16 Jan The Dramatic Moment A Firefighter Caught A Child “Like A Football” From A Burning Building

Firefighters have one of the hardest jobs in the world. Every day, they go to work and put their lives on the line to save others in need. They know that they are going to enter perilous situations, and even if they emerge unscathed, it can affect them psychologically.

But two firefighters can now sleep easy in the knowledge that their actions saved a girl and baby who had been thrown from a burning building.

Footage of the incredible catch has recently gone viral. The incident took place in Georgia and was filmed by a DeKalb County firefighter’s helmet camera. The children were thrown by her parents after their apartment building went up in flames earlier this month.

The girl was one of 12 people firefighters rescued from the blaze – her newborn brother was also thrown from the building wrapped in a blanket before her, but this took place out of view of the camera.

“We were catching babies like footballs, literally,” Captain Eric Jackson, of DeKalb County Fire Rescue, said.

The footage was posted on social media by the local firefighters’ union. In this distressing video, screaming can be heard while firefighter Scott Stroup heroically caught the young girl, who, along with her brother and mom, suffered no injuries from the blaze.

After catching the girl, Stroup carries her away from the flames before placing her on the ground.

The girls’ father, Lance Ragland, suffered second-degree burns as a result of the incident.

Speaking of her heroic actions, Jackie Peckrul, who caught the girl’s newborn brother, said that she had no idea the baby had been thrown until she “saw blue coming”. Her eagle eye meant that she was able to leap into action and save the baby.

“I think they thought I was expecting it,” she said. “I can’t imagine the fear that the mom was facing and was thinking about her child first. That was the only thing running through my mind… ‘Lord, let me catch this baby.’ My hands came off the ladder and I got them.”

Moments later, her older sibling, who is featured in the video, was caught by Stroup.

“There’s no better feeling in the world,” Peckrul said. “Never want to see any parent lose a child.”

Thankfully, no one died in the January 3 blaze, but 79 people were left homeless after 20 apartments were destroyed.

Check out the dramatic footage for yourself below:

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