Photo By Sgt. Adena McCluskey | U.S. Army Spc. James Holloman, a supply specialist for the 127th Medical Company,...... read more read more
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FRUITDALE, Ala. – U.S. Army Spc. James Hollomon, a supply specialist for the Alabama National Guard’s 127th Medical Company, received a hero’s recognition during a community event, Aug. 31, 2024, after voluntarily placing himself in harm’s way to prevent a potential catastrophe.
On July 24, 2024, Hollomon was on his way home from annual training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, when he stopped at the local Dollar General next to the Fruitdale Corner Store to purchase a can of sealant for his leaking tire.
“I looked over and saw a bunch of smoke,” Hollomon said. “The firefighter in me kicked in.”
As a fire police officer for Marion, Mississippi, Hollomon is no stranger to fires. He said it was on instinct that he jumped in his car and drove to the scene to help.
Hollomon learned a mail carrier’s Jeep had caught fire near the store’s gas pumps, and he suited up in fire protection gear he had stored in his car for emergencies.
Hollomon attempted to move the Jeep by shifting it to neutral, but he quickly changed his course of action when he opened the door to a burst of flames spreading across the dashboard.
“By that time, the cop side of me kicked in,” he said. “I was like ‘I’m just going to push it.’”
Hollomon got back in his car, pulled in behind the burning Jeep, and gently drove into it to push it away from the store.
After suppressing the immediate risk of an explosion at the gas pumps, Hollomon’s next step was to extinguish the fire.
Hollomon ran to the fire department, a street behind the store, where he found a volunteer already suiting up to assist. The volunteer told Hollomon he would meet him at the site with his fire truck.
“I grabbed their preconnect [hose] and told him to just give me water and started putting it out,” said Hollomon.
Brig. Gen. Michael Evans, commander of the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Hollomon’s higher headquarters, also attended the recognition event at the Fruitdale Corner Store which coincided with the business’s five-year anniversary celebration.
It was a milestone locals noted they may not have reached without Hollomon’s fast action.
Evans said Hollomon’s selfless service and personal courage modeled the Army Values, and his preparedness embodied the National Guard’s motto “Always Ready, Always There.”
“There are those who just have a public servant's heart,” he said. “It was evident to me that Spc. Hollomon has a public servant’s heart; instead of running away, he ran to help.”
Evans continued, “His first reaction to danger was to make the situation safe for all. Fate put him there.”
As Hollomon stood before the community and accepted a plaque from the store’s owner, he shared his reason for stepping up.
“The moment that things are going on and people are having bad days, you just gotta do what you gotta do to make it a good day,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2024 16:49 |
| Story ID: | 480531 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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