AMHERST, Ohio — An Amherst police officer is being recognized for his courage after rescuing an unsuspecting homeowner from a developing fire.
According to a post on Facebook by the Amherst Police Department, Patrolman Greg Ford was in the area of Coopers Run and Country Walk on Monday, when he noticed "an excess amount of black smoke" coming from the area of Country Walk.
Ford investigated and saw a residence on Country Walk on fire. He radioed for the Amherst Fire Department to respond to the scene and went to the home to see if anyone was inside. Ford then tried to make contact at the home to see if anyone was inside and was able to alert the homeowner of the danger. The homeowner was apparently unaware that the house was on fire.
"I was knocking on the door. He (homeowner) came over to the door and asked what was going on," Ford told 3News' Lydia Esparra. "I told him his house was on fire and he had to get out."
Patrolman Ford escorted the homeowner to safety in the back of his cruiser.
Ford has been with the Amherst Police Department for five years and knows a little about saving lives. He was an Army Ranger and served in Afghanistan. He retired from the Army in 2015 after the first of two brain tumors was detected, the aftermath of serving in a war zone.
While he wore his badges for the Army with pride, Ford does the same with the scars on his head now as a police officer.
Meanwhile, Ford says it was luck that he was driving nearby the burning house on Monday. The homeowner was in a back room, a short way from where the fire broke out.
Ford still believes in that Army motto: "This We'll Defend."
"Because everybody's life matters, and I will put theirs before mine," he added.
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