James Reed and Ryan Freeman did not arrive at the firing range expecting to save a life. They were there for something routine: supporting a Hana officer through firearms qualification. The range was full, with officers from several organizations sharing the facility.
Then, in a matter of seconds, routine disappeared.
An officer from another company accidentally shot himself in the leg while drawing his weapon. The injury caused severe bleeding, and the scene quickly became chaotic.
James and Ryan moved toward it.
Just two weeks earlier, the two had completed recertification training that covered exactly this kind of medical emergency. With that training still fresh, they took control of the scene and began working to stop the bleeding.
Ryan stabilized the injured man while James applied a tourniquet high on the leg and tightened it until the bleeding stopped. “He was going out,” Ryan recalled. “It was just going to be a matter of minutes if we didn’t get it.”
James remembers the moment the tourniquet worked. “The tourniquet stopped the bleeding immediately,” he said. As the injured man began showing signs of shock, James continued talking to him and keeping him responsive until emergency medical personnel arrived roughly 10 minutes later.
When EMS arrived, they determined that James and Ryan’s treatment was working, left it in place and transported the man to a Level I trauma center. Ryan later learned that the man was recovering and expected to be discharged from the hospital.
People at the range later told James and Ryan plainly what their actions had meant. “You guys saved that guy’s life,” James recalls being told.
On October 22, 2026, Hana Vice President Chip Larkin recognized James and Ryan with certificates commending their actions. But neither man is particularly interested in being called a hero.
Ryan was reluctant even to talk about what happened. “I don’t want to take any glory for this,” he said. “The number one thing is, is he going to be okay?”
For Ryan, the lesson is not about recognition. It is about preparation. “Get that training,” he said. “That’s what’s going to save lives.”
That may be the most important part of the story. James and Ryan were calm in a moment when calm mattered. They had the training, recognized what needed to happen, and acted while every second counted.
They’d probably tell you they were simply doing what they had been trained to do. And that is precisely why their actions deserve recognition.
Congratulations to James Reed and Ryan Freeman, and thank you for being ready when it mattered most.