Reservist saves man from burning building, receives honors in civilian job

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kent Kagarise
  • 442nd Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  The Marshall, Mo. 911 operator answered the phone twice on Dec. 20, 2010 and heard a caller said, "Help me!" before hanging up the phone.

After plotting the call in order to get an address for the distressed man, the operator contacted Officer (Senior Airman) Ryan Stark, a police officer for the Marshall, Mo. Police Department and a reservist in the 442nd Aircrew Flight Equipment shop, part of the 442nd Fighter Wing.

"I walked up to the house and immediately saw smoke, fire and could hear a man inside yelling for help - at this time my partner kicked in the door," Airman Stark said.

Airman Stark then ran into the burning house where he called out to the victim, who could not be seen due to the thick smoke, which hindered Airman Stark from wandering the corridors of the residence.

"It sounded like the voice was coming from the rear of the house, so I went outside to the back door in hopes of gaining access to the panicked man," he said.

Airman Stark broke in the back door and once again was confronted by a wall of smoke which was accompanied by a terrified yell, "Help me! Don't let me burn!"

Airman Stark said his Adrenalin spiked as he exited the building and ran past three windows frantically trying to choose which one to bust so he could find the man inside.

"I don't know why I passed those other windows," Airman Stark said. "Maybe it was by the grace of God, but I fortunately picked the right one."

In the midst of clearing the glass from the window pane, Officer Stark dropped his flashlight, cut both of his hands, and brushed away the remaining shards.

"At that point, I wasn't thinking about myself, just the guy inside who looked at me with a soot-covered face and yelled for me to help him again and told me he was paraplegic," Airman Stark said.

Airman Stark and his partner, along with a Saline County Deputy of Missouri, who responded to the call, pulled the victim to safety.

"I remember laying him down on the ground and seeing smoke coming off his body and out of his mouth," Airman Stark said. "I've never seen anything like that. I just kept telling him to stay calm, take deep breaths and get lots of fresh air."

Once the casualty was safe, Airman Stark realized his own wounds to his hands from clearing the window pane, wounds which resulted in eight stitches.

Airman Stark said in those moments where he thought he might die if he went into the fiery building, he really valued his Air Force training.

"When you're under pressure, you've got to clear your head," he said. "So often, whether in the civilian or Air-Force world, you've got to make split-second decisions, and your mind can't be cluttered."

Those who work next to Airman Stark in AFE were not shocked to hear of his heroic actions.

"We're always asking him about his job during unit training assemblies to hear about foot-chases and other beat stories," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Fair, 442nd AFE technician.
"He doesn't wait to be told to do anything around here, so it's not surprising to hear that he springs to action in his civilian job as well."

It only took Airman Stark and his partner two minutes and 50 seconds to rescue the man from the fire, but he said it felt like hours. It was his quick response and decision making ability that saved a life.

"Stark's always ready to step in when you need him to do something" said Master Sgt. Phillip Youngblood, 442nd AFE technician. "He's an asset to any team."

Airman Stark received a life-saving award, pin and a plaque from the local City Council,
but is humble about his achievements.

"I'm not a hero -- this is my job," he said. "The heroes are those guys overseas fighting so I can do my job here."