FOX 35 Care Force: Volusia deputy Royce James saves woman from burning house

FOX 35 honors Volusia County deputy Royce James with Care Force Award

Volusia County deputy Royce James is being honored with a FOX 35 Care Force Award after he saved an elderly woman from a house fire in Ormond Beach.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - The FOX 35 Care Force is honoring the heroic work of a Volusia County deputy who ran into a burning house to save an elderly woman stuck inside.

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Deputy Royce James was at the fire station rinsing off his car when he saw firefighters running to respond to a house fire.

Not far from the fire, he jumped in his car to see how he could help. When he arrived at the house, he quickly learned an elderly couple was still inside.

Without any protective gear on, he chose to go inside. 

Body camera video shows the moment James kicked down the front door to make his way through thick smoke and find the elderly couple.

Struggling to breathe, blinded by dark smoke, and being hit with the extreme heat, he found a woman lying on the ground and was able to pull her up and get her out of the burning house.

"Ma’am. Keep breathing. Keep breathing sweetheart," James can be heard saying on his body-worn camera. 

The house quickly became engulfed in flames.

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As fire crews arrived, firefighters were able to get her husband out of the home and to the hospital for treatment.

This is not the first time James has made headlines for his heroism. A few years ago, he was featured on FOX 35 for his work in catching a child predator.