Firefighters who saved woman from burning home, other first responders honored

When Lafayette Fire Capt. Jim Bourgeois and Firefighter Jake Guidry arrived on the scene responding to an alarm for assistance, the Carencro house was fully involved.

Neighbors said there were two people inside, one of whom eventually escaped on his own. But the woman was still inside.

Bourgeois and Guidry went into the home that September night to find the woman. When Bourgeois found her, she begged him not to leave her alone. He didn't and even offered her his own air pack.

After feeling like he wasn't going to make it out of the house himself, Bourgeois and Guidry eventually pulled the woman to safety where she was treated by Acadian Ambulance.

Bourgeois and Guidry were two of the first responders honored Wednesday with the Life Saving Award, during the Louisiana First Responders Christian Association Annual Awards Ceremony.

"What did they do during that rescue? They gave that woman a second chance to live," said Ray Landry, who presented the award. "They put their own lives in jeopardy to save another person's life."

'It's in our nature': For the Bourgeois family, public service is in their blood

The ceremony honors firefighters and law enforcement agents who dedicated their lives to their professions and keeping others safe in the process.

That included keeping their staff safe, as Chief Carroll Guilbeau did during his nearly 50 years at the Carencro Fire Department.

"His primary concern was always the safety of his staff," said Barney Babin, who presented the award. "From low-grade fire hydrants to much-improved water service. From street shoes to fire boots. From ball caps to fire helmets. From their hands to fire gloves. From no safe air to airbags."

Guilbeau died in 2016 and his son, John Guilbeau accepted the award on his father's behalf.

Also honored were Chief Gerard Tarleton, who received the Career Chief award for his more than 40 years of service with the St. George Fire Department and Chief Roy Robichaux Jr., who received the Volunteer Chief award for his more than 50 years of service with the Bell Chase Volunteer Fire Department; and Chief Bruce Cutrer, who was recognized for the 56 years he served in Tangipahoa Parish until his death last year.

During the ceremony, former Lafayette Parish Sheriff Donald Breaux also was recognized. Breaux served in law enforcement for more than 40 years, first at the Lafayette Police Department, then at the Louisiana State Police, Lafayette City Marshal's Office and was Lafayette Parish Sheriff for 16 years.

"There were no bad days for Sheriff Breaux. He moved through the cases with a flair for all that is right and good. Never criticism to a deputy who tried their best," said Duson Police Chief Kip Judice, who presented the award. "It is impossible to envision law enforcement in Lafayette Parish without the impacts of this man."

Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Lafayette firefighters who saved woman from burning house honored