham.

Firefighter Matthew Horne, based at Sutton Coldfield Technical Rescue Fire Station, was driving home from the theatre with his wife when he noticed the woman lying in the road.

The firefighter quickly took control of the scene, carrying out vital initial assessments, supporting the casualty and reassuring those nearby before providing a detailed handover to medical staff.

After the incident, paramedic Sean Sheeran said: "Matthew provided exceptional care to the patient before we got there and gave a very thorough handover."

He added: "His calmness, care and compassion deserves to be acknowledged and his training left nothing to be desired."

Horne stayed at the scene supporting paramedics until the patient was taken to hospital, before continuing his journey home.

He said: "Our training prepares us for situations like this. There's only so much you can practise but when it happens in front of you, it's reassuring to know that the training works.

"The paramedics were brilliant and it was nice to receive a compliment from them."

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