McALLEN — U.S. Border Patrol agents switched gears from law enforcers to life savers when they pulled a suspected drug smuggler from inside a burning van that had crashed into a tree after a high-speed chase earlier this year.

During a ceremony Monday, the five agents who helped in the fiery crash and four other Rio Grande Valley Sector agents were awarded with a Congressional recognition certificate by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, for making split-second decisions that saved lives.

“These agents went above and beyond their call of duty by risking their own lives to save civilians in need,” Cuellar said. “These agents are the embodiment of what the U.S. Border Patrol stands for.”

Agent Jason Newman said in his 13 years as an agent, he’s never faced a situation like what happened the night of April 29.

When agents observed marijuana being loaded into a minivan near the community of El Ranchito, south of San Benito, on Military Highway 281, they attempted to stop the vehicle that had fled the scene. The driver tried to evade the agents but lost control, crashing into a tree. The force of the crash caused one man to be ejected and the van to go up in flames, Newman said.

The first two agents to respond that night were Fernando Galvan Jr. and Arturo Gutierrez who ran to save a man that had been knocked unconscious inside the burning van. They also hurried to move the man ejected to safety, while the other agents assisted in extinguishing the fire.

Other stories included agents jumping into rivers and canals to save immigrants from drowning, and performing CPR to revive the victims back to life.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recognizes agents for acts of bravery or heroism every year with the Newton-Azrak Award. The award is named after two agents who were murdered in 1967 near Oak Grove, California, while on duty, and is the highest honor that can be bestowed by CBP, according to its website.

These Congressional certificates were the first awarded to Border Patrol agents, officials said, adding another ceremony is in the works in Laredo.

The ceremony came one week after the Los Angeles Times reported that Border Patrol agents were absolved of criminal misconduct in more than 60 shooting incidents that left 19 people dead.

 “Sometimes people might not like the conclusion but you need to let the facts lead that conclusion,” Cuellar said after Monday’s ceremony.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/congressman-honors-bp-agents-for-saving-lives/article_80f10ef8-194a-11e5-8a47-eb95d04c9bc0.html