Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District Firefighter Scott Harris was honored as the Beaufort Exchange Club 2013 Firefighter of the Year this past Friday.
Over the summer, Harris rescued a man from the water when he was off duty on his boat in the Beaufort River.
His wife witnessed a man fall from the Woods Memorial Bridge. Without concern for his own safety, and with the assistance of his wife and two daughters, Harris entered the water where he last saw the man go under. To hear him tell the story, it was a little bit of luck combined with his training as a firefighter that helped him grasp the man underwater and bring him to the surface.
In the end, another boat arrived from the SCDNR and everyone returned to the boat landing alive and well but for some scrapes and bruises. The man survived and Scott returned to his routine.
But his actions did not go unnoticed by the community as he was nominated and ultimately awarded this prestigious honor for his valiant efforts.
