Chris CiarloChannel 2 News
Twelve days after that deadly plane crash at the Reno Air Races, we're still hearing the amazing stories of heroism.
Fifty students were honored Wednesday for answering the call on that tragic Friday afternoon. Their instructor says it's important to remember the victims, but also honor those who stepped in to help.
"In the after moments of that terrible event, there were a lot of people that were in the way," said Jason Patterson of Martin-Ross Associates, which is a security company that works with students.
Patterson said students from the Nevada Job Corps Center learn security, along with physical and tactical training for emergency situations.
They also get hands on experience providing security at major events in our area.
That's why many students were working at the air races when Jimmy Leeward's P-51 Mustang went down and killed 11 people including Leeward.
Patterson said students helped with crowd control and monitored entry and exits at the airport. Thirty students also volunteered to stay through the weekend, volunteering to help vendors and provide support wherever they were needed.
We spoke with one woman who was there that day. She talked about how she helped that chaotic, Friday afternoon.
"When the ambulances would come in and out, we would have to have everybody clear the way," said Tommya Fields, a student at Sierra Nevada Job Corps. "It was really confusing and tragic that day. A lot of people were emotional. It was hard to be professional and not get emotional about it."
Tommya says this was a life changing event - one that teaches you to never take anything for granted.
