AF First Sergeant Bob Renning saving the world
TSO sends a link from the Star-Tribune which tells the story of Air Force First Sergeant Bob Renning who pulled Michael Johannes to safety from his burning car by bending part of the door with his bare hands to free the motorist;
The drama began around 6:30 p.m. Sunday when Renning, who was driving with his girlfriend, looked in his rearview mirror and saw a vehicle behind him on fire. Johannes, the driver, apparently did not know his SUV was burning, so Renning started slowing down in an attempt to get his attention.
Renning’s girlfriend rolled down her window to try to alert Johannes, too. But by then, Renning said it appeared Johannes’ vehicle had stopped working and pulled over to the freeway shoulder.
Renning stopped about 200 feet in front of Johannes. As his girlfriend called 911 and identified their location, Renning got out of his car.
He started to sprint when he saw flames and smoke “rolling around” the SUV. When he got to the SUV, the flames had intensified and the interior was filled with smoke. He couldn’t see anyone inside. He pulled on the door handle, but it wouldn’t open. Then he spotted Johannes frantically pounding and kicking against the passenger-side window.
Johannes couldn’t get the door open after the locks and power windows failed. Realizing he had to work fast, Renning gripped the top of the door frame with his fingertips, braced his foot against the door — and pulled. The door then bent in half and the glass shattered, the State Patrol said.
Renning, a member of the Air National Guard who lives in Woodbury, isn’t a body builder. He isn’t even especially fit, he admitted.
“I’m just a slightly overweight Air Force First Sergeant, for crying out loud,” he said with a chuckle.
Category: Air Force
That’s why I have a little device on my keychain that has both a seat belt cutter and a glass breaker built in.
Me, too. Great little device. After a beat partner of mine got rearended on the highway and just barely escaped his blazing blue and while, I did not pass go, and did not collect $200. I bought a bunch of those suckers for me and my family.
Wow. Just wow.
Good job First Shirt! 🙂
Awesome!
Damn.
Well done, First Sergeant.
Well done indeed!
Having said that, this also shows pretty well why technology isn’t always a good thing. EVERY door ought to be able to open from the inside regardless of whether it has manual or power locks. There also ought to be a way of manually opening windows from the inside as well. Up here in Maine, there were two women drowned in their car because they couldn’t open the doors or windows. They managed to drive into the ocean off a wrong turn and the water shut down the power windows and door locks.
But I digress. /safetyrantoff. 🙂
Don’t get me started on bullshit features of modern cars. Never mind the “safety” features that are pretty much designed to kill and maim firefighters.
Way to go First Sergeant Bob Renning! Making all of us proud right along with you!
Way to take the initiative Sgt. Job well done.