Groton Police Officer Saves Woman's Life In Vermont

GROTON, CT — A Groton police officer received a life-saving medal after he rescued a woman while off duty in Vermont. Officer Andrew Collins found a woman lying upside down under the base of a waterfall with blood coming from the back of her head.

She appeared to be struggling to breathe due to the water from the falls nearly drowning her.Collins acted swiftly and was able to pull the woman from the falls, according to a Facebook post from police.

His wife, Megan, a nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital, called 9-1-1, and they both began to provide aid. The victim had severe injuries and suffered major head trauma.

When rescue services arrived, Collins assisted with extracting the woman a couple hundred feet out of the woods to an awaiting ambulance.

She was later flown by helicopter to Dartmouth Hospital due to the severity of her injuries.

Police wrote: "If not for quick actions by OFC Collins and his wife, the victim would likely not have survived. This is an amazing display of heroic actions that saved a life that day. OFC Collins was awarded the Life Saving Medal, and his wife recognized, for their heroic actions that day."