A tow truck driver who pulled two people from a burning car in late December was honored today by AAA, who at his urging, announced that life saving tools will be added to all AAA trucks in Western and Central New York.
Scott Swank, of Phoenix, was sitting inside his parked AAA flatbed truck on the morning on Dec. 26 when he heard a vehicle zoom past him on Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse. The car crashed into a utility pole, rolled over and caught fire.
Swank, who is also a volunteer firefighter at the Phoenix Fire Department, sprung into action. Using a tool he uses for removing tires, Swank smashed open the driver’s side window and using his personal pocket knife, cut the driver’s seat belt and pulled her from the burning car.