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Paramedic Recalls Saving Wounded Search And Rescue Volunteer In Nevada County

NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A CHP paramedic is sharing new details about the heart-pounding efforts to save a search and rescue volunteer shot in Nevada County.

"I honestly don't think that he thought he was going to survive that night," CHP Flight Officer Brandon Hallam said.

Hallam and his crew found bleeding search and rescue volunteer Steve Wolf in the rugged mountains Tuesday night.

"The thing that struck a chord with me was when I was talking to him on the radio, and the only thing he kept saying was 'I need a medic,' and you could hear the pain in his voice, the distress," Hallam said.

Hallam saves lives for a living and Wolf needed a life-saver. The 69-year-old Placer County volunteer was shot by an unknown gunman while on a search for a missing hiker. The bullet pierced his hip.

"The wound was exposed, it had hit him right above the waistline, of his pants," Hallam said. "The bullet lodged near his spinal cord."

As night fell in the rugged mountains, and dusk turned to darkness, Wolf shined a flashlight to help Hallam pinpoint his location.

"So we literally were able to see him on our camera, i could touch the screen and mark that location,  which then provided me latitude longitude coordinates," Hallam said.

Hallam and his pilot had to hover on the ground to pick up Wolf,  knowing the gunman could still be closeby.

"You're planning for the worst, you're planning on what your out is going to be your out if you do get shots fired at you," Hallam said.

Hallam says despite the danger he was determined to get Wolf out of the woods.

"It hit home; I was very upset," Hallam said. "A search and rescue person is just a volunteer, they do nothing but go out and do good things."

A mission to rescue a gunshot victim hit while volunteering to help save someone else in trouble.

For flight officer Brandon Hallam it was no ordinary call for service.

It's no ordinary job.

"That was what this jobs all about and that's why i do it."

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