UF Health security officer, veteran who saved Jacksonville firefighter: 'This is just my training'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UF Health security guard Davay Kinsey got the call Tuesday night from the Trauma One dispatch office.

Two Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighters -- Capt. Latorrence Norris and Engineer Vincent Harper -- were transporting a patient, later identified as 38-year-old Tony Harris. Norris and Harper were being attacked by Harris near 11th and Boulevard.

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Norris suffered multiple stab wounds from Harris, who allegedly wrestled away Norris' box cutter and began stabbing him. Harper tried to help Norris and was stabbed in the thigh.

Kinsey got to the firefighters and described the situation she saw as "unreal."

"JFRD was doing their best to try to subdue and control the patient inside the unit," Kinsey said. "The only thing I saw was Captain Norris bleeding profusely at his abdomen and from his shirt."

Kinsey, who went straight into the Air Force after she graduated from Wolfson High School in 1998, said her training kicked in.

"Once they got control of that patient, my first instinct was just to get Captain Norris on my golf cart and take him straight to the trauma unit," she said.

JFRD units had Norris and Harper's rescue unit blocked in from all sides.

"I knew that I was able to get him transported over to the trauma unit faster than everyone else because of the way everything was blocked in," she said.

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She radioed to the trauma unit to have a stretcher ready and that she was on her way up on a golf cart. She said Norris was talking to her as she drove to the trauma unit.

"When I put him on the back side of my golf cart, I kept talking to him as we were driving up to the trauma unit, asking him was he OK, sir stay with me. He was telling me, 'I'm OK; just keep going, just keep going,'" she said.

Kinsey, who has been a security guard at UF Health for the past 10 years, gave credit to the team she works with. She said she was in the right place at the right time, and so were they.

"I'm prior U.S. Air Force. I was a police officer in the Air Force for almost 11 years. This is just my training, it just kicks in. Either you have it or you don't. I'm that person who runs to the trouble, I don't run away from it. I know how to collect myself in chaos and just know how to deal with it. It 100% helps when you have a team behind you that also makes that all come together for you. It's beautiful," she said.

Kinsey was able to meet Norris in his hospital bed on Wednesday afternoon and the two shared a hug.

The hospital said Norris is being moved out of the intensive care unit and his release is likely days away. Harper was treated and released from the hospital and is recovering with family.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KINSEY BELOW:

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