Lake Lure, North Carolina, is supporting its fire department after Assistant Fire Chief Chris Melton threatened to arrest a volunteer helicopter pilot who was rescuing a couple stranded after Hurricane Helene. The pilot, Jordan Seidhom, had successfully rescued Susan Coffey but was warned by Melton that he had to stop rescuing victims of the storm.

Seidhom had left Mike Coffey and his own son behind, as his helicopter could only carry two passengers. When he attempted to return for them, Melton warned him that he could face arrest if he continued. Despite this, Seidhom went on with the rescue, leading to widespread criticism of Melton and the fire department.

Town Manager Olivia Stewman defended Melton, saying the department was following proper procedures and that Seidhom had not informed anyone of his plans. “They were doing what they were instructed to do,” Stewman told Queen City News, citing safety concerns.

Seidhom, however, claimed that he coordinated with the local airport, which was refueling aircraft for search-and-rescue missions. Stewman acknowledged that this information had not been communicated to the fire department, leading to the arrest threat.

With all the misinformation claiming that private citizens were not being stopped from rescue efforts in the area, this is one example of a heroic effort being shut down over bureaucratic red tape that did, in fact, get in the way of saving lives.