Earlier this week off-duty Milwaukee firefighters Joel and John Rechlitz, off-duty police Lt. Mark Wroblewski and neighbors worked together to save a mother and her two children from their burning SUV.
The SUV had slammed into a tree and burst into flames. The 32-year-old mother, Angela Baldessari, was able to pass her two-year-old daughter, Beverly Harper, through the top of the SUV. She then escaped through the windshield after it was smashed open. However, David ‘DJ’ Harper, only four-years-old, was still trapped in his car seat.
John, who usually carries a pocketknife with him, did not have one at the time of the accident. Luckily, a local came through with a pocket knife. After cutting the seat belt restraints from the boy’s body the brothers were able to save him, suffering burns to their hands and forearms.
“If that person didn’t come forth with that pocket knife, things would have been different. If that lady didn’t come through with the garden hose, the burns sustained to that child would have been much more severe,” Joel Rechlitz of the Milwaukee Fire Department said.
“Officer Wroblewski, with bringing the fire extinguishers, gave us five to then seconds, and five to ten seconds made the difference between this boy living and dying,” Rechlitz added.
DJ had burns, many considered third-degree, over 20 percent of his body covering most of his scalp, upper back and upper extremities and less severe burns on his face. As of Tuesday he was in “serious condition but stable” at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
A time ago it was very common to have average citizens carry pocketknives but not so much today. Luckily on the day of this horrible accident someone was carrying a pocketknife. No one ever expects to be put in one of these situations but there are some inexpensive rescue tools that wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider having on you or accessible in your car such as a seatbelt cutter, window punch, or a lifesaver hammer.
With today’s technology quite a bit of the dramatic rescue was caught on film. It’s chilling and heartbreaking to watch.
Source: foxnews.com, sky.com, wbay.com, youtube.com
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An employer from my first adult job, a mentor and teacher had me walking in a warehouse with him as he taught me about inventory control. He went to open a box and turned to me and asked for my pocket knife. I did not have one, he looked at me and said “every real man should carry a pocket knife” “it’s not a weapon it’s a tool, to open a box, cut a rope, share food, or fix something with” I respected him a lot and to this day I try to always have a knife in my pocket. It has been a life saver, tightened screws, opened cans and bottles, boxes, and plastic shells. It has been used in first aid situations, camping, in the office, and whenever my wife needs it! I will always carry one, friends and family expect me to and turn to me when they need a knife, every man should carry one. PS – So do all three of my adult daughters!