img_1697-550?v=1

Former Sailor Still Running Toward Danger

First Responder Credits Military Service as Key to Success as a Paramedic

When asked about the lives he saved during his time in the U.S. Navy, Petty Officer 3d Class (E-4) Christopher Prutzman, who served on a battleship between September 1987 and February 1992, claims he’s no hero.

Like most veterans and servicemen, broaching the subject of heroism in the service of the country is met with resistance. The reluctance in receiving public praise is sometimes awkward when a sailor is singled out among his peers, knowing it was a team effort.

“For me, it was about selflessness, honor and courage,” states Prutzman, who further claims, “it is not about winning awards. When fighting and the ship and the crew are called to General Quarters or Battle Stations, it’s about protecting your shipmates and this nation."

This mentality—of serving a cause greater than your own—is what all veterans call the “warrior ethos,” a set of principles by which every soldier, airman, sailor and Marine strives to live while cultivating a sense of selfless service and teamwork.

Steven Pressfield, in his essay, “The Warrior Ethos,” furthermore states that this code of conduct is a “conception of right and wrong, of virtues and of vices.”

Prutzman served aboard the U.S.S. New Jersey BB-62, an Iowa-class battleship, as a fire control man responsible for maintaining the ship’s weapons system in support of the tactical, nuclear-capable Tomahawk cruise missile and Mark15 Phalanx CIWS (pronounced "sea-wiz"), used for defense against anti-ship missiles and helicopters.

He completed two Western Pacific Deployments from Long Beach Naval Station. During the second, while participating in “PacEx,” fleet exercises in the Indian Ocean, they came upon an unmarked oil tanker on fire. After receiving the distress call for help, his team participated in the rescue of 18 crew members.

Prutzman received an Armed Forces Expeditionary citation for the team’s leadership and bravery in the rescue of civilian sailors, as well as damage control operations to extinguish the fire onboard, dewater the vessel and make it seaworthy for the tow to port for repairs.

In February 1992, he received a medical (honorable) discharge for an injury sustained during a firefighting operation, but it didn’t slow him down. Prutzman eventually became a paramedic and EMS Industry Leader with an astonishing 1,500-plus lives saved during his 30-year career.

“My life in the Navy provided the blueprint by which I continue living today as a first responder and the values that I’ve instilled in my children,” he says, adding that his extensive military experience allows his family to better cope with stress when their father runs toward the danger while others run in the opposite direction.

“It’s the mindset that gives me the capability to control my fear in the midst of chaos,” claims Prutzman. “Life as a paramedic often resembles active duty service, [with] similar missions of protecting the communities I serve to ensure public safety and security.”

Today, Prutzman serves as the director of operations for Samaritan EMS, and after 30 years on the job, he has no plans to change his course.

With strong community ties and a solid reputation as a family man, he also spends time training civilians life-saving techniques accumulated over a lifetime of service.

“I call it Active Attack Medical Intervention,” states Prutzman, who compares rolling into a situation similar to going into a battlefield event. His role, he says, is to help prepare others to react similarly under even the toughest scenarios.

Rarchar S. Tortorello was awarded the Air Force’s Airman’s Medal for heroism involving voluntary risk of life after the largest terrorist attack against American forces on June 25, 1996, at Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia. Actively supporting the veteran community nationwide, he appeals disability claims up to the Board of Veterans Appeals. His hobbies include writing, traveling and drone photography.

  • img_1697-300?v=1
  • img_1836-300?v=1

Related Businesses

The Nelson-Atkins Museum

Community Services

The Nelson-Atkins Museum

Kansas City, MO

The Nelson-Atkins is a comprehensive art museum with works of art dating from ancient to contemporary.

Animal Hospital of West Chester

Pet Services

Animal Hospital of West Chester

West Chester, OH

We are a full service medical and surgical veterinary hospital for all types of cats and dogs and specialize in taking care...

The Fetchington Luxury Pet Hotel

Pet Services

The Fetchington Luxury Pet Hotel

West Chester, OH

See More

Related Articles

See More