In critical situations minutes can be crucial. One man is lucky to be alive thanks to the quick actions of a New York State Trooper.

A man working for a tree removal service got his leg caught in a woodchipper while at home in Margaretville. Two others on the scene tried helping by putting the woodchipper in reverse to free his leg. They applied a belt around his leg but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding.

Trooper Mitchell Reed was less than three minutes away when he heard the high priority call being dispatched by Delaware County 911 on Thursday, January 7, 2021. "When Trooper Reed arrived on scene he immediately jumped into action and used his division issued tourniquet to slow the bleeding before Margaretville EMS arrived," the New York State Police shared on Facebook.

The man was taken to Margaretville Hospital before being transferred to Albany Medical for treatment.

"The man has a long road ahead of him and we wish him a speedy recovery, but he is alive today because of the heroic actions and quick thinking by the civilians and Trooper Reed," said the New York State Police.

Heraclitus once said "the content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become."

All those involved in saving this man's life, have become heroes.

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