Source: United States Navy
“I was listening to music as I drove to an appointment with a potential future sailor,” FC1 Alex Weaver said. “I looked up and in the rearview I saw something straight out of a movie, a car flipping through the air.”
FC1 immediately jumped into action, turning his car around and calling 911 as he made his way to the accident.
“It was like a switch just turned on” Weaver said. “Everything we get taught, first aid, it all just clicked into place.”
Weaver pulled up to a smoking car laying on its roof off highway 37 in Licking County, Ohio, where a 17-year-old student, from Licking High School, was stuck inside.
“I ran up and saw the kid trying to get out, so I ripped at the door and helped pry him out.” Weaver said.
After helping the kid out of the car FC1 started treating for shock and looking for injuries, skills he learned after completing the Navy’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training while stationed aboard the USS Portland (LPD 27) where he was a member of the ship’s Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) team.
Weaver said that Paramedics arrived very quickly and took over care.
“Petty Officer Weaver responded just like we would expect any Navy Sailor,” Cmdr. Patrick Henken, Commanding Officer NTAG ORV said. “When he saw a person in need, he was the first to rush to the scene and ensure that the individual was OK. He relied on the skills that he learned in the Navy and remained calm, cool, and collected. I am extremely proud of Petty Officer Weaver, and he showcased firsthand what the Navy’s Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment mean.”
FC1 Weaver continued his day, making it to his appointment a little later than expected, where he conducted a qualified interview for a hopeful Navy recruit.