Rogersville, Alabama police officer was on his last night shift when he was interrupted by a radio call regarding an apartment fire, possibly involving a child.
Although firefighters were seven minutes away at the time they received the call on March 6th at 4:45 AM, Tyler Dison from Rogersville Police Department knew that he could reach the station in just half the time.
“I wanted to get there first,” he said. “I wanted to do more than just wait for the call.”
The cop quickly rushed to the scene, arriving three minutes earlier than the firefighters. One of the apartment’s windows had flames coming out of it, while the rest were billowing out heavy smoke.
A frantic woman screaming for her baby was outside the car when he got out.
Dison knew he had no time to think so he ran straight for the fire and forced his way inside.
“I gotta save this child at all costs,” the 24-year-old police officer said.
After just minutes of entering the building the officer returned with a three-year old boy in his arms. Dison placed the child in the car of his police officer and drove to the ambulance.
Another resident was able to escape the apartment when firefighters arrived. In just 10 minutes, the firefighters put out the flames.
According to police, the fire wasn’t an accident. It was deliberately started by the boy’s 44-year-old father, who was charged with seven counts of first-degree arson. The man admitted to the authorities that he had started the fire and left his son alone.
If nobody had come in to rescue the toddler from the burning building, he wouldn’t have survived the fire.
“His breathing was very shallow, he was very lethargic. He was groaning, he wasn’t really responding,” Dison said.
The child was taken to North Alabama Medical Center and then flown to University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital.
The boy suffered burns, but he is expected fully to recover and was eventually allowed to go home.
Dison suffered minor injuries in the rescue. He suffered burns to his arms and his uniform melted from his body. His safety was his only concern at the moment.
“I’m just blessed that, that baby is doing OK,” he said.
Dison said it’s the first time he has responded to such a call in his two years on the force. He had been prepared and trained for such situations.
Dison started his career in firefighting and then joined the police force. He claimed that the move was inspired in part by his big brother, a Rogersville Police Officer.
“He always inspired me to do things and I just wanted to be just like him,” he said.
Rogersville Police Department is proud of Dison’s accomplishments. Rogersville Police Chief Brian Hudson said he would be honored for his heroism.
“He did what were out here to do, protect lives, saves lives,” said Hudson.
“I grew up in this town, I want to protect it always,” Dison said.
The toddler’s mother, Kelsey Tucker, took to Facebook to thank Dison for his life-saving actions.
“I don’t even know where to start to thank Officer Dison for being my baby boy’s hero,” she wrote. “I am beyond thankful for what you did this morning to save him.”
Kudos for this police officer who risked everything to save this child. He’s a real hero!
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