Connor Manuel, an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter with St. Landry Parish Fire District 6, received the Louisiana State Fireman’s Association’s first Medal of Valor at the Eunice Board of Aldermen’s meeting Tuesday.
The medal recognizes firefighters who have gone above and beyond the normal duty.
Dwayne Thevis, association secretary, said firefighters perform many tasks such as fire fighting and medical calls.
“When you’ve got a guy that steps out and goes above and beyond and on his way to work and stops to help somebody that’s in a burning vehicle, that really goes above and beyond what you normally do,” Thevis said at the meeting.
“He was way outside his fire district. He was responding on his way to work,” Thevis added.
Thevis said Manuel also will be invited to the association’s annual meeting in New Orleans where he will be recognized.
Manuel said he has been a volunteer firefighter for about a year.
About the rescue, Manuel said, “It was a good feeling. I’m thankful I had the opportunity to help somebody out.”
State Rep. Phillip DeVillier read a commendation citing Manuel’s “tremendous heroism.”
On March 18 Manuel stopped on Interstate 10 East in Lafayette after he noticed smoke coming from a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway.
Alfrelisha Thibeaux, in a social media post, said she pulled over to the side of the road because she was having trouble with the vehicle.
Manuel instructed her to get out, but because of the traffic he wanted her to exit on the passenger side.
Thibeaux, who was 6 and half months pregnant at the time, had difficulty moving to the passenger said.
Manuel opened the passenger side door and pulled the woman out of the vehicle.
The vehicle broke out in flames after she exited it.
