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THOMAS.
HE IS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER.
I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU
MADE A SPLIT SECOND DECISION
THAT COULD HAVE SAVED YOUR LIFE.
YOU WERE COMING OVER IT 10
MINUTES BEFORE.
AT THE LAST SECOND YOU SAID I'M
GOING TO TAKE A DIFFERENT
BRIDGE.
BUT THEN YOU SAW THIS ONE
COLLAPSE.
WHAT DID YOU SEE?
>> OH, BOY.
IT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I
FELT A PIT IN MY STOMACH AS I
WATCHED THE EVENTS UNFOLD.
YOU KNOW, I JUST -- MY PERATIVAL
VISION CATCHES THE DUST GO UP.
I'VE SEEN THAT SCENE SO MANY
TIMES.
AND THEN TO SEE THE BRIDGE START
TO ACTUALLY CAVE TO IT.
IT WAS JUST SURREAL.
IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU KNOW, I FELT THIS PIT IN MY
STOMACH THINKING I WAS ALMOST
OVER THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEN THE
INSTINCTS KICKED IN AND, YOU
KNOW, IT WAS TO RESPONSE MODE.
I WHIPPED A U-TURN ON THE BRIDGE
AND GOT OVER TO THE SCENE AS
QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
>> AND I KNOW THAT'S EXACTLY --
YOUR FIRST RESPONDER, YOU MIGHT
HAVE BEEN THE FIRST OF THE FIRST
RESPONDERS THAT GOT THERE LAST
NIGHT.
THE CARS THAT HAD GONE INTO THE
WATER, THAT FELL 120 FEET INTO
THE FRIGID WATER, WHAT DID YOU
SEE AT THAT MOMENT?
WERE THEY TRAPPED IN THE CARS?
WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
>> THAT WAS CERTAINLY A CONCERN
OF MINE.
WHEN I WAS DRIVING OVER TO THE
BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, THE *** KIND
OF BLOCKS MY VIEW OF THE RIVER
OF WHERE THE SCENE WAS.
SO AS I'M DRIVING HERE, I'M
THINKING, YOU KNOW, RACING
THROUGH MY HEAD, PREPARING
MYSELF FOR THE SCENE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'VE GOT CARS
OVER THE EDGE, HOW MANY CARS
I'VE GOT IN THE WATER AND WORSE
YET IF THERE WAS ANY VICTIMS,
YOU KNOW, THAT WERE IN THE
RIVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS PREPARING
MYSELF AND I GOT HERE.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE
COMING DOWN TRYING TO PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE FROM THE FREEWAY.
I STARTED YELLING OUT AS MANY OF
THEM AS I COULD IN TERMS OF
TRYING TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF
THEM WERE, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY
WORKERS AND SUCH.
AND THEY COULD PROVIDE A HAND TO
ME.
QUITE LITERALLY, I WAS ONE OF
THE FIRST RESPONDERS ON THE
SCENE.
SO, YOU KNOW, A FEW OF THEM
INFORMED ME THEY HAD CPR
TRAINING.
YOU KNOW, I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF
THAT JUST IN THE EVENT WE WOULD
NEED IT.
I GOT DOWN.
THERE WAS A BURLINGTON POLICE
OFFICER THAT HAD TRAVELED UP TO
THE TOP SIDE OF THE BRIDGE THERE
AND HE YELLED DOWN TO ME WHEN HE
SAW THAT I WAS A RESPONDER AND
THREW A LIFEJACKET DOWN TO ME SO
I THAT COULD KIND OF ORCHESTRATE
A LITTLE BIT BETTER IF I NEEDED
TO.
YOU KNOW, FROM THERE IT WAS JUST
MOSTLY TALKING TO THE PEOPLE
THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, TRAPPED OUT
IN THEIR VEHICLES.
THE MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THEY
WOULD GET ROCKING ON THEIR
VEHICLE TRYING TO GET STABILIZED
OR SOMETHING AND THAT THE
VEHICLE WOULD SUCCUMB TO THE
CURRENTS AND SUCH.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS FACTORS
LIKE HYPOTHERMIA AND LOSING
CONTROL OF THE SCENE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING
ON.
AND SO THERE WAS -- IT WAS
DEFINITELY A SCENE THAT AS A