Off-Duty Polk Firefighter Lauded For Preventing Possible Suicide

POLK COUNTY, FL — An off-duty Polk County firefighter is being hailed as a hero after saving a person who was preparing to jump off a highway overpass in Tampa.

On Sunday at 9:20 a.m., Polk County Fire Rescue firefighter and emergency medical technician Jeremy Metsky was driving home after working the night shift when he spotted a person sitting on the edge of an overpass wall above the westbound lanes of Interstate 4 in Tampa.

Noticing that the person was in distress, Metsky got off the highway at the next exit and contacted the Florida Highway Patrol. He then headed back to the overpass, where he got out of his vehicle and walked over to the person who was preparing to jump into the traffic below.

Metsky engaged the potential jumper in a conversation until the highway patrol arrived and averted the possible suicide.

Anyone contemplating taking his or her life is urged to call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.