Two first responders save Arizona woman from burning car

MESA, Ariz. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Two first responders from Arizona saved a woman from a burning car on Tuesday.

Some people back away from danger, but others, like Officer Brian Larison, run into it.

The truck had been hit by a cement mixer rolled and caught on fire. Officer Larison parked his bike and ran towards it.

"I saw there was a female still trapped inside, in the driver's seat, and the back of that truck was just engulfed," Larison shared.

It was only a few hours ago.

Just because he was brave doesn't mean it was easy: "I'm not gonna let her burn up. I know I was like, I hit it three times. I was like, it seemed like it took forever to try to get this window to break, and I was my thought was, she's not dying."

Larison finally broke the window, and as he did spotted someone else running into the fire.

"For some reason, I looked out of corner of my eye. There's this off-duty fireman, and he's got all this fire retardant gear on. And I'm like, what?" Larison explained. "I dialed her husband, I asked for his name, spoke to him, and I gave the phone to her, let her talk to her husband, just to reassure him and her, everything's good."

It was over in minutes without hesitation.

It's not just that Larison's a cop, he also served in the military, and he knows what's at stake.

"I don't matter. They do. That's how I look at it. It's just, you know, I signed up for this. I was a Marine before I became a cop. You know, I've been doing it since I was 18-years-old. You know, contract says payable with my life, if necessary. That's what we do," Larison expressed.

Payable with his life, but not today. Not for him or the woman he saved.

"She clung to me on the side of the road, and I just held her, and I just told her I had her...just told her I had her, and she's okay and she's safe. That's all just kept reminding her that, that she's good," Larison said.