Rome Officers Save Man After Chainsaw Accident

ROME, Ga. - Two Rome police officers are being hailed as heroes after saving a man's life after that victim nearly severed his entire leg with a chainsaw.

Sunday afternoon, paramedics were called to an address in Rome where a tree-trimming crew was working. One of those workers accidently hit his leg with a chainsaw while he was using the high-powered tool.

"Honestly, when I saw the subject, I thought he was deceased," said Officer Rick Robinson, who was the first officer to respond.

Robinson had an emergency tourniquet in his patrol car, but it fell beneath the seat and he was unable to retrieve it in time. Another Officer, Andy Rast, arrived seconds after Robinson did and the two men created an improvised tourniquet using a stick and a sweater to stop the man's bleeding.

Only minutes after the two officers arrived, paramedics showed up and transported the victim to the hospital. A fire department official said had the two officers not acted as quickly as they did, the man may have died.

"Not only did they recognize there was a problem, but he knew what to do and did it correctly," said Captain Grant Collier of the Rome Fire Department.

Moreover, the two officers are being praised because they were not obligated to provide medical first aid to the victim--a responsibility generally handled only by paramedics. However, because the two officers knew they had to act quickly, the man survived.

The officers were later able to visit the man in the hospital, where they say he is recovering and doing better. The officers also say doctors were able to save the man's leg despite the severity of his injuries.