Newspaper Article on Doug's Act of Heroism

Doug's story was published in the Scott Air Force paper yesterday, Thursday, June 28th. The article is below, but if you wanted to go the link I've also included it here. 

http://www.amc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123306679

Lt.Col. Douglas Edwards, 906th Air Refueling Squadron commander, receives the Airman’s Medal from Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, 18th Air Force commander, in a ceremony at Scott Air Force Base Ill., May 21, 2012. Edwards received the award for rescuing an elderly woman from a burning vehicle Nov. 2, 2009, near King Hill, Idaho. Edwards succeeded in freeing the injured and trapped victim from her car just moments before the entire vehicle became engulfed in flames on the interstate. Local Sheriff Deputies responded within eight minutes of the initial 9-1-1 call about the accident and later told Edwards the victim would have been burned alive if he hadn’t acted so quickly. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Franklin Hayes)  Scott Col. receives Airman's Medal for act of heroism by Maj. Jennifer C. Howsare 126th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs  6/28/2012 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Lt. Col. Doug Edwards, 906th Air Refueling Squadron commander, had no idea he was on a course with destiny when he and his family began their 2009 trip from Joint Base Lewis-McChord Wash., to his new duty station at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He and his wife, Joy, along with their three children, traveled separately in two vehicles on a desolate stretch of Interstate 84 near King Hill, Idaho, and his actions that day earned him The Airman's Medal. In the early morning hours of their travels, both Doug and Joy Edwards noticed smoke rising ahead on the highway. While neither knew the cause of the black plumes, he said he knew something was not right. "Within seconds, my family and I were the first to arrive on the scene of a single-car accident," he said. "My wife and I each pulled our vehicles to the side of the road and Joy placed a call to 911 as she watched me sprint toward the disabled and smoking vehicle." Edwards said he saw flames were coming from the engine and an elderly female driver was trapped inside the vehicle. He also assessed the driver was alone, and her legs were pinned under the dashboard. All of the windows had been shattered and both the driver and passenger side doors were jammed shut. "I tried to take command of the scene and began shouting instructions and coordinating rescue efforts," he said. "I initially struggled to hold back the fire with small fire extinguishers, but realized they were no match for the rapidly growing flames. "I recognized the only chance for a successful rescue was to remove the woman from the burning vehicle so I refocused on her," he continued. "By now, there was a small crowd gathering, but I noticed I was the only one struggling to pull the woman to safety. Edwards said he was unable to reach into the car to unlatch the driver's seatbelt but a young man lunged through the blown-out passenger side window and unlatched the belt. "About that same time, a second man joined forces with me and we were able to use our combined body weight to pry the driver side door almost off its hinges," he said. "However, once the door was opened I was alone again fighting to free the trapped woman. I noticed the driver was regaining consciousness and I shouted at her to wiggle her body to free her legs; it was then she slipped free from the car's grasp, and I was able to pull her to safety." He added that by that time he got her out, the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames, but the driver and he were a safe distance, so he began to asses her injuries. "My wife and I believe it was divine intervention that placed us near mile marker 129 on I-84 on that cold November day in 2009," he said. "Even though it only took first responders seven minutes to reach the scene after the first 911 call, the car was completely engulfed in flames upon their arrival." Three years later, the Edwards family say they're still humbled by the event and modest regarding recognition. "It was a complex set of circumstances that put us on that road at the right time," Edwards said. "Our memories of that morning still amaze us and the experience is very personal. I feel honored to be receiving attention for doing what, at the time, felt very natural and necessary." Despite his humility, he received The Airman's Medal in a small ceremony May 21. Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, 18th Air Force commander, presented the medal and complimented his courageous and humanitarian actions and recognized his acts of heroism involving voluntary risk of his life.