On May 6,first responders charged into a dangerous scene, riding a Jet Ski more than one mile and through floating debris and fuel to be the first to reach the pilot of a Marine Corps jet that crashed off of Wrightsville Beach. This week, the Wrightsville Beach Fire Department honored Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue Capt. Jeremy Owens and EMT, firefighter and lifeguard Kyle Miess with the department’s medal for meritorious conduct.
“Jeremy and Kyle were true to our motto: ‘always willing and always ready,’” said Glen Rogers, Wrightsville Beach fire chief. “They jumped into action to respond to potentially fatal military aircraft crash. Our nation could have lost another military member. Fortunately circumstances worked out for the best for the pilot and his rescuers.”
After receiving the call at about 4:50 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Owens and Miess left from the station, launched a Jet Ski near Masons Inlet, and arrived at the downed pilot nearly two miles offshore in less than 20 minutes. The Marine Corps Harrier jet pilot ejected before the plane crashed and Miess said he was conscious when they arrived. The Marine Corps said the pilot recovered without serious injury.
Wrightsville Beach Town Manager Tim Owens said the scene must have been “surreal.”
“They went out there and didn’t know what to expect, but they came out with a good outcome,” Owens said. “I couldn’t imagine responding to a scene like that.”
Miess, 22, came to Wrightsville Beach nearly two years ago from the small horse farm his family owns in Indian Trail, North Carolina, to participate in the Wrightsville Beach Fire Department internship program. He lives in a dorm at the town’s fire station. He is enrolled in Cape Fear Community College’s paramedic training program, giving him 500 hours of ambulance training, along with 500 hours of classroom time, which he’ll finish in October.
The May crash wasn’t Miess’ first time on an emergency rescue. He helped rescue a woman who had fallen from a boat in Banks Channel in August 2014. After boaters had found the woman and brought her to shore, Miess arrived with other rescue personnel, where he reflected on his training and realized that the woman needed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation more urgently than CPR. His and other responders’ efforts helped revive the woman, who later went on to make a full recovery.
Miess said he has aspirations to make a career of being an emergency responder. While he would like to work in the fire department of big cities like Charlotte, Wilmington or even New York, he also plans to join the National Guard and work toward becoming a medic in the Army Special Forces.
Miess credits his upbringing as part of his inspiration to be an emergency responder.
“It really comes down to my faith and the way I’ve been raised as a Christian,” he said. “He laid down his life for all of us. When people are having the worst moments of their lives, it’s good to be able to help them and bring some peace and calm.”
He said he was proud to see the reactions from his parents and his girlfriend upon receiving the award, especially on a week when the nation honors its fallen soldiers.
“I am humbled by the award, but I am also in awe and have deep respect for why we have Memorial Day, to honor the service men and women who gave their lives for our country,” Miess said.
Owens, a 13-year veteran of the fire department’s ocean rescue team, said it’s the first time he has received an award of this level, and that the ceremony was a nice event to build camaraderie as the lifeguards start another summer season.
“It’s an honor,” Owens said. “And it was a really nice ceremony for the department. It brings us together and shows what a great team we have.”
email [email protected]
